Behavioral Enrichment & Animal Wellbeing Coordinator

In collaboration with Director of Living Collections Department, Animal Curators and Collection Managers, this position is responsible for developing and overseeing the Phoenix Zoo’s Behavioral Enrichment (BE) Program to include the behavioral enrichment philosophy, application across the collection, and techniques for its application. Additionally, this position coordinates with all LC staff to assess and improve the wellbeing of animals at the Phoenix Zoo.

Essential Duties:                    

• Provide quality guest service to both internal and external guests by maintaining a WILD (friendly, helpful, positive and professional) working attitude and appearance.
• Create, foster and maintain positive team-orientated work environment through effective leadership, communication and cooperative professional interactions.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive BE program for the animals, to include considerations of psychological enrichment, health and husbandry applications.
• Maintain high standards of care and well-being for our animals through behavioral enrichment.
• Identify departmental BE needs and manage the budget and computer database for the behavioral enrichment program.
• Create and maintain a prioritized schedule of BE projects and facilitate their completion.
• Maintain administrative and physical BE-related inventories.
• In collaboration with the Volunteer Engagement Coordinator, assist in the coordination and use of volunteers to support BE program.
• Collaborate with LC Managers to assess the welfare of animals at the Zoo using the Zoo’s animal welfare policy.
• Assist in research projects, generate approved scientific papers and popular articles, and attend professional meetings.

Represent the Zoo as directed:

• conduct Zoo tours; assist with public/media needs as requested.
• Support the Zoo’s mission and core values through active collaboration in the development and presentation of interpretive material, messaging and guest experiences.
• This is by no means an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts, or working conditions associated with the job. 
• Management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change (e.g. emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs, or technological developments.)  

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in life science or education strongly preferred.
• Strong communication skills with a demonstrated capacity for written (scientific or professional publications) and oral presentations, as well as experience with large-scale public communications, both formal and informal, are required. 
• A minimum of three years of prior husbandry, BE, and welfare assessment experience in an AZA accredited institution required.  A demonstrated capacity to work with a variety of wildlife in managed care settings is required.
• Experience in staff and volunteer coordination preferred.
• Ability to provide quality guest service to both internal and external guests.
• Ability to work flexible hours required.
• Ability to endure long periods of standing and walking required.
• Ability to work in extreme weather conditions required.
• Ability to bend, stoop and crawl required.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 25 pounds required.
• Possession of valid driver’s license required.
• Ability to pass pre-employment background check, drug test, DMV check and clear annual TB test.

Perks

• The Arizona Center for Nature Conservation is committed to maintaining the health and well-being of its employees.
• We offer a wide range of benefits for qualified employees designed to address the diverse needs of our employees and their families, such as:
• Medical, Dental, Vision and Prescription Drug Coverage (Domestic Partnership Benefits Available) Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, and Long Term Disability Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Voluntary Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid Sick Leave (PSL)
• 401(k) Plan with Match
• Phoenix Zoo Membership
• Employee WILD Rewards Program
• Service Awards
• Employee Cultural Exchange Program
• Tuition Reimbursement Program (for qualified courses)
• Outside Vendor Discounts