Pony Ride Handler & Team Lead (Part-Time)
JOB DESCRIPTION
Lucky Ladd Farms, an award-winning agritourism destination known for providing quality animal experiences, is adding a few reliable and enthusiastic animal lovers to our pony rides and interactive animal encounters team. This entry-level position plays an integral part to ensuring guests have a safe, engaging, and memorable experience during their visit.
BENEFITS OF JOINING OUR TEAM:
- Recurring set-schedule that has you home in time for dinner with the family each week.
- Most Sundays off.
- Free meal when you work a 6+ hour shift.
- Unlimited free admission to the Farm Fun Park and Petting Zoo for you and five family members or friends.
- Discounts on dining and merchandise.
- Annual team member appreciation event.
- Employee referral bonus program.
- Uniform and name badge provided.
- Opportunity for advancement with additional benefits including Medical Insurance, Life Insurance, Paid Vacation, Paid Personal Time Off and 401(k) with matching.
- Competitive hourly, based on experience.
YOUR ROLE ON OUR TEAM:
- Safely operate pony ride carousel with up to six ponies at a time.
- Enhance guest experiences by initiating conversations, providing assistance, answering questions, and educating the public about the animals throughout the Farm.
- Explain the rules of the exhibit and animal interactions to guests in pony ride and/or animal encounter areas.
- Monitor the public ensuring the safety of guests and animals while assisting with crowd control and flow through interactive exhibits.
- Complete general daily equine husbandry including feeding, watering, stall cleaning, catching, animal grooming, and saddling before Farm Park opens.
- Inspect tack including halters, saddles, blankets, and girths before use.
- Assist Animal Keepers with the daily opening and closing of interactive exhibits.
- Assists and maintains the cleanliness of the animal encounter exhibit (including but not limited to raking, sweeping, or hosing animal manure; picking up trash; cleaning and sanitizing equipment; etc.).
- Works closely with Animal Keeper staff and will act immediately to issues of safety or security as it relates to animals, visitors, volunteers, interns, and staff.
- Observes and reports any animal care issues or injuries to Animal Keeper staff.
- Observes and reports maintenance needs to Operations or Area Manager.
- May be cross-trained to also perform Animal Encounter Attendant duties.
- Performing other duties as assigned.
SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES:
- Minimum six months experience working with equine in some capacity required.
- Will have strong communication and customer service skills to interact with the general public.
- Must learn and be able to enforce safety standards for the animals, guests, and staff.
- Ability to work independently on daily tasks as well as cooperate with a team.
- Ability to work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions.
- Willingness to work with a large variety of equine and animals.
- Ability to lift 50lbs.
- Must be able to work weekends.
SCHEDULE OPTIONS:
- Thursday-Saturday from 9:00am-5:00pm
- Sunday Requirements: Three-to-Four during the months of March and/or April, and six from late-September through October from 10:00am-5:00pm
Employment offers for all positions may be contingent on the satisfactory results of a criminal background check and pre-employment drug screen. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Lucky Ladd Farms does not discriminate in hiring or terms and conditions of employment because of an individual's race creed, color, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability or national origin. Lucky Ladd Farms only hires individuals authorized for employment in the United States.