ANIMAL KEEPER
Eligible list pendingExam status, as of November 4, 2026. We hold no currently open examination announcement for this title. The most recent announcement we hold was an open competitive examination for Bridgeton (symbol M1077H), which closed October 21, 2026. Its eligible list is pending: filing has closed and no list carrying symbol M1077H has appeared on the Commission's eligible-list site, which we have read since October 24, 2026. Exam schedule
Eligible lists, as of November 4, 2026. 2 eligible lists are in force. The newest, for Bergen County, was promulgated October 29, 2026 and expires October 28, 2028, 2 names as issued. See the lists
Provisional hiring can precede the examination. See the provisional route
Rules that apply to this title
A guide to the rules, not legal advice.
New Jersey treats Animal Keeper as a competitive-class job, so the gate is an examination and the ranked list it produces rather than a direct offer.
Eligibility comes down to 1 year of relevant experience.
How to apply
This title is filled by competitive examination.
See every real route in, and where to apply. We don't track live vacancies.
See where to apply for this title →Examination announcements for this title
Previously announced, and no longer listed by the Commission
The Commission removes an announcement once it has closed and republishes nothing, so these 2 examinations are no longer on any of its own lists. We keep what we have read, here covering 2026. None of them can be filed for now; a title announced once is often announced again, so this is the record of whether that has happened.
| Title | Symbol | State or local, and unit | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal KeeperOpen competitive | M1077H | LocalBridgeton | October 21, 2026 |
| Animal KeeperOpen competitive | C1021H | LocalBergen County | September 21, 2026 |
Every row is CSC's own; see the full announcement calendar.
Eligible lists for this title
An eligible list ranks the people who passed an examination, and appointments are made from it until it expires. 2 lists for this title are on record, 2 still in force.
| State or local | Kind and symbol | Promulgated | Expires | On the list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LocalBergen County | Open competitiveC1021H | October 29, 2026 | October 28, 2028 | 2 |
| LocalBergen County | Open competitiveC0528H | August 20, 2026 | August 19, 2028 | 1 |
Read from the Civil Service Commission's eligible list site, which we have read since October 24, 2026. The Commission posts each list for three months after it is issued and we keep it after that. The count is the list as issued, before appointments, removals or appeals change it. This site shows list-level facts only.
Promotion paths the Commission has published
Titles this one has led to
Holders of ANIMAL KEEPER were eligible to compete in a promotional examination for the title below.
- SENIOR ANIMAL KEEPERstated by 1 employer
Each line comes from a promotional examination announcement, which sets its own eligibility for that employer and that examination — so this records what the Commission has accepted before, not a rule about who qualifies now. Most of these paths have been stated by a single employer, and the count beside each says how many. A promotional examination is also closed to anyone without permanent status in the unit the announcement names. How promotional eligibility works.
Where this title is used
Animal Keeper is a local service title. It is filled by the counties, municipalities, authorities and other employers that have adopted civil service under Title 11A, not by State departments. Those employers set pay by ordinance or contract rather than from a State salary schedule, which is why most local titles carry no salary range here.
Check whether an employer is a civil service jurisdiction · How local civil service works
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under direction, feeds and cares for mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians in accordance with established program; carries out regular maintenance program of cages, pens, paddocks, and other areas; does related work as required.
Examples of work
- Carries out a regular scheduled program designed to insure prompt feeding and proper care for all mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians in a zoo.
- Reports immediately any mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians that are not well.
- Keeps assigned animals clean and sees that they are properly housed.
- Carries out regular daily maintenance program involved in keeping cages, pens, paddocks, and animal areas in good repair and in a manner that insures maximum cleanliness and neatness.
- Performs minor repairs to animal displays and exhibits.
- Carefully enforces established zoo regulations relating to protection of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians in a manner that insures maximum protection to them and maximum safety to the public.
Experience
One (1) year of experience in the care and feeding of non-domesticated animals in a zoological park, game, or nature farm or other animal sanctuary.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of the care and feeding of animals.
- Ability to keep necessary records and reports and to learn quickly from oral and written instructions.
- Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.