Animal Curator

Hello, we’re Metro! Metro is dedicated to shaping a better future for the greater Portland region. The work the people of Metro do every day benefits the lives of the people who live here, today, and tomorrow.

Join the Oregon Zoo – Leading Conservation and Animal Wellbeing

The Oregon Zoo is at the forefront of animal welfare, pioneering innovative research, and driving both local and global conservation efforts. We set the gold standard in animal wellbeing, implementing cutting-edge practices that exceed the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) standards. Our commitment to sustainability and conservation education inspires individuals and communities to create lasting impact for our planet.

With the support of a $380 million voter-approved bond, we are reimagining our habitats, building state-of-the-art naturalistic spaces for animals like penguins, sea otters, and giraffes. This transformation is designed to create a place where both wildlife and people can connect and thrive together.

We are seeking an Animal Curator to lead our Bird team, support our California Condor propagation efforts, and enhance our ectotherm population. In this role you will have the opportunity to make a direct impact by focusing on animal husbandry, behavior and training programs, evaluating animal care and wellbeing, and guiding staff development and training.

Are you ready to make a difference in wildlife conservation, shape the future of wildlife care and sustainability? Join us at the Oregon Zoo and play a key role in shaping the future of animal care.

As the Animal Curator, you will:

• Serve as the Zoo’s Bird team manager, overseeing the care of a diverse population of birds, reptiles, mammals, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates within your purview. Supervise the animal care program, ensure compliance with USDA, AZA, local, and federal regulations and contribute to the Animal Population Plan.
• Lead the California Condor species recovery program in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with a focus on propagating and restoring condors to their natural habitat.
• Develop, maintain, and update animal husbandry routines, policies, and operating procedures related to animal care, safety, and equipment use, ensuring that all areas under your purview exceed industry standards.
• Lead and evaluate the performance of an Area Supervisor, who oversees a team of Lead Animal Keepers and Animal Keepers. Foster staff development, ensuring the team meets the evolving needs of the zoological profession and contributes to organizational goals.
• Oversee animal transfers, introductions, and medical treatments to ensure the highest standards of care and wellbeing for all species.
• Prepare and manage the budget for assigned animal sections, ensuring timely attention to expenditures, needs and program objectives. Develop both short- and long-term plans to meet the zoo’s goals.
• Provide expertise in animal habitat and holding design, particularly in developing  a new penguin habitat. Support ongoing facility improvements and pdate population plans for birds and ectotherms.
• Collaborate closely with internal and external stakeholders, regulatory agencies, other zoos and aquariums, AZA to advance the zoo’s goals and conservation efforts.
• Actively engage in AZA programs, serve on committees or advisory groups, and share insights on animal management and population sustainability.
• When necessary, represent the zoo as a spokesperson for the Oregon Zoo’s animal population and conservation efforts. Represent the zoo’s conservation goals to donors, helping to increase investment in bird conservation and animal habitats.

Attributes for Success:

• Expertise in animal care techniques, including innovative approaches to creating enriching environments that prioritize animal wellbeing, with a focus on behavioral management and addressing husbandry issues through training and enrichment.
• Proven experience in avian reproduction management, reptile husbandry, and a deep understanding of animal wellbeing best practices for a wide range of species.
• Strong leadership skills, including managing social dynamics, supervising staff, fostering professional growth and cultivating a compassionate, inclusive work environment that supports staff development and ensures the wellbeing of both animals and team members.
• Ability to manage budgets, control expenditures, and address challenges with innovative, logical solutions while maintaining operational efficiency.
• Comfort with public speaking and delivering engaging, professional presentations on the Oregon Zoo’s mission, goals and conservation efforts to diverse audiences.
• Skilled in scheduling, project management, and evaluating staff tasks to ensure the successful implementation of daily operations.
• Commitment to advancing racial equity and implementing meaningful changes in work practices, visitor services, and education programs, with a focus on addressing historic inequities in the zoo field and the region.

Approximate Recruitment Timeline  

• First round interview week of April 21, 2025
• Second round interview week of May 5, 2025
• Final round interview the week of May 19, 2025
• Reference check week of May 26, 2025

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION 

At Metro, we strive to cultivate diversity, advance equity, and practice inclusion in all of its work. This means attracting and empowering a workforce that is inclusive of a broad range of human qualities. Workplace diversity is both a moral imperative and a business strength, essential to providing quality support and services to our region. Metro’s goal is to hire, develop and retain highly skilled and talented individuals across all departments and programs who best reflect the diversity of our community.  

Learn more about Metro’s Diversity Action Plan

TO QUALIFY

We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific in your application materials on how your background is relevant.

Minimum qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, zoology, or related field with an emphasis on wildlife and/or zoo animals and,
• Seven years of experience as an animal care professional and
• Two years of supervisory experience or,
• Any combination of education, professional, volunteer and lived experience that provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the classification duties and responsibilities.

Additional Requirements

• Additional medical testing and/or immunizations (not already stated in this announcement) may be required as the duties of this position require close contact with animal areas and enclosures where animals may be present.

If this statement is true for you, then you may be ineligible to apply

If you were terminated for cause during any employment with Metro, or resigned in lieu of termination, you may be ineligible for rehire for a minimum of 3 years.

Like to have qualifications

You do not need to have the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills to qualify. However, keep in mind we may consider them when identifying the most qualified candidates. Your transferable skills are any skills you have gained through education, work experience, including the military, or life experience that are relevant for this position.

• Executive-level supervisory experience in managing animal care staff at an AZA-accredited institution.
• Advanced knowledge of conservation principles and species recovery program management.
• Experience as a member of the Zoo’s Emergency Firearms Team.
• Background in designing, renovating, or managing animal habitats with a focus on species-appropriate environmental design.
• Expertise in zoonotic disease prevention and management, particularly for species under the purview of this position.

SCREENING AND EVALUATION

The application packet: The application packet consists of the following required documents. Please ensure that you upload these documents in your online application. Make sure your application is complete, missing any part of these items could result in an incomplete application and will not be moved forward in the recruitment.

• A completed Resume that includes the following details for each employer:
  • Name of employer,
  • Your working title,
  • Dates of employment; including if the work was full-time or part-time,
  • Number of employees you supervised,
  • Summary of your responsibilities
• Attachment of a cover letter that addresses the following question: Collaboration is often essential in zoological settings, especially when working with various departments. Can you share an example of how you’ve successfully fostered collaboration among different teams to improve animal care or operational efficiency?

The selection process: We expect to evaluate candidates for this recruitment as follows. The selection process is subject to change.

• Initial review of minimum qualifications
• In-depth evaluation of application materials to identify the most qualified candidates
• Consideration of top candidates/interviews
• Testing/assessments (if applicable)
• Reference check
• Background, driving records check for finalist candidate (if applicable)

COMPENSATION, BENEFITS AND REPRESENTATON

The full-salary range for this position is step 1: $102,984.94 to step 7: $138,009.83 annually. However, unless a candidate’s qualifications justify, based on the Oregon Pay Equity Act requirements and Metro’s internal equity review process, the appointment will likely be made between step 1: $102,984.94to the equity range step 3 $113,541.16 annually. 

This position is not eligible for overtime and is not represented by a union. It is classified as an Animal Curator.

Classification descriptions are typically written broadly and do not include the specific duties and responsibilities of the positions. View the classification description.

Questions?

Recruiter: Megan Warneke

Email:megan.warneke@oregonmetro.gov