Assistant Curator

Do you have a passion for wildlife, leadership experience in exotic animal care, and a desire to make an impact in conservation and education? The Buffalo Zoo, a cornerstone of Western New York’s cultural landscape, is seeking a dynamic and knowledgeable Assistant Curator to help lead the next chapter of animal care and excellence. You will work with a diverse animal collection including taxa/biomes of hoof stock, quarantine and conservation programs (in-situ and ex-situ), herps, South American rainforest, big cats/polar bears/sea lions/small carnivores species.

About the Role:

• As Assistant Curator, you'll play a key leadership role within the Zoo’s Animal Care Department, overseeing the daily operations of multiple animal areas.
• You’ll manage and mentor an expert team of zookeepers, interns, and team leads to ensure the highest standards of animal care, enrichment, and welfare.
• Your work will help create engaging, safe experiences for over 400,000 annual visitors while supporting global conservation efforts.

Why the Buffalo Zoo?

• Founded in 1875, the Buffalo Zoo is the third-oldest zoo in the country and a leader in wildlife conservation and education.
• We’re proud to house 750+ animals on 23.5 acres in the heart of Buffalo, NY.
• With more than $64 million invested in capital improvements and a visionary 20-year masterplan underway, there’s never been a more exciting time to join our team.
• Mission: Building Community → Creating Connections → Saving Wildlife

Essential Functions:

• Under the direction of the Curator of Animal Operations and/or the Curator of Animal Behavior and Welfare, this position will oversee or assist with the following responsibilities -
• Manage day-to-day animal care operations to provide uncompromising animal care and wellbeing for the animals and high engagement and satisfaction for guests.
• This includes ensuring that all animal care husbandry routines meet or exceed industry and government standards; that all Zoo guidelines and protocols are being followed; and exhibits, holding, and back-of-house areas are always clean and presentable.
• Must be able to train animal keepers in daily husbandry, care, and welfare of assigned animals/areas.
• Manage personnel (i.e. interviews, provides input on hiring, writes / delivers performance evaluations, writes / delivers disciplinary actions, etc.)
• Conducts weekly team and department meetings as directed.
• Supervises and coordinates implementation of enrichment, welfare improvement initiatives, and operant conditioning programs with Team Leads and keepers in assigned areas.
• Position is considered “Essential/Mandatory Staff” and may be required to work on adverse weather days and during emergencies.
• Supervises guest engagement activities to ensure safety and high-level guest engagement.
• Ensure assigned teams are reporting animal medical issues to the veterinary department in a timely manner and following all prescribed treatment plans. Participate in the scheduling of routine physical exams, medical procedures, and other preventive or treatment procedures to ensure health of the animals.
• Oversee supply acquisition and inventories to ensure that essential materials, supplies, equipment, and food supply are available for assigned areas.
• Help to oversee and train Zoo staff on all emergency protocols, scheduling safety drills, coordinating the Emergency Response Team, and maintaining inventory of emergency and personal protective equipment.
• Lead both weapons and recapture teams’ responses as needed. Must be able to or willing to learn how to shoot rifles, shotguns, capture dart guns and operate other emergency equipment as required and/or directed to assist in the animal escape and recovery plan. Must be able to calmly respond to emergency situations.
• Must deliver exceptional customer service by engaging with guests on a regular basis to create a friendly, memorable, and positive experience. Ability to respond to common inquiries, requests, or complaints from guests and/or staff in a kind and courteous manner.
• Ability to effectively promote the organization.
• Possess a can-do attitude, be resourceful, and communicate respectfully with everyone.
• Interact with courtesy, professionalism, and respect to staff, docents, volunteers, and guests consistent with the organization’s mission and core values.
• Verbal and written ability to communicate with Zoo staff. Able to interact positively with a variety of individuals from varied socioeconomically backgrounds frequently.
• Performs other duties assigned by Curator of Animal Operations and/or Curator of Animal Behavior and Welfare.

Special Skills:

• Familiarity with design and operation of freshwater and saltwater aquatic life support systems for a variety of taxa including marine and aquatic mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish is helpful but not required.
• Experience with firearms and physical animal restraint equipment, vehicles and related maintenance equipment is a plus.
• Must be willing to be trained to be on the weapons team.
• Must be able to provide and accept crucial, productive feedback.
• Able to provide mentorship and guidance for keepers and animal area volunteers including ownership of process, organization and communications.
• Working knowledge of personal computers and software applications (e.g., MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook email and Google DOCs); be able to produce needed reports and summaries; ability to enter accurately/audit animal daily reports using Species 360 ZIMS.

Other:

• Assistant Curator will be on 24-hour call. May be required to work evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Must provide proof of negative TB upon hire (test taken within the last 12 months). TB Test conducted annually.
• Be organized and exhibit “follow through” on tasks and goals.
• Enthusiastic, self-reliant, independent attitude and approach to work. Must be able to multi-task and be a team-player.
• Must support Buffalo Zoo’s Vision, Mission, and Core values.
• Must possess or be able to obtain within 30-days of employment a valid New York State driver’s license and have an average or better driving record based on the evaluation process of our insurance company. Retention of position is contingent upon maintaining required license. Must upgrade to classification appropriate to requirements (non-CDLC or CDL class).
• Successful completion of a post-offer pre-employment general medical screen and drug test.
• Successful completion of a post-offer pre-employment background check.
• Successful completion of a post-offer fitness for duty test.
• Must understand the requirements, essential functions, and duties of the position as per the job description and certify such by signing the job description acknowledgement form prior to first day of work.
• Must operate a computer, two-way radio, telephone system, and software on computer, printer, etc. after training.
• Must be willing to comply with department’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) policies and procedures.
• Regular attendance and punctuality are essential functions of the position.
• Position is part of the Zoo’s emergency weather team and is expected to report when the Zoo is officially closed due to weather.

Physical Demands:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Employee may be exposed to a variety of weather conditions or temperatures. Work may be required both indoors and outdoors in various weather and temperature conditions, ranging from rain, wind, snow, cool to cold weather, and extreme heat and humidity. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, climb, and talk or hear. Use computer hardware and software for periodic periods of time. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
• Employee is exposed to the environment around animal exhibits and animal holding areas. Will be working around animal excrement, smells, and other debris. Ability to follow animal safety protocol, and treat the animals with care, respect, and dignity.
• Able and willing to perform sustained work of a physical nature, may require heavy lifting. The employee must lift up to the weight requirements included in the fitness for duty test occasionally/regularly.
• Passing a fitness for duty test will be required for the successful candidate to be given further consideration for the position.
• The Buffalo Zoo is an At Will employer and all Buffalo Zoo employees are subject to employment eligibility and background security checks as well as testing for illegal substance use as allowed by law.
• Equal Opportunity Employer

Experience Required

• Education (Minimum Desired): Associate’s degree in one of the natural sciences or closely related field plus experience.
• Comprehensive knowledge of behavioral management, including operant conditioning philosophy, techniques, and terminology, as well as knowledge of benefits and goals of environmental enrichment preferably obtained through classes, workshops, and other formal learning environments.
• Experience (Minimum Desired): Five+ years’ exotic animal care experience at an AZA-accredited facility. Diversified experience in the husbandry and management of an exotic animal collection preferred.
• One to two years’ leadership experience at an accredited AZA institution preferred.
• Must have the ability to motivate, lead, and coach a team.
• Must be a capable leader/manager and an effective role model that can create a supportive, fun, team environment.

Perks

• Some of the benefits available include health plan, HRA/HSA, FSA, life insurance, long term disability insurance, dental, vision, 403B retirement plan, annual leave, holiday, and sick time benefits.
• Benefits available the first of the month after successful completion of the 60-day probationary period review (sick leave available upon hire).

Salary

• $60,410 - $61,500 commensurate with experience. This is a full-time, exempt position.