Assistant Curator of Animal Ambassadors

Assistant Curator of Animal Ambassadors

Denver Zoo is a leader in animal care, wildlife conservation, education, and guest experience. We are passionate about our commitment to excellence in support of our mission to secure a better world for animals through human understanding. We provide extraordinary experiences every day for our animals and visitors and our core values of Protect, Honor, Innovate, Serve, Engage, and Empower are evident in everything we do.  We value the different strengths our staff bring to Denver Zoo. We expect our staff to embrace and to commit to our core behaviors for engagement: Passion, Respect, Innovation, Diversity, and Excellence.

Denver Zoo's Animal Care & Conservation Department has an opportunity for a full time Assistant Curator of Animal Ambassadors, who will ensure safe and innovative exhibition, handling, training and husbandry of ambassador animal species at the zoo. This position oversees a variety of taxonomic areas including invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals. Programming in this area includes onsite and offsite educational and guest experiences, free flight and other behavior based demonstrations, special events, and media appearances.   

Essential Functions:

• ·       Adheres to and promotes Denver Zoo’s mission, core values, and strategic initiatives.
• ·       As needed, assist with curatorial and animal care staff duties during absences in the area.
• ·       Develops and implements job specific staff training.  Mentor and guide animal care staff towards continued professional development within the workgroup.
• ·       Ability to work in a fluid and flexible manner and successfully address changes and challenges as they arise.
• ·       Recommends, implements, and coordinates with zookeepers, curators, VP for Animal Care and other zoo personnel to effectively manage husbandry and behavior programs in the animal care department.  Order supplies as needed for area.
• ·       Provide leadership and guidance towards innovative animal husbandry that is in compliance with AZA and USDA standards.
• ·       Plan, schedule, coordinate and assign work and established goals and priorities for animal care staff, keeper assistants and interns.  Develops area schedule for animal care staff, keeper assistants, and interns.
• ·       Implements area and zoo-wide safety standards and works with area staff to develop procedures that ensure compliance.
• ·       Coordinate veterinary procedures for animals within your area including quarantine, outgoing and incoming shipments, emergencies and normal care procedures.
• ·       Act as duty officer as needed.  Acts as emergency supervisor during zoo emergencies as stipulated in the emergency manual.  May be a member of the emergency firearm shoot team as required.
• ·       Professionally interface with other Denver Zoo team members, zoo colleagues, media partners and other professional organizations.
• ·       Participate in zoo-wide initiatives such as committees, working groups, etc as needed or desired.
• ·       Interviews and selects staff including volunteers, interns, keeper assistants and animal care staff that report directly to this position and assists with other interviews as required.
• ·       Recognizes and addresses outstanding performance by area team members.
• ·       Monitors and documents performance evaluations for area staff.  Provides ongoing feedback regarding levels of performance and formally evaluates employees in relation to performance.  Initiates and recommends disciplinary action for employees as necessary.  Responds to grievances within or involving assigned areas.
• ·       Works with area curator to develop area policies and procedures and provides implementation and interpretation of policies and procedures to area animal care staff.
• ·       Provides input towards the development of departmental budgets.
• ·       Participates in a variety of professional meetings and activities such as SSP’s, studbooks, steering committees, advisory groups, etc. Publishes work as necessary.
• ·       Participate in conservation, research and educational programs as requested or desired.
• ·       Effectively communicates zoo-wide, division and area information to assigned staff.  Effectively communicate between division staff including area staff, curators and the VP for Animal Care as well as other Denver Zoo team members as needed.
• ·       Demonstrates a commitment to Denver Zoo’s Safety & Sustainability Policies by adhering to all environmental, safety, & health regulations, procedures, and goals.
• ·       Value and consistently apply Denver Zoo's ROADMAP (Reaching Our Audiences by Developing Mission Aligned Programs) process and resources in engaging and educating guests at Denver Zoo.

Additional Responsibilities:

·       Works weekends, holidays as assigned and on occasion evenings, as needed.

·       Performs various duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• A bachelor degree in biology, zoology, wildlife management or a related field.
• A minimum of five years’ experience as a zookeeper involving the exhibition and husbandry of a variety of exotic animals in an AZA accredited institution. Comparable facilities may be considered on a case by case basis.  Supervisory or lead keeper experience is recommended. Some experience many be substituted for education, education may be substituted for experience.

·       Proven expertise in taxon specialty, research methods, public interaction and interpersonal skills.

• Oral and written presentation skills.  Competency in computer skills; word processor, spread sheets, Internet and networks.
• Clear driving record.

Licensure and Certification:

·       Possession of a valid Colorado Class “R” Driver’s License within three months of hiring.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands for this position involves light lifting under 25lbs and also requires carrying, pushing, pulling, and occasional heavy lifting up to 50lbs. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk, talk and listen.  The employee frequently is required to use hands to maneuver handle or feel objects, tools or controls.  The employee is occasionally required to sit, climb or balance; also, reach, stoop, kneel or smell.  Specific vision abilities required include close, distance, color, peripheral, depth perception vision and ability to adjust focus.   Minimal crouching, crawling, climbing, and non-confined sitting are also required. The position requires both mental and visual concentration.

Work Environment:

This position requires a substantial amount of contact with staff, volunteers, and other departments. The employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts and in outside weather conditions and may be occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles and chemicals.  This employee will be required to have contact with animals and may be exposed to zoonosis. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Compensation and Benefits: 
This is a regular full-time hourly position with excellent benefits, including complete medical/dental/vision coverage, 403(b) retirement plan, and a generous vacation package.

Completed applications must be submitted by August 9, 2017

Denver Zoo reserves the right to close the position prior to the above date.

Denver Zoo is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Please apply through www.denverzoo.org

Peter Dickinson Independent International Zoo Consultant +971 50 4787 122 | elvinhow@gmail.com | Skype: peter.dickinson48

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