Vacant job

Skansen is looking for Zookeepers for the summer season, based at Lill-Skansen

Experience a unique work environment!

As a Zookeeper at Skansen, you are our face to the public and an important part of our team in the zoo.

Skansen is much more than just an open-air museum and a zoo – it is a place that welcomes over 1.5 million visitors from all corners of the world every year. Here, culture, animals, and nature blend in a way that few other places can match. Our core values – Welcoming, Responsible, Surprising, and Together – describe the environment and the expectations we have for our employees.

At Lill-Skansen, we want to give visitors the opportunity to learn more about animals and nature in an enjoyable way, and our primary target group is families with children. Here, you have the chance to meet and learn more about our Swedish wild small animals such as frogs, snakes, and small rodents, and why they are so important for biodiversity. We also have pets like rabbits, guinea pigs, and parrots, as we want to inspire our guests to keep pets in the best possible way at home. Outdoors, there are mini-pigs, ducks, and sheep. During the high season, guests have the opportunity to get close to some of the animals in our contact facilities under staff supervision, and we also hold shows and presentations daily.

Role Description

"As a zookeeper at Lill-Skansen, you get the perfect mix of working with animal care and sharing all your knowledge about animals and nature with curious children and adults." This is what Johan Deander, Unit Manager at Lill-Skansen, says – and perhaps your future boss?

The tasks are very varied and include general animal care, feeding, environmental enrichment, and cleaning inside and around the animal enclosures.

At Skansen, the guest is in focus, and a very large part of the work, especially during the high season, involves showing and informing about our animals through active guest contact. Therefore, it is important that you enjoy meeting different types of people and have an open and positive attitude. We also have many educational shows and presentations, which means you should feel confident speaking in front of groups of all sizes, different target groups, and especially children. During the high season, the work at Lill-Skansen is very varied, often with a high pace where you work and cooperate closely with your colleagues.

Good to Know 

Fixed-term employment during the period June–September, with the most work in July–August. Working hours, scheduled both weekdays and weekends, vary between 07:00–19:00.

 Hourly wage according to agreement.

Who do we think you are? 

For the role of Zookeeper, you are required to have: 

• A high school education in animal care from the Natural Resources program or equivalent education/experience
• Experience in interpretation and guiding activities
• Good knowledge of Swedish and English
• Good physical fitness, as the work is sometimes heavy

It is meritorious if you also have:

• Experience working with animal species found at Lill-Skansen
• Experience working in a public-facing business
• Experience in educational work
• Experience working with children
• Experience from service industry
• Relevant post-secondary education
• Driver's license with at least AM category
• Additional language skills

Great emphasis is placed on personal qualities such as engagement, flexibility, ability to work independently and function well in a group. You need to be outgoing, proactive, and have good pedagogical aptitude.

You see that our core values are something you clearly identify with: 

• Welcoming; An open, inclusive, and positive work culture makes us a welcoming place
• Responsible: We are responsible for preserving, managing, and developing Skansen's operations sustainably. We set high standards for ourselves, act responsibly, and help each other.
• Together: We are one Skansen. Interest and friendliness permeate the operations. Together we create a place that people want to visit again and again
• Surprising: We are innovative and create inspiring guest experiences that surprise and broaden the image of Skansen

More about us and our benefits can be found at https://jobb.skansen.se

The Team and Your Colleagues 

Skansen's Zoo Area operates zoo activities at Skansen and keeps approximately 80 species for public display. We work to increase the public's fascination with nature and contribute to increasing knowledge about humanity's dependence on and impact on nature. We want Skansen to be a natural destination for teachers instructing in the subject areas of animals and nature. We currently provide education for over 1,000 groups per year, from preschool to university. Good animal welfare, species conservation, and biodiversity are key words in our operations, and as part of this work, Skansen is a member of the Swedish Zoo Association, EAZA, WAZA, and IUCN.

More about Skansen 

At Skansen, we have approximately 220 permanent employees, and many temporary employees are added each season. Skansen conveys Sweden's cultural and natural history with a focus on the interaction between humans, animals, and nature. World-class events of national interest are also held here. Skansen's employees have broad and deep knowledge in many different subject areas, and we aim to contribute to a sustainable society. Read more at: https://skansen.se/

Diversity & Inclusion 

Skansen is an employer that actively works for diversity and sees differences between people as a strength. We want to reflect the society we operate in and seek people of all ages and from all parts of the world.

We work with an inclusive recruitment process, where competence and nothing else is at the center to find the right colleague. We therefore use selection questions and personality tests in all our recruitments. 

How do you apply for the role? 

Submit your application via the "Apply" button below. The last day for applications is June 26. Recruitment is ongoing, and the positions may be filled before the last application date.

We cannot accept applications via email. Do not forget to attach your CV and answer the selection questions. If you have questions about the position, you are welcome to contact the Unit Manager for Lill-Skansen, Johan Deander, by phone at 073-302 13 32 or via email to [email protected]

Union representatives: Saco-S: Karin Holmberg, mailto:[email protected], Seko: Mikko Svensson, 070-991 30 18