Wildlife Keeper – West Coast Wildlife Centre – Franz Josef | Waiau

Do you love Aotearoa New Zealand wildlife, enjoy practical animal-care work, and feel confident sharing conservation stories with visitors?

The West Coast Wildlife Centre is looking for a Wildlife Keeper to join our small, dedicated wildlife team in Franz Josef | Waiau.

This is a varied, hands-on role caring for kiwi, kororā (little penguins), tuatara, and any additional species that may join our conservation and advocacy programmes in the future.

Depending on your experience, there may also be opportunities to specialise in kiwi incubation and chick rearing through Operation Nest Egg, or in kororā husbandry and long-term ambassador-bird care.

About Us
The West Coast Wildlife Centre is one of New Zealand’s largest kiwi incubation and hatching centres. Working in partnership with the Department of Conservation, we have hatched and reared 490 kiwi and contributed to the recovery of two of the world’s rarest kiwi taxa: rowi and Haast tokoeka.

Our conservation mission continues to grow. Our indoor tuatara habitat is home to 16 tuatara, and the West Coast Kororā Encounter provides lifelong care for impaired, non-releasable kororā. These birds are ambassadors for coastal conservation, helping visitors understand penguins, marine ecosystems, and the actions we can all take to protect them.

About the Role
As Wildlife Keeper, you will support high standards of animal welfare, husbandry, biosecurity, record-keeping, and visitor advocacy. You will work closely with the Husbandry Manager and the wider team to deliver consistent daily care and engaging conservation experiences.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Carrying out daily animal-care routines, including feeding, cleaning, health checks, habitat maintenance, and behavioural monitoring.
• Preparing diets and maintaining high standards of hygiene, quarantine, and biosecurity.
• Delivering enrichment programmes that support the physical and behavioural wellbeing of animals in our care.
• Keeping accurate husbandry records and promptly reporting animal health or welfare concerns.
• Supporting kiwi incubation, hatching, and chick-rearing work where appropriate to your skills and experience.
• Contributing to kororā care, including long-term care of impaired, non-releasable ambassador birds.
• Leading behind-the-scenes experiences and public talks in our kiwi hatchery, tuatara habitat, and kororā areas.
• Engaging visitors from New Zealand and around the world in a warm, informative, and memorable way.
• Following procedures, permits, and animal-management plans, and helping the team continuously improve how we work.

What We Are Looking For

• Previous experience in wildlife care, zoo keeping, animal rehabilitation, veterinary nursing, or a similar animal-care setting.
• Experience with New Zealand native species, particularly kiwi and/or penguins, would be highly advantageous.
• Experience with kiwi incubation and chick rearing would be a significant advantage, but is not essential for the right person.
• Strong public-facing communication skills, with the ability to make conservation engaging for different audiences.
• A genuine interest in Aotearoa New Zealand’s wildlife, conservation, and ecosystems.
• Confidence working safely around animals, visitors, and other team members in a busy visitor environment.

Not yet highly experienced in animal care, but strong in conservation advocacy, nature guiding, zoo education, or visitor engagement? We would still like to hear from you.

Essential Personal Qualities:

• Self-motivated, reliable, and able to work both independently and as part of a small team.
• Calm, observant, and detail-focused in a dynamic animal-care environment.
• Organised and flexible, with good time management and the ability to prioritise animal-care needs as they arise.
• Willing to get stuck in with practical tasks, including cleaning, food preparation, and habitat maintenance.
• Comfortable living and working in a small, friendly community.
• Positive, professional, and committed to high standards of animal welfare and visitor care.

Why Join Us?
You will be based in stunning Franz Josef | Waiau, in a UNESCO World Heritage area where rainforest, glaciers, and endangered wildlife are part of daily life. Recreational opportunities are endless, and your work will directly support the care, conservation, and advocacy of taonga species.

Pay: Competitive hourly rate, depending on skills and experience.

Hours: Full-time, rostered shifts including weekends and public holidays.

Ready to waddle into something wonderful? Apply now by emailing your CV and a short cover letter to kiwi@wildkiwi.co.nz telling us why this role excites you and what you would bring to the West Coast Wildlife Centre team.

Applications close when a suitable candidate is recruited.