Animal & Plant Logistics Assistant
The Animal & Plant Logistical Services Department provides a key service in supporting our world class animal collection.
The duties are varied in this post and include liaising with animal keeping staff, collecting and receiving supplies, delivering supplies daily to the animal departments, management of animal waste, use of Telehandler based equipment such as front loaders, trailers, skip loaders and grass mowers, working in our live food breeding colony and assisting with Browse plantations. The harvesting, collection and distribution of browse (high reaching vegetation used as animal feed) is also a daily task.
As an Animal & Plant Logistics Assistant you will undertake the following roles:
Harvesting Browse from onsite plantations or off site private property using chainsaws and excavator based harvesters
Deliver fresh produce on a daily basis to the relevant kitchen prep zones
Pick and pack multiple dry goods orders for the daily delivery
Drive a multitude of different vehicles ranging from Telehandler, vans, Excavators and Forklifts.
Remove Animal Waste from site using skip loaders
The Package
40 hours per week fixed term contract
Shifts from 7am 3:30pm with 30 minutes (unpaid) lunch break
Salary of £25,396.80 per annum
33 days annual leave plus the option to buy or sell up to 5 days
Staff pass so you can visit the zoo during your time off, plus multiple complimentary tickets for your friends and family
Cycle to work scheme
Healthcare plan and employee assistance programme
Discounted gym membership
Discounts on cinema tickets, restaurants, high street shops and more via Perks
Pension scheme with generous employer contributions up to 9%
Our Requirements
Full driving licence
Have good numeracy, literacy and attention to detail, which would be essential for accurate record keeping
Have practical problem solving skills
Have excellent communication skills
Be experienced and competent in Telehandler, Exacavator, Tractor and Forklift Driving
Be experienced, competent and certified in chainsaw use
Have experience and ability to tow a trailer (licence CAT E)
Closing date for applications is 19 January 2026.
What makes Chester Zoo a great place to work?
Well, where do we start? Here goes
We’re a huge team of conservationists, scientists, educators, animal welfare experts, marketeers, visitor experience professionals, environmental policy influencers; the list goes on. Each and every one of us is on a mission to make Chester Zoo the best in the world, and our planet a better place.
As the UK’s biggest and best zoo, we have ambitious goals, exciting plans, and there’s always lots going on here. We’re an inclusive and diverse organisation, made up of over 600 permanent and 500 temporary team members, and we know how important it is to invest in our colleagues to help boost their career development. We have ambitious goals, and we want you to be with us for the long term on our exciting journey.
Our working environment could not be more different from a typical office where else can you see critically endangered orangutans from your office window, or stroll among rare giraffes and tigers on your lunch break?