food & beverage team member

director of food and beverage

maintenance person

retail sales associate

park ranger

Columbus Zoo & Aquarium

I started in 2017 right in time for the Wildlights season. Interview was walk-in and was hired right on the spot. No matter the time of year weekends are stressful, especially during the school year when almost all of the retail staff leaves (the majority of it is younger people) and the older employees refuse to work anything but mornings, rendering the "closers" (employees working the closing shift) overwhelmed.

This past season I ran into an issue where some of the managers repeatedly put me in certain areas they believed I was "most effective" in rather than rotating people around to different locations like they used to, but in reality they were the worst areas of retail, being carts and rentals. Carts are the outdoor merchandise stands set up across the zoo, and the rentals place is self explanatory. The point-of-sale used at carts is horribly outdated and the paperwork gets messed up easily and is difficult to understand.

At one point when working on a cart I became ill and eventually ended up in the zoo EMS to be checked out, where they determined I had heat exhaustion and suggested I go home for the day. Shortly after I was confronted by one of the managers, who made wild accusations about the "real reason" for me to go home and threatened termination if I "kept it up", because I was going to lose points, and being checked out by EMS apparently doesn't count as a type of doctor's excuse.

Each call off is also a ridiculous amount of points taken off, and picking up shifts barely gets those points back (you have to pick up THREE shifts just to make up for ONE call off). Long story short: don't ever get sick, and don't ever get sick while working to the point where you need to go home, because you will be punished for it.

I am currently an adult volunteer at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. On a typical day at the zoo I work in "animal contact" areas such as the Kangaroo Walkabout, the Reptile Lab, the Touch Pool, and Animal Ambassadors. In each of these areas I keep an "eye" on the animals and interact with the guests about the animals being displayed. I answer any questions they may have. In the Reptile Lab and the Touch Pool I let guests know how they should properly pet the animals on display such as snakes, turtles, starfish, crabs, etc. I have learned a lot about the animals at the zoo while volunteering there. I really couldn't ask for better management or co-workers. They're all very nice and have helped me during my time of an unexpected drop in my blood sugar. They're always there, with a smile on their face, to answer any questions that I may have. The hardest part of my job is having to tell the children that they can't hold the animals in the Reptile Lab and Touch Pool, but only pet them. The look on their faces when they are told "no" breaks my heart. The most enjoyable part about my job is being able to get out there and educate people about each animal and conservation. I enjoy being able to interact with the public and other people who care about the animals and conservation just as much or even more than I do; I also love their reactions when they learn something new about the animals on display. It makes me feel great to be apart of what people call the number one zoo in America!

I worked in the Columbus Zoo Admissions Dept. for 4 years, seasonally. It was my first job, and I feel very lucky for that. The dept. is very well organized and friendly, training is comprehensive, and pay is very good. If you stay a few seasons and are a self-starter, you're likely to be offered a team lead position.

I started when I was 17, got a $0.25 raise at 18, then one for the next four years, on top of rises in minimum wage. I started at around $7.25 and when I left made $8.75.

Since the dept is so big, everything is very organized and procedural. I loved this, as it meant I always knew what was going on in the park that day, that I would be guaranteed my breaks, and always had someone above me to help if need be. Training was comprehensive, both in a classroom setting and on-the-job.

Everyone in admissions is always extremely friendly, management very approachable, and there are fun events for the crew throughout the year, as well as free access to the parks on off days.

Cons:
The park gets ridiculously busy in the summer and during zoo lights, so it gets draining dealing with several hundred to a thousand customers in a day. 

Standing in the hot or cold is tiring, but you're always allowed to rotate in and out to cool off/warm up and leads frequently make hot cocoa or water runs.

Walking into the zoo and first we clock in and check in. Check in tells you were you are working for the day and what will you being doing such as cooking or cashier. I worked the dippin dots stand a lot, cotton candy, and I would cook inside the polar grille. 

I learned so many different facts about the animals each day. I would take my breaks inside the polar house and watch the interesting videos they had going on and see what I could learn about them since polar bears are my favorite animal its a amazing what you can learn from the zoo.

Management was not to bad there were a few times I thought that manager wouldn't listen to me and my co workers on what was going on, Like how some things wouldn't sell or what we could try and sell something new.

My co workers were fun but really lazy at times. they always thought it was play time when there were times we really needed to get things done which drove me insane, it made me feel like I was doing all the work.

The hardest part about my job would have been trying to keep my cool about my co workers when they weren't doing there job.  

The most enjoyable part about my job was seeing the animals everyday on my breaks and after work and learning something new.

I worked there for multiple seasons and it's a nice place to work. I started when I was 15 1/2 and it was a great first job. It varies by department but in Guest Relations it is really easy to schedule your availability and get your shifts picked up at the last minute. It's a great job for someone who has a busy schedule. A typical shift is usually 5-7 hours, maybe 9 hours in the off season, with a 30 minute break. Weekends are harder than weekdays because of how busy it is, and it can get pretty hectic. Hardest part of the job is working weekends. There are a lot of guests, I often lose my voice from talking all day, and cashing out at the end of the day is more difficult. Also some places are not air-conditioned, most are, but that's something to keep in mind. You also may be moved outside at a moments notice so I always bring sunscreen, food and plenty of drinks even if I am scheduled in-doors. The best part of the job is it is relatively low-stress, the guests are generally happy to be there, and you can get yourself and a friend in free on your days off and see the animals or go to Zoombezi.

This place is so top heavy with management that it should have toppled by now.  Under the guise of helping cute animals, they line their VP's pockets with donor and tax payer money while underpaying and treating the real hard working employees like trash that they can just throw out and replace with cheaper and younger staff if not free labor from pulling on the heart strings of their volunteers. During the pandemic shut-down they completely cut 19 fulltime positions held by employees who were mostly between 40 - 70 years old with decades of seniority and many closer to retirement while keeping younger employees who had less than 5 years invested.  Yet their many unnecessary layers of management remained mostly intact.  One department now has 5 management positions for only 6 FT employees.   They also only offer seasonal employees with college degrees min. wage.  If this is they kind of employer you want to work for just watch out when you get older if you're not management.

The job I had at the Columbus Zoo was hands down the best job that I have ever had! A typical work day included helping guest navigate the park, taking tickets, and providing exceptional customer service. I learn how to communicate with all types of people aw well as many interesting things about wildlife and conservation. The management was friendly and strict, they wanted to make sure everyone was enjoying their job while following zoo protocol. My co-workers were awesome! Since the Columbus zoo was such a large place I worked with new people every day, most of which were enthusiastic about their jobs. The hardest part of my job was trying to correct things for unhappy guest, but it was also the most enjoyable because it gave me the opportunity to make a families day better and make sure they had the best experience possible! This part was very rewarding. I had a wonderful experience at the Columbus Zoo, hands down my favorite job!

A typical day at work at the zoo was often hard working and keeping busy but there was  never a day I didn't feel laid back and enjoy my time with the other custodial workers. I worked a 3rd shift 8 to 6 and there weren't to many of us ,which often made things peaceful and non conflicted. Hours were never a problem for  this shift therefore it were one of my favorites.Our daily duties consisted of detail cleaning the zoo grounds and bathrooms.Which included toilets,sinks, floors and more. It sounds like a messy job but it was simple and to the point. Management was great as well,they would treat you as an individual and often allowed us to split up and work in our own sections which was great for those a little less sociable or worked at a different pace.The hardest part of the job id say would have to be only if someone called off and we were low on staff other then that it tend to be quite simple.

Schedules are sent out early, with great hours and flexibility in case of needed days off, or accommodating alongside other employments. Minimum wage pay with no benefits, but can work near 40 hours a week. Coworkers and management all have great relationships, the atmosphere is friendly and easy-going.
There is a lot of guest interaction and animal handling, but very seldom is overwhelming or overbearing. While the payment is a little annoying, working a lot of hours makes up for it. The hardest part of the job is that sometimes guests of the zoo are rude or lack understanding that you're doing your job fairly and to the best of your ability. But most guests are friendly and enjoyable.

I absolutely loved the people I worked with here. I loved the environment as well. I loved being in the Zoo! However, with the Customer Contact position, you are answering calls all day. This wouldn't be bad if the majority of the calls weren't people complaining about the zoo and/or the water park. I never understood why people would complain about the zoo. I came home every day emotionally exhausted from being yelled at. Also, if you aren't getting many calls, they will send you home in an attempt to save money. My paychecks were nowhere close to what they should have been because I was being sent home all the time due to low call volume. The environment is wonderful, and managers and coworkers are lovely, which is why I stayed as long as I did.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Food & beverage team member 7 salaries reported	$16.43 per hour
Director of food and beverage 20 salaries reported	$14.20 per hour
Maintenance person 5 salaries reported	$14.60 per hour
Retail sales associate 12 salaries reported	$11.75 per hour
Park ranger 1 salary reported	$21.84 per hour

Working at Columbus Zoo & Aquarium: Company Overview and Reviews

Columbus Zoo & Aquarium

Columbus Zoo & Aquarium Ratings

Popular jobs at Columbus Zoo & Aquarium

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected