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FWFort Wayne Zoo
Fort Wayne ZooZoo

Senior Quarantine Specialist

Terrestrial

Location

Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States

Work type

Onsite

Employment

Full Time

Experience

3-7 years

Compensation

Compensation not disclosed

Posted

11h ago

Summary and responsibilities

Role overview

Summary

The Senior Quarantine Specialist provides quality daily animal care for a wide variety of newly arriving species, adhering to quarantine protocols, monitoring health, and performing husbandry practices. This role focuses on terrestrial quarantine, assists with veterinary hospitalization, and maintains hospital facilities, while also engaging with guests and contributing to positive experiences.

Position Overview

The Fort Wayne Zoo is seeking a full-time Senior Quarantine Specialist – Terrestrial to provide high-quality care for animals in quarantine and veterinary care. This generalist role works with a diverse collection of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals while cross-training in aquatic quarantine and hospital operations. The position supports animal health, quarantine protocols, husbandry, enrichment, and welfare while collaborating closely with Animal Care and Veterinary teams.

Key Responsibilities

  • Provide daily care for animals in quarantine and veterinary hospital settings.

  • Prepare, maintain, disinfect, and dismantle quarantine enclosures following established protocols.

  • Collaborate with Animal Care Supervisors, Curators, and Veterinary staff on quarantine procedures, enclosure design, and husbandry practices.

  • Monitor animal health, behavior, and welfare; maintain accurate written and electronic records.

  • Assist with veterinary treatments, medication administration, and care of hospitalized animals.

  • Maintain aquatic quarantine systems and support water quality monitoring as needed.

  • Develop and implement enrichment and operant conditioning programs that promote species-appropriate behaviors.

  • Assist with wildlife rehabilitation, animal hand-rearing, and animal transports.

  • Clean and maintain transport crates, quarantine facilities, equipment, and workspaces.

  • Operate Zoo vehicles to transport animals, supplies, and equipment.

  • Interact with guests through presentations and informal educational opportunities.

  • Support special projects and promote a safe, positive, and inclusive workplace.

Qualifications

Required

  • High school diploma or GED.

  • Minimum 3 years of experience working with a variety of animal taxa in a zoological setting.

  • Valid driver's license.

  • Knowledge of animal care, handling, husbandry, enrichment, and welfare.

  • Strong organizational, communication, and time management skills.

  • Ability to work independently and adapt in a fast-paced environment.

  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office.

  • Ability to work weekends, evenings, holidays, and flexible schedules.

Preferred

  • Bachelor's degree in an animal-related field.

  • Experience maintaining aquatic habitats and life support systems.

Knowledge & Skills

  • Animal handling, restraint, and operant conditioning techniques.

  • Ability to monitor animal behavior and recognize health concerns.

  • Strong problem-solving, documentation, and decision-making skills.

  • Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail.

  • Commitment to animal welfare, safety, and exceptional guest service.

Physical Requirements

  • Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.

  • Frequent standing, walking, bending, lifting, and working indoors and outdoors in varying weather conditions.

  • Ability to safely work around hazardous materials, zoonotic diseases, venomous animals, and environmental hazards while following all safety procedures.

  • Ability to travel throughout the Zoo and work in confined spaces when necessary.

Updated 11h ago

Candidate fit

Skills and qualifications

Additional skills

Animal Care • 1+ yrs
Quarantine Protocols • 1+ yrs
Operant Conditioning • 1+ yrs
Enrichment Strategy • 1+ yrs
Animal Welfare Assessment • 1+ yrs
Microsoft Office • 1+ yrs
Organizational Skills • 1+ yrs
Communication • 1+ yrs

Experience

3-7 years

Certifications

Valid driver’s license • Required

How this role is positioned

Role classification

Job domains

Operations

Industries

Wildlife & Conservation

Employment

Full Time

Contract duration

Permanent

Hiring type

Direct

Global hiring

Location specific

Offer details

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

Compensation not disclosed

VisibilityShared on listing
CurrencyUSD
PeriodYearly

Benefits and perks

Health Insurance
Paid Parental Leave
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance

Location, schedule, and role shape

Work setup

Work conditions

Primary locationFort Wayne, Indiana, United States
Work typeOnsite
Global hiringNo

Bandwidth profile

peopleMedium6/10
physicalHigh8/10
cognitiveHigh8/10
executionHigh8/10
creativityMedium6/10
uncertaintyMedium7/10
communicationMedium7/10

Context on the employer

Company snapshot

Company

Fort Wayne Zoo

Team size

Growing team

Location

Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States

The Fort Wayne Zoo is northeast Indiana’s largest tourist attraction and well-loved community treasure, welcoming more than 600,000 guests each year and consistently named as one of the nation’s Top Ten Zoos for Kids by national media outlets. The Fort Wayne Zoo team provides exceptional animal care to 1,500 animals and 200 species throughout our 40-acre campus, participating in over 60 cooperative species survival programs.

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Senior Quarantine Specialist

Fort Wayne, Indiana, United StatesFull Time