Zoologist

The Zoo staff works in a positive, team-oriented environment to support our mission to inspire people to act on behalf of wildlife. Zoologists promote increased environmental awareness and conservation through excellent animal care and management practices, coupled with positive visitor experiences.

The ideal candidate will have a strong animal care background with a deep experience in operant conditioning, welfare input/outputs, habitat design criteria, animal nutrition and animal social interactions, including introductions and breeding. They will also have experience engaging visitors with formal and informal animal encounters where they share their passion for animal wellness and the preservation of wild places. Finally, they will demonstrate a solid track record of workplace competency performance, including communication, teamwork, efficiency, emotional intelligence, leadership, planning, change management and administration.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Perform animal husbandry tasks (feed, clean, train, etc) for terrestrial animals (mammals, birds, primates, reptiles)

• Clean, maintain and improve animal care facilities, including service areas and surrounding spaces

• Enhance the welfare of the animals by observing and understanding animal behaviors and analyzing welfare outputs to increase mental stimulation and choice within the animal’s environment

• Plan, prepare and feed out nutritious diets

• Assist veterinary team during animal health diagnostic and care procedures

• Complete animal records including: animal feeding habits, diets, breeding behavior, health status, physical conditions, enrichment and training

• Communicate safety and health concerns to appropriate staff

• Participate in the capture and restraint of animals for transfer and veterinary procedures

• Participate in animal behavioral training program and commit to learning training techniques

• Design and execute behavioral shaping plans for all animals under their care

• Participate in exhibit concept design and collection planning discussions

• Provide informal guest presentations

• Initiate informal talks and encounters

• Participate in educational programs as assigned

• Handle program animals for events and encounters

• Participate in drills and emergency response and provide feedback on the experience – as needed

• Safely operate vans, pickup trucks, golf carts, hand tools, power tools, personal computers, laboratory equipment and general office equipment

• Proactively seek out experiences and information to enhance professional skills and knowledge

Requirements

• Minimum of 2 years’ paid experience in a zoological facility caring for animals

• Bachelor’s degree (Biology, Psychology or a related field) is preferred

• Experience with the husbandry and behavior of a variety of birds, mammals and primates

• Physically able to stoop, bend, reach, lift, carry or push at least 50 pounds in a South Florida climate

• Must have valid driver’s license, able to work weekends, holidays, and special events as needed

• Demonstrated ability to research and write effectively

• Participation in AZA programs and other zoo-related organizations

• Use hand and power tools for minor carpentry and habitat modification projects

• Demonstrated initiative and problem solving

• Competence in behavior analysis and animal training

• Excellent communication skills with co-workers, managers and veterinary staff

• Be familiar with AZA, USDA and FWC regulations and expectations

• Ability to pass pre-employment drug screening

What We Offer:

• A competitive salary, commensurate with your skills and experience

• An EXCELLENT benefits package (current year/plan), which includes:

• 100% paid employee-level coverage for designated medical & dental plan

• 100% paid coverage for 100K of life insurance

• 100% paid short-term disability

• 100% paid long-term disability

• 401K – Employer contributes 3% of your salary

• Optional vision, accident and critical illness coverages available through pre-tax payroll deductions

• Generous paid time off policy, Zoo Membership and FREE admission to other Florida Attractions!