Do you want to pursue a Zoo Career?
The zoo industry is full of exciting careers to pursue, such as animal and veterinary care, education, conservation, and research. If you are unsure what path is the right for you, have a look at the BIAZA Careers Guide and at AZA's list of types of zoo jobs.
Photo: Dallas Zoo
What to study?
Depending on the country, there are different education paths you can pursue if you are interested in working in a zoo. Biology, Zoology, Veterinary Science, Animal Behaviour & Welfare are all relevant subjects for a zoo job.
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However, some countries offer very specific courses on the subject. You might be interested in studying one of these if you want to have a zoo specific education.
Aspiring zoo scientist?
Job Vacancies
Zoo Research & Conservation
Vice President of Animal Care & Conservation
Brookfield Zoo (United States)
Brookfield Zoo is seeking a dynamic, innovative and collaborative leader for our Vice President of Animal Care and Conservation in support of our advancing the highest standards of animal care, welfare and sustainability. Standing on the brink of our 100th anniversary in 2034, Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s ambitious Next Century Plan will transform our campus with dynamic animal habitats and wild landscapes. As the animals in our care are at the heart of BZC, the focus will be on strengthening and diversifying our animal population by introducing new species that strategically align with the Next Century Plan while curating an animal population that reflects conservation priorities. The Vice President of Animal Care and Conservation will also focus on strengthening employee engagement, supporting employee development and collaborate with leadership on philanthropy, infrastructure, guest experiences and programming.
The Vice President of Animal Care & Conservation serves as senior leadership manager for the Animal Care & Programs group. Works cooperatively and collaboratively with Senior V.P. and ACP managers to establish, implement, and maintain high quality standards for animal care and welfare. Oversees husbandry programs for the animal collection, working closely with other departments to integrate activities related to animal nutrition, veterinary care, animal acquisition/disposition, breeding, recordkeeping, animal behavior, conservation, and environments.
Field Conservation Manager
San Francisco Zoo (United States)
Under the direction of the Director of Field Conservation, the Field Conservation Manager oversees the daily operations of the Zoo's Field Conservation head-start programs. The position serves as the department's primary operational leader, providing leadership for departmental personnel; coordinating conservation projects and operational priorities; managing staffing, budgets, grants, and resource allocation; and ensuring the successful planning and execution of animal collections, releases, research activities, and other conservation initiatives. The Manager works closely with the Director to implement departmental goals while supporting Field Conservation Supervisor(s) in maintaining high standards of animal care, operational excellence, and conservation outcomes.
Postdoctoral Fellow - Indigenous Relations
Toronto Zoo (Canada)
The Postdoctoral Fellow, Wildlife Science is responsible for planning, organizing, and implementing investigative research and communication related to a defined research project in a subject of interest to the TZ Science Teams (Reproductive, Veterinary, Welfare, Nutrition, and Species Recovery Sciences). This position will assist and provide support in implementing the Strategic Plan.
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Scope of Work: The Toronto Zoo invites applications for a post-doctoral fellow interested in a dedicated research project to assist the Zoo in developing an ethical framework for Indigenous partnerships as part of the governance framework for the National Wildlife Cryobank.
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The post-doctoral fellow will work closely with the Zoo’s Director of Indigenous Relations, Chief Science Officer and other staff as needed. The fellow will also be informally supported by an experienced inter-disciplinary circle of project-affiliated supervisors outside the Zoo who will provide additional intellectual/academic guidance and general research support as may be required through the post-doctoral fellowship experience.
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Research Focus: Given the transdisciplinary and public -facing nature of this initiative, the post-doctoral fellow is expected to have exceptional research and communication skills. Their capacity to undertake planning, organizing, implementing and sharing investigative research that spans a range of disciplines, potentially including Indigenous studies, Indigenous law, Indigenous governance and co-governance arrangements; data sovereignty; applied intercultural ethics; wildlife conservation; and cryobanking will be invaluable. Curiosity and ability to listen, learn and adjust within a fluid multidisciplinary environment will be an asset.
Expectations from this post-doctoral fellowship include in-depth research, a jurisdictional scan, exploration and development of an Indigenous engagement strategy, potential governance models including data sovereignty, access and benefit sharing principles, and considerations of intellectual property rights relating to Indigenous knowledge systems in the context of conservation cryobanking.
Deadline: August 15
Director of Field Conservation
Denver Zoo (United States)
The Director of Field Conservation advances Denver Zoo’s mission and goals by providing strong leadership for the Field Conservation program in alignment with departmental and organizational strategy. This includes setting strategic direction, supervising Conservation Program Directors, and ensuring a consistent approach to project work and partnerships across all regional and international programs: Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
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All candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application. DZCA is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.
Conservation Monitoring Scientist
Woodland Park Zoo (United States)
Responsibilites:
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Lead the development and refinement of adaptive monitoring strategies across Woodland Park Zoo’s (WPZ) field conservation programs, including participatory methods, community engagement, and multi-level data analysis.
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Oversee program work plans for the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP), particularly in relation to monitoring and protected area management in the YUS Conservation Area.
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Design and implement monitoring protocols for target species, utilizing tools such as population viability analyses, Vortex, MetaModelManager, and other modeling platforms.
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Facilitate workshops and stakeholder engagement processes that align conservation priorities with IUCN and government recovery goals as well as community-defined success measures.
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Support and evaluate protected area management systems, advising on opportunities for better alignment and integration across governance levels.
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Review and implement best-practice tools and methodologies for ecological and social data collection, including GIS and SMART. Lead or coordinate field research projects to address knowledge gaps in species monitoring, threat assessment, and land-use change.
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Collaborate with WPZ’s Animal Care teams and conservation partners to align in-situ and ex-situ programs, including species reintroduction and One Plan Approach efforts.
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Manage data integration across internal and external systems (e.g., ZIMS, partner databases), ensuring consistency in conservation reporting and evaluation.
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Maintain and build scientific and technical partnerships with universities, conservation NGOs, and government agencies.
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Represent WPZ in key international forums and working groups, including the SMART Network and IUCN Species Specialist Groups.
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Contribute to the development of monitoring-related fundraising and grant proposals, donor reports, and scientific publications; develop and assist in the preparation of technical and operational reports.
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Support the refinement of WPZ’s conservation monitoring and evaluation framework, research agenda, and strategic plan results chains.
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Travel regularly to domestic and international field sites, conservation partner locations, and conferences.
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Actively support and follow the mission, values, and goals of Woodland Park Zoo and the Field Conservation department.
Project SIARC Community Officer
Zoological Society of London (United Kingdom)
Join Project SIARC (Sharks Inspiring Action and Research with Communities) as a Project SIARC Community Officer working in the Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries (CBAE) Region of south Wales.
Project SIARC (Sharks Inspiring Action and Research with Communities) works towards a Vision that threatened sharks, skates and rays and diverse coastal communities benefit from an inclusive approach to marine conservation and research in Wales. Project SIARC is led by ZSL and Natural Resources Wales (NRW), and completed in partnership with Delivery Partners, Affiliates and Collaborators. Together, we work with coastal communities around Wales, including commercial and recreational fishers, citizen scientist volunteers, primary schools, and researchers. Using money raised by National Lottery Players, the National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. Project SIARC is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Welsh Government’s Nature Networks Fund.
This role will be employed by ZSL (the Zoological Society of London) and seconded to Natural Resources Wales (NRW). The role will work full time on Project SIARC and be based in the Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries (CBAE) Region. While this role will be primarily embedded within Project SIARC, the role holder will also sit within ZSL’s global FAIRER conservation team alongside the Project SIARC Community Equity, Rights and Social Safeguards Specialist.
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Deadline: July 29
Program Assistant, Wildlife Trafficking Alliance
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (United States)
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is seeking a Program Assistant, Wildlife Trafficking Alliance (WTA) to support the implementation of AZA’s Wildlife Trafficking Alliance and related initiatives. This role provides administrative, communications, and programmatic support that helps contribute to partner engagement, internal and external communications, meeting coordination, and data tracking that advance AZA’s efforts to combat wildlife trafficking.
This position is based in our Silver Spring, MD headquarters and reports to the Senior Advisor on Wildlife Trafficking. This position is eligible for a hybrid schedule with a minimum of 2 days per week in the office.
Responsibilities
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Provide administrative and programmatic support for the Wildlife Trafficking Alliance’s core operations, including maintaining records, tracking action items, coordinating communications, and supporting meetings through scheduling, agendas, materials, and minutes.
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Support wildlife trafficking programs and initiatives at the program-management level by tracking activities and deliverables, maintaining reporting schedules, compiling program updates, and assisting with internal and external reporting.
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Support demand-reduction and public-engagement initiatives at the project-delivery level—including campaigns and transportation-hub outreach—by coordinating deployments, managing materials, working with partners, and collecting participation and reach data.
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Manage WTA communications, partner engagement, and resources, including shared inboxes, newsletters, toolkits, databases, and responses to general inquiries.
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Support data management, internal tracking systems, website updates, and provide limited administrative and data support for confiscations-related activities, including maintaining databases and supporting vetting or review committee meeting logistics.
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Provide administrative support to WTA working groups, advisory committees, and partner networks, including posting documents, administering surveys, maintaining governance records, and supporting virtual and in-person meetings and events.
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Assist with special projects, data compilation, basic reporting, conference and event support, and other clerical or programmatic duties as assigned.
Post Doctoral Associate, Elephant Communication
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (United States)
The Post-Doctoral Associate oversees research projects and performs a variety of assigned research and diagnostic activities, while completing post-doctoral training in a specialized area of scientific research. This position reports to Scientist level or higher in the Conservation Science & Wildlife Health department.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
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Oversee assigned research projects.
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Collect, process, and enters research data.
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Perform experiments and measurements.
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Interpret and analyze research results and revises procedures as necessary.
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Establish and maintain databases.
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Document research methodology and results.
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Prepare progress reports.
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Conduct and oversee investigations of study subjects.
Research Coordinator II (Seasonal)
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (United States)
The Research Coordinator II conducts assigned research activities and oversees research operations in a specialized area of conservation science; and may provide lead guidance to assigned staff. This position reports to a Supervisor level or higher in the Conservation Science Department.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
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Carry out research collections of animals, plants, or biological samples and/or initiatives with human communities.
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Coordinate program related activities.
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Develop, update, and implement associated research plans, engagement tools, training procedures, and data analysis.
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Oversee assigned laboratory, field, diagnostic, or research collection operations, equipment, supplies, and facilities.
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Document, summarize, and analyze data.
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Interpret research findings and revises procedures necessary to achieve desired results.
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Prepare progress reports and other documentation as required for management and granting, permitting or other oversight entities.
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Oversee assigned area(s) and supervises assigned staff.
Assistant Manager, Animal Behaviour and Programmes
Mandai Wildlife Group/Singapore Zoo (Singapore)
Job Duties and Responsibilities:
1. To assist Manager in general administration, operational and fiscal activities including but not limited to: staffing levels, production, operation, budgetary goals and other duties assigned.
2. To assist in managing the department’s operations and procedures.
3. Assist in the daily care and maintenance of animals, including feeding, cleaning enclosures, monitoring health, and providing enrichment activities.
4. To undertake research and compile, review and recommend new program concepts in line of the department’s goals.
5. Monitor animal behaviour and identify potential welfare issues, reporting to the manager immediately.
6. To recommend department’s expenditure with regards to show development and animal training.
7. To assist in managing the budget for the maintenance of the department.
8. Makes recommendations and decisions regarding hiring, discipline and promotion of subordinates; authorizes leave and overtime; reviews employee performance reports prepared by subordinates and rates employee performance.
9. To review and assist in managing the total care and maintenance of the collection of animals in the department.
10. Responsible for the planning, developing, coordinating and supervising of all animal related programs and matters in the department
11. To delegate and assign responsibilities to department’s staff
12. Assist Manager in meeting show production and venue productivity and quality goals.
13. Assist in planning and coordinating animal show schedules, including rehearsals, show day logistics, and backstage management.
14. Supervise show presenters and handlers during operations and delivery of programmes, ensuring smooth transitions and adherence to safety procedures.
15. Collaborate with other departments to enhance the overall visitor experience.
16. Maintain strict adherence to all animal welfare regulations, safety protocols, and facility standards.
17. Conduct regular safety inspections and ensure necessary documentation is updated.
18. Address any safety concerns promptly and implement corrective actions.
19. Other duties assigned by HOD.
Conservation Zoologist
Brevard Zoo (United States)
Located along the Space Coast in Melbourne, Florida, East Coast Zoological Foundation (ECZF) is best known for its flagship campus, Brevard Zoo, an AZA-accredited facility with a diverse collection of over 900 animals representing nearly 200 species. ECZF is also known for its large portfolio of conservation projects, including endangered species breeding, imperiled species rehabilitation, wide-scale habitat restoration and monitoring of threatened species.
The Conservation Zoologist is responsible for completing the daily care of the animals in ECZF’s conservation animal collection, as well as the maintenance of animal habitats and enclosures. This position will participate in field work related to our conservation animal species, as assigned, and will communicate with partners, coworkers, volunteers, guests, and the public effectively and professionally to achieve program goals.
Head Veterinarian & Director of Animal Wellbeing
Turtle Back Zoo (United States)
Nestled within the scenic South Mountain Reservation, the Essex County Turtle Back Zoo is a vibrant 30-acre haven for 150 different domestic and wildlife species, managed by the nation's oldest county park system. We're proud to be an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 2006 and hold an American Humane Certification since 2017, reflecting our commitment to the highest standards of animal care.
Exciting Opportunity: We are seeking a visionary leader to serve as our Head Veterinarian. This pivotal role will lead our brand-new, state-of-the-art Animal Wellness Center! As a key member of the Zoo’s Leadership Team, you will not only provide elite clinical care but also oversee the daily operations, strategic management, and administrative functions of our cutting-edge 10,000 sq. ft. medical facility.
Your Role: Leadership & Clinical Excellence
As the Head Veterinarian, you will lead our veterinary department, overseeing a team that includes an ACZM diplomate, full-time veterinary technicians, and interns. You will be a primary driver of the zoo’s animal management strategy, ensuring that our wellness programs are proactive, integrated, and world-class.
Research Assistant (WildGenes)
Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (United Kingdom)
To assist with the implementation and dissemination of conservation genetics projects, to agreed standards and under the appropriate guidance and support within the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) WildGenes team.
Some of the things you’ll do:
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To take responsibility for delivery of conservation genetic projects being run by the WildGenes team, to include experimental design, analysis, administration and reporting
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Undertake analyses on a wide variety of genetic datasets, including mitochondrial DNA, microsatellites and SNPs generated via RADseq, target capture or genome resequencing (where required)
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To contribute to the dissemination of WildGenes research through the preparation of project reports and/or manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journal.
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Where required, work closely with the research scientists on bioinformatic analyse and assist the Research Scientist(s), in conducting literature reviews, as well as qualitative and quantitative research
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Ensure the cycle of monitoring, evaluating, and learning is part of project design and reporting.
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Ensure that, where appropriate, scientific activities follow the guidance from relevant bodies of authority.
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Deadline: July 31
Research Assistant
Lincoln Park Zoo (United States)
Assist with conducting touchscreen research with chimpanzees and gorillas housed at the Regenstein Center for African Apes. Also provide support for the following: touchscreen research with Japanese macaques housed at the Regenstein Macaque Forest; behavioral observations of chimpanzees, gorillas, and macaques; scoring data associated with the Goualougo Video Analysis Laboratory (Congo Apes, Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo); and, research or administrative tasks for Project ChimpCARE.
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This is a 2-year position with the possibility for renewal or extension based on continued funding and satisfactory job performance.
Applications will be reviewed as they are received and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants should submit a cover letter and CV/resume.
Director of Conservation Medicine
The Wilds (United States)
Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Conservation Medicine program at The Wilds, advancing the health and sustainability of managed wildlife populations through excellence in clinical care, conservation research, and collaborative partnerships. This role integrates veterinary medicine, population health, and conservation science to support The Wilds’ mission and global conservation initiatives. Serves as a key member of the senior leadership team.
