Zoo Curator

GENERAL PURPOSE: This position is part of the Zoo Management Team and under the supervision of the Zoo Director.

Description Overview:

This position reports directly to the Zoo Director. As a manager and leader in the zoo, they must display a professional attitude and appearance to both visitors and co-workers. The Curator is responsible for directing and supervising all activities of the full-time/seasonal keeper and animal care intern staff. Ensuring professional management, care of all zoo animals in addition to grounds/facilities. Curator acts as registrar with responsibility for all required records or permits for all animals housed at the zoo. All records and permits must be in accordance with USFWS, USDA, Board of Animal Health, ND Game and Fish, and all AZA standards and any special permitting not previously identified.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

• Monitors husbandry practices and protocols. Works with keeper staff to ensure the highest quality care is being performed with modern zoological practices and animal welfare guidelines.
• Maintains, reviews, updates of animal activity and health records. Primary staff member responsible for maintaining ZIMS, Species 360 and backup of information.
• Works with Zoo Director on maintenance and renewal of permits with local, state, and federal agencies
• Selection, Acquisition and De-Acquisition of Specimens

• Direct responsibility for all transactions is handled properly and promptly within the guidelines of the RPZ Acquisition/Disposition Policy.
• General Curator contributes to planning, selection and implementation of the Institutional Collection Plan with the Direction of the Zoo Director. Curator will gather input from the Veterinarian and zookeepers from their animal area.
• General Curator arranges all the details and timing of animal transactions according to the Institution Collection Plan.
• General Curator select species to access and de-access specimens according to the Institution Collection Plan.
• General Curator acts as the institution’s primary IR for all species survival and animal breeding programs.

Facility upkeep and management:

• Coordinates and manages necessary facility repairs and modifications to ensure facilities are running efficiently.
• Direct responsibility and accountability for animal exhibits and holding areas, including notifying Director of needs.
• Curator relays information to Zoo Director and Keeper staff but has the authority to coordinate directly with Parks Maintenance staff.
• Provides guidance to zookeeper staff for routine facility inspections.
• Reviews plans that apply to modifications, new facilities, and renovations as they relate to animal care and safety.

Health and Welfare of the Collection:

• Direct responsibility for insuring that the animal collection is being maintained according to USDA regulations, AZA standards, and Zoo Policies and Protocols.
• Direct responsibility to create and maintain husbandry protocols. Participates in the creation and revision of policies and protocols related to the living collection.
• Awareness contributing to safety for keeper driven programs of animal enrichment and animal behavior training
• Direct responsibility and accountability for the health and wellbeing of animal collection. Working directly with staff Veterinarian and Zoo Director on animal health issues.

Safety and Security:

• General Curator has the authority and responsibility to act immediately on issues of safety or security as it relates to animals, visitors and staff.
• Ensures staff compliance to lock protocol, SOPs and Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) policies.
• General Curator assists in the Zoo’s Risk Management Plan, Animal SOPs, etc.

Staff management:

• Manages weekly staff scheduling for full time/seasonal keeper and animal care intern staff.
• Guides full-time/seasonal keeper and animal care intern staff to excel in the areas of animal care, mitigating problems and issues whether in relation to animal care, facilities, interpersonal relationships, etc. contributing to the success of a strong staff team dedicated to professional, high-quality care for all animals in our charge.
• General Curator is responsible for training all new staff of proper animal husbandry in all areas to ensure high-quality and consistent animal care.
• General curator is involved with hiring, firing, discipline, staff development, and training and contributing relative performance evaluation information with the Zoo Director.
• General Curator acts as supervisor of zoo in absence of Zoo Director.
• Assists with conservation and research projects as needed
• Participates in Minot Park District and GMZS monthly meetings

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Zoology, Biology, Veterinarian Science or a related field from an accredited college or university degree and minimum of five (5) years practical zoo experience is suggested, preferably working within an AZA accredited Zoo with at least 1 year of supervisory experience or equivalent of equivalent education and experience required.
• Must have sound judgement and remain calm in high pressure situations. Must possess good observational skills. Must be temperamentally suited to working with animals in a complex environment.
• Must be team oriented with good supervisory and interpersonal skills to work with diverse populations of people.

Required Licenses or Certifications:

• Must have a valid driver’s license and access to reliable personal transportation
• Pre-Employment drug screening and background check required

Required Knowledge of:

• Must be an intermediate user of ZIMS Medical, ZIMS, Outlook, Word, Excel, Power Point and Microsoft Access, and Google.
• Must be able to use HVAC and Security computer monitoring systems.
• Principles and practices of zoo operations are preferred.
• Purchasing supplies and maintaining supply inventories within designated budget
• Supervising, leading, and delegating tasks and authority
• Exhibit design and development, budget, construction,
• AZA and or ZAA accreditation process

Work Environment:

• Work is performed on the Zoo campus.
• Ability to work in all weather conditions including extreme temperatures (cold, wind, heat, humidity) indoors and outdoors to perform tasks
• Must be able to perform very heavy work exerting at least 100 pounds of force occasionally, and or up to 50 pounds of force frequently.
• Must be able to climb and maintain balance while performing various jobs.
• Must follow Universal Protection Precautions and Bloodborne Pathogens Guidelines. Possible occupational exposure to blood borne pathogens.
• Job requires working with harsh or hazardous chemicals (e.g., Oxivir, chlorine, sanitizers or cleaning compounds). Exact chemicals and training will be explained by the area supervisor.
• Some travel required for professional development opportunities.
• Must be available for work on nights, weekends, holidays and emergencies
• Works weekends on a rotating basis as part of Manager on Duty schedule which may pertain to zoo special events and rentals

Other Duties as Required