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Working Title: Lead Animal Care Specialist-Ambassador Animals

Job Class: Zoologist

Agency: Minnesota Zoological Garden

+ **Job ID** : 88950

+ **Location** : Apple Valley

+ **Telework Eligible** : No

+ **Full/Part Time** : Full-Time

+ **Regular/Temporary** : Unlimited

+ **Who May Apply** : Open to all qualified job seekers

+ **Date Posted** : 10/21/2025

+ **Closing Date** : 11/3/2025

+ **Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit** : Minnesota Zoological Garden / Zoological Gardens-MAPE

+ **Division/Uni** **t** : Animal Care, Health, Conservation & Behavior / Animal Care / Ambassador Animals

+ **Work Shift/Work Hours** : Day Shift

+ **Days of Work** : Tuesday - Saturday, 7:00 A.M. - 3:30 P.M

+ **Travel Required** : No

+ **Salary Range:** $28.26 - $41.43 / hourly; $59,006 - $86,505 / annually

+ **Classified Status** : Classified

+ **Bargaining Unit/Union** : 214 - MN Assoc of Professional Empl/MAPE

+ **FLSA Status** : Nonexempt

+ Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities (https://mn.gov/mmb/careers/diverse-workforce/people-with-disabilities/connect700/) : Yes

The work you'll do is more than just a job.

At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.

This position assists leadership in ensuring the highest quality professional care, training, and wellbeing for the animals in the Ambassador Animals Section at the Minnesota Zoo, in support of the Zoo’s mission to connect people, animals, and the natural world to save wildlife. The incumbent assists with the management of a diverse collection of animals and leads all aspects of daily operations. This position collaborates with the Curator and Assistant Curator to ensure animal husbandry, training and wellbeing practices meet or exceed industry standards.

This position is a member of the Animal Care leadership team and collaborates with other Zoo departments. They contribute to initiatives of the CHCB team (Care, Health, Conservation and Behavior) as it relates to the Zoo’s strategic priorities in animal care and education.

Duties include but are not limited to:

+ Provide industry-leading animal husbandry and welfare to departmental animal collection.

+ Assist trail leadership in developing and directing the Ambassador Animal personnel so that required staffing resources are available and strategically invested and department policies are developed and implemented that most effectively support the Minnesota Zoo’s mission and strategic priorities.

+ Lead efforts to develop innovative new, and improve current, interpretation of animals in the Ambassador Animals Department so that Minnesota Zoo visitors and others receive educational and entertaining presentations featuring mission driven information.

+ Deliver and maintain industry-leading, engaging, animal displays which meet and exceed industry welfare standards.

+ Serve as a member of the Animal Care leadership team ensuring development and accomplishment of the Minnesota Zoo’s mission, strategic priorities, conservation plan, education plan, nature plan and master plan.

Minimum Qualifications

The following qualifications are required of all applicants seeking consideration for this position. Only applicants whose application materials clearly demonstrate fulfillment of each of these minimum qualifications will be considered for the position. To ensure accurate evaluation, your resume must clearly describe your experience in the required areas. For each job, include whether it was full-time, part-time, or intermittent/on-call; how many hours per week you worked; and the month and year you started and ended.

+ Five (5) years animal care experience in an AZA or equivalent organization, must be within the last ten (10) years

+ Experience working with a variety of taxa including invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, and birds in an ambassador setting including shows, encounters and media events

+ Expertise in animal care, wellbeing, behavior, training, and sustainable population management

+ Well-developed human relationship skills sufficient to lead, motivate, mentor and educate staff and respond with sensitivity to their varied needs

+ Communication skills sufficient to convey complex biological and scientific concepts to diverse and varied audiences and bring staff and the public to action to support an initiative or program

+ Computer skills using business and animal management software applications, such as Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, ZIMS, etc., sufficient to create, enter, edit, save, and retrieve memos, data, reports, presentations, or other documents

+ Demonstrated commitment and ability to work with culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities and/or organizations sufficient to maintain a work environment that respects and values differences and diversity

+ Ability to manage disagreement, defuse conflicts, and reach constructive solutions while maintaining positive relationships

+ Ability to act as an official professional representative and promote the philosophy and mission of the Zoo at public speaking events to local, state, and national audiences

+ Valid driver’s license and valid and current passport (or ability to obtain)

+ Current CPR/1st Aid certifications

Preferred Qualifications

+ Bachelor’s degree in zoology, conservation biology, ecology, environmental science or other related discipline

+ Advanced degree in related field

+ Experience working with and leading others working with carnivores

+ Work experience with regional, national, and international conservation initiatives

+ Experience with animal research and conservation projects, including experience publishing results in peer-reviewed journals

+ Experience in participation or lead work in an AZA management program (TAGs, SSPs, studbook, etc.)

+ Experience working with State government

+ Experience working in a union environment

+ Fluent in a second language, such as Spanish, Hmong, ASL, etc.

Physical Requirements

+ Current rabies vaccination and negative TB or ability to become Rabies vaccinated and complete a negative TB test within the probationary period and complete ongoing Rabies titer testing.The MN Zoo will cover the cost of your vaccines if you schedule your appointment through our occupational health clinic, upon hire.

+ Ability to work all days of the week and all shifts, as needed

+ Ability to frequently bend, stoop, crouch, kneel, reach upward, twist and have good lateral movement

+ Ability to perform large amount of walking and walk up and down stairs

+ Ability to perform tasks requiring heavy use of arms, wrists, and exertion of upper body, arms, and hands to perform duties

+ Ability to operate heavy machinery, such as a Bobcat or forklift

+ Ability to push/pull up to 90 pounds

+ Ability to lift, carry and/or move up to 50 pounds

+ Ability to work outdoors year-round sometimes on uneven terrain and under all weather conditions

+ Ability to operate a computer, including viewing a screen and typing on a keyboard, for up to 8 hours/day

+ Ability to work with potentially dangerous exotic and domestic animals with potential zoonotic diseases

+ Ability to work with and provide direction to others working with carnivores.

+ Ability to work with potentially dangerous controlled substances for use in animal immobilizations which can be life-threatening to humans

+ Ability to wear N95 face masks/respirators

+ Ability to obtain vaccinations that may be required to conduct international work

+ Ability to travel by plane for up to 15 hours per flight, with multiple flights potentially separated by layovers

Additional Requirements

Applicants must have the ability to meet the physical requirements and work in the environmental conditions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodations.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

It is policy of the Minnesota Zoo that all candidates submit to a background check prior to employment. The background check may consist of the following components:

+ Conflict of Interest Review

+ Criminal History Check including fingerprinting

+ Education Verification

+ Employment Reference / Records Check

+ License / Certification Verification

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is an Equal Opportunity employer/educator committed to the principles of diversity. We prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or membership in a local commission as defined by law. As an affirmative action employer, we actively seek and encourage applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status.

Reasonable accommodations will be made to all qualified applicants with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability who needs assistance or cannot access the online job application system, please contact the job information line at 651-259-3637 or email [email protected] . Please indicate what assistance is needed.