Employment Opportunities

Become a Zoo Society Tour Guide

Become one of the elite guides entrusted with leading the Zoo Society's highly popular Private and Public Behind-the-Scenes VIP Tours, and Shadow a Veterinarian for Two programs.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

• Tour guides set their work schedule by signing up for the programs they want to lead.
• All Public VIP Tours take place on Saturdays, and we do ask Saturday guides to conduct at least two tours if two tours are available on the day they choose to work.
• Shadow a Veterinarian for Two Tours may be scheduled on Saturdays or Sundays, and Private VIP Tours may be scheduled for any day of the week. Usually, only one private tour will be scheduled for a given weekday.
• Salaries begin at $15 per hour, but guides earn a minimum of $45 per day for their service. Most tours last about an hour and require an additional 30 minutes of preparation time. Guides conducting two tours in one day can expect to earn between $60 to $80 for leading those two programs and an additional $30 to $45 if they sign up for a third tour.

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

• Former or current Zoo Volunteers, Animal Keepers, Veterinary Technicians, Educators, and Security Officers are highly sought after as guides because of the expertise they bring with them to the program. We also welcome applications from enthusiastic, responsible adults eager to learn more about the Zoo and contribute to its conservation programming.
• Be aware that we currently require all VIP Tour Guides to be fully vaccinated, and, like our tour participants, guides must wear masks while behind the scenes. These requirements are in place because several wild species (especially primates, cats, and otters) are vulnerable to COVID infections, and several individual animals have died in other zoos as a result of COVID-19 infections. The proximity of guides to wildlife and staff underlies our decision to require our guides to follow these protocols.
  

Please fill out an application (download here Application for employment ) and email it to jparker@nczoo.com. If you have questions, please call Jayne Parker at 336-879-7273. An excellent opportunity to become familiar with Zoo programs, learn about the animals, and inspire guests to care about the Zoo and conservation.