Senior Husbandry Curator (Department Leader - Animal Care)
Pay: $80,000 - $85,000 base + bonus potential (total comp up to $100K+).
Why This Role is Different:
This is not a back-of-house animal care role.
You are the on-site leader of all animal operations owning everything from animal welfare to team leadership to guest experience.
If you’ve ever wanted to:
- Actually, run your own animal program.
- Lead a team and stay hands-on with animals.
- Make real decisions (not just follow SOPs).
This is that role.
What You’ll Do:
You’ll lead the entire animal care operation, including:
Leadership & Operations:
- Lead and develop a team of 8–15 Husbandry + Animal Keeper staff.
- Own daily operations, staffing, and on-floor execution.
- Set the tone for performance, training, and accountability.
Animal Welfare & Care:
- Oversee all animal care routines, enrichment, and welfare standards.
- Execute and monitor veterinary care plans.
- Maintain top-tier habitat quality and animal health.
Veterinary Coordination:
- Act as the primary partner to veterinarians.
- Support treatments, medical tracking, and ongoing care.
Safety & Compliance:
- Own safety for animals, guests, and team members.
- Lead incident response and enforce protocols.
- Ensure compliance with USDA and regulatory standards.
Operations & Oversight:
- Manage schedules, resources, and animal care systems.
- Track budgets and maintain operational efficiency.
- Communicate directly with senior leadership.
What You Bring:
- Zoo, aquarium, or exotic animal experience (required).
- Strong hands-on husbandry + clinical care background.
- Experience leading teams and making real-time decisions.
- Ability to stay calm, decisive, and solution-focused under pressure.
Education:
- Bachelor’s in Animal Science, Biology, or related field.
- Vet Tech certification = a plus.
What You Get:
- $80K–$85K base salary.
- Bonus potential pushing total comp to $100K+.
- High-impact leadership role.
- Daily hands-on work with animals and leadership growth.