Turn Animal Behavior Expertise Into Better Animal Welfare
Are you passionate about animal behavior and energized by helping others become better trainers?
ZooTampa is looking for a Supervisor of Training and Enrichment to help advance behavioral husbandry, animal training, and enrichment programs across our animal teams. Working alongside our behavior team and reporting to the Curator of Behavioral Husbandry, this role combines hands-on behavioral expertise with coaching, collaboration, problem solving, and program development.
This is an opportunity to influence how animal training and enrichment are practiced across the Zoo while helping animal care professionals develop their own skills and creating measurable improvements in animal welfare.
Does This Sound Like You?
Do you have hands-on experience applying operant and classical conditioning with animals in a zoo, aquarium, or similar professional animal care environment?
Do you enjoy coaching other animal care professionals—helping them troubleshoot behavioral challenges, strengthen their training skills, and celebrate successful outcomes?
Can you turn behavioral observations and data into practical training and enrichment strategies that improve animal welfare?
If you answered yes, we would like to hear from you.
Position Summary
The Supervisor of Training and Enrichment works alongside the behavior team to support the daily behavioral modification and enrichment programs across all animal teams at ZooTampa at Lowry Park. In conjunction with the behavior team, this position helps guide animal care staff in developing, implementing, and evaluating species-specific training and enrichment strategies that support animal welfare, guest engagement, and accreditation compliance. The Supervisor helps ensure the animal department meets the behavioral husbandry standards set by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), supports accurate training and enrichment record keeping, and collaborates with animal health, animal care leadership, and marketing to advance the zoo's behavioral programs. Reports directly to the Curator of Behavioral Husbandry.
Who We Are
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is one of the most popular zoos in the southeastern U.S., with over 1.2 million visitors annually. We have grown to what now encompasses 56 acres of naturalistic animal exhibits in a lush, tropical garden setting. The Zoo, accredited by Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), offers popular educational programming, fun recreational amenities, up-close animal encounters and engaging seasonal events for which it has won awards as one of the country’s most family-friendly zoos.
Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and care for animals; create exceptional personalized experiences that connect people with wildlife and each other in fun, immersive ways.
Our vision is that everyone we touch is motivated to join us in taking action to protect and preserve wildlife.
Join us and become a part of creating unforgettable natural connections!
Your day to day
Functional Areas of Responsibility
Support, in conjunction with the behavior team, of ZooTampa's animal behavioral modification and enrichment programs; shared oversight of the Animal Training Liaison (ATL) and Enrichment Discussion Group (EDG) accountability groups; support of staff training in operant and classical conditioning; and coordination with animal health, animal care leadership, marketing, and development to advance behavioral welfare initiatives.
Essential Functions (including but not limited to):
Behavioral Modification
- Support conditioning of the animal population, in conjunction with the behavior team, to assist with animal management in a zoo setting.
- Work with the behavior team to troubleshoot behavior concerns as they arise.
- Help support staff education on operant and classical conditioning through seminars and area visits.
- Support staff in learning and applying more complex behavior modification techniques.
- Support appropriate interactions between animals and guests.
- Support a daily record-keeping system for behavioral training in accordance with accreditation requirements.
- Help provide summaries of training records for animals as requested.
- Help maintain behavioral repertoire sheets and training priorities.
- Participate in and support the Animal Training Liaison (ATL) accountability group in advancing behavior across departments.
- Coordinate with the hospital team, alongside the behavior team, on medical training priorities.
- Participate in yearly evaluations of teams, animals, and staff.
- Support a yearly behavior training workshop.
- Help identify behavioral accomplishments that may support marketing opportunities.
- Support the development and sharing of success stories at professional webinars and conferences.
Enrichment
- Support daily functional enrichment across animal areas, in conjunction with the behavior team.
- Help review newly requested enrichment items.
- Support the review of behavioral data to help identify gaps in enrichment strategies.
- Assist with purchasing new enrichment items.
- Support an enrichment record-keeping system in accordance with accreditation requirements.
- Help provide summaries of enrichment strategies to support identification of gaps and successes.
- Participate in the evaluation of enrichment strategies.
- Support development of a behavioral goal-setting program for species at the zoo.
- Support development of Individual Environmental Enrichment Plans (IEEPs) for singly housed social species.
- Participate in and support the Enrichment Discussion Group (EDG) accountability group in assessing enrichment across departments.
- Coordinate with the veterinary team on approval of new enrichment items.
- Help coordinate the giving tree and enrichment wish list.
- Work with the development team to support donor engagement related to enrichment.
- Support enrichment workshops focused on developing new enrichment items.
- Help coordinate themed enrichment for holidays.
- Help coordinate enrichment-related events for marketing opportunities and media.
- Support presentations on the enrichment program for corporate volunteer workshops.
- Support staff training on appropriate enrichment implementation.
- Support collaboration with universities and outside partners on enrichment development.
What are we looking for?
Qualifications and Experience:
- Bachelor's degree in psychology, biology, zoology, or a related field, or equivalent specialized training, is required.
- A preferred minimum of three to five years of experience in animal training, behavioral husbandry, or enrichment in an aquarium or zoological setting.
- Strong working knowledge of operant and classical conditioning principles and their application in a zoo setting.
- Demonstrated ability to teach and mentor staff on behavioral training and enrichment techniques.
- Ability to read, analyze, and interpret behavioral data, records, and accreditation standards.
- Leadership: a demonstrated ability to lead and coordinate accountability groups (ATL, EDG) and get results through others.
- Planning: an ability to think ahead and plan training and enrichment priorities over multiple timeframes.
- Management: the ability to organize and manage multiple priorities across animal teams.
- Problem analysis and problem resolution related to behavior and enrichment challenges.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including written and presentation skills.
- High-performing team member and strong team player.
Other Requirements:
- Conducts all activities in alignment with AZA standards and guidelines, all relevant laws and regulations, safety standards and standards that ensure animal welfare.
- Provide professional development opportunities and work with university partners to ensure all virtual interns gain necessary knowledge and skills throughout each semester.
- Must be able to withstand typical Florida climate, sometimes temperatures exceeding 90 degrees.
- Must be willing to work varied and long shifts including holidays and weekends.
- Must be able to lift at least 65 pounds.
- Must be able to work in a variety of physical positions, including sitting, bending, standing, walking and driving.
Our Perks at ZooTampa
- Medical, Dental, Vision, Pet, Life Insurance, 403(b) Pension Plan
- Generous PTO (Vacation and sick time)
- Employee Assistance Program
- Tuition Forgiveness
- Discounted gym membership
- Free admission to the Zoo, MOSI, Glazer Children's Museum and the Florida Aquarium
- Free or discounted admission to many attractions in Florida
- And so much more!
Equal Opportunity Employer & Drug-Free Workplace
