Last remaining vacancies - technical and bar teams.

Staff positions at Zoo Venues

Technical – Assisting our companies with their technical requirements, overseeing changeovers between shows, supervising and sometimes operating technical equipment during performances.
Technical experience essential.

Box office - Selling tickets, welcoming the public and liaising with performing companies, while being the venue's most visible front-line representatives.

Front of house - Greeting the public, opening and closing the houses, stewarding patrons and maintaining our public image. The front of house team are our most visible members of staff and their job is to keep the venue running smoothly. To be successful the front of house team need to work under their own initiative and as a team, always keeping a happy and cheerful attitude.

Bar - Selling drinks and liaising with the public and performers in the venue's busy bars.

Press and marketing - Working with journalists and performing companies to maximise our shows' and the venues' press and public profile. Involves monitoring press coverage of our shows, advising performers on publicity strategies, organising in-house shows in the Cabaret Bar, and producing press releases and website content to immediate deadlines. Very good written English skills are essential.

Street team - Publicising our shows and in-house events on the streets of Edinburgh through flyering and other promotions. Also involves working with performing companies to plan their publicity efforts, and helping to organise and run in-house Cabaret Bar events, plus maintaining the poster, review and display boards at the venues.

How to apply

Download the form below, fill it in and return to jobs@zoovenues.co.uk. We will then arrange an interview with you.
application form

Working arrangements

Zoo Venues works on a break-even basis and all profits are re-invested into the company to help us expand in future years. Because of that, we cannot offer our staff a wage, so all positions are voluntary. However, we do try to cover your costs as far as possible, and to ensure that you gain valuable work experience in a unique environment, while also giving you time to enjoy the whole Festival in addition to your Zoo duties.

* We book and pay for your travel to/from Edinburgh (within the UK only)

* We provide accommodation for you free of charge for the full month, in one of our large city centre staff flats.

* A contribution towards food costs (amount tbc) which you can either spend individually or pool together on a shopping budget for the whole flat.

* You get free tickets to all shows at Zoo Venues when there are seats available, and to shows at other affiliated venues (2009 list tbc).

* Staff also get discounts in the venue bar and at various nearby businesses (such as cafes and take-aways), and we provide venue uniform (t-shirts and/or hoodies and raincoats depending on your job).

* Once the Festival has begun, most days' working shifts are around six to seven hours (either morning to mid-afternoon or mid-afternoon to closing time), allowing plenty of free time to enjoy the Festival.

* We are also more than happy to provide references for future similar jobs after your time with us.

We pride ourselves on being big enough to have a buzzing atmosphere and plenty happening (35,000 people saw 58 shows in our award-winning venues last year), while also keeping the close-knit family feeling that has always been our trademark. Many of our staff come back year after year, with several now on their fifth or sixth summers with Zoo Venues, and most make lifelong friends amongst their venue colleagues and our performers.