Zoo Vet Jobs
Zoo veterinarians and veterinary technicians are responsible for the medical care of every animal in a zoo's collection. From routine wellness exams and preventive medicine to emergency surgeries and disease management, the vet team keeps animals healthy and supports the work of zookeepers, curators, and conservation programs alike.
We list veterinarian and vet tech openings from zoos, wildlife sanctuaries, animal parks, and wildlife rehabilitation centers across the country and beyond.
Zoo Veterinary Roles
Zoo vet teams are typically small but handle an extraordinary range of species and medical situations. Roles within the team include:
- Zoo veterinarians: Diagnosing and treating illness and injury across mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. Zoo vets also design preventive care programs, manage quarantine protocols, and advise on nutrition and reproductive health.
- Veterinary technicians: Assisting veterinarians with exams, anesthesia, lab work, medication administration, imaging, and surgical prep. Vet techs are the operational backbone of the veterinary department and are often the first to notice subtle changes in animal health.
- Veterinary residents and externs: Veterinarians completing post-DVM specialty training in zoological medicine. Residencies are highly competitive and typically last 3 to 4 years.
- Wildlife health and pathology staff: Conducting necropsies, disease surveillance, and diagnostic lab work. These roles bridge clinical care and conservation science.
Job titles range from Veterinary Technician and Veterinary Nurse to Associate Veterinarian, Senior Veterinarian, Head Veterinarian, and Director of Animal Health.
How to Get Into Zoo Veterinary Medicine
The path depends on whether you're pursuing a veterinarian or vet tech career:
For zoo veterinarians: The standard route is a bachelor's degree followed by a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from an accredited program. After that, most zoo vet positions expect or prefer completion of a residency in zoological medicine, typically through an ACZM-approved program. Getting there means accumulating as much exotic and zoo animal experience as possible during and after vet school, including zoo internships, externships, and volunteer work.
For veterinary technicians: Most positions require an associate's or bachelor's degree in veterinary technology and a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) credential or equivalent state license. Zoo-specific experience through internships or volunteer work at a zoo or wildlife rehab center will set you apart from candidates with only domestic animal backgrounds.
In both cases, the zoo world is small and highly competitive. The relationships you build during training are often what lead to your first position.
Browse our current listings below, or use the search to find positions in your area. New opportunities are added regularly, so check back often or join our newsletter to get notified of new postings.
Frequently Asked Questions About Zoo Vet Jobs
What qualifications do I need to become a zoo veterinarian?
You'll need a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from an accredited veterinary school. Beyond that, most zoo vet positions expect or strongly prefer completion of a residency in zoological medicine, typically 3 to 4 years through an ACZM-approved program. During vet school and residency, accumulate as much exotic animal experience as possible through externships, zoo internships, and wildlife rehab volunteer work.
What qualifications do I need to become a zoo vet tech?
Most positions require an associate's or bachelor's degree in veterinary technology and a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) credential or equivalent state license. Prior experience with exotic or zoo animals is a major advantage. Many zoo vet techs start by working in domestic veterinary clinics and then transition to zoo work once they have strong clinical foundations and some zoo volunteer or internship experience.
What does a zoo vet do on a typical day?
A zoo vet's day is unpredictable by nature. It might start with scheduled wellness exams or follow-up checks, move into reviewing lab results and updating treatment plans, and then pivot to an emergency call from a keeper who noticed something off during morning rounds. Zoo vets also spend time consulting with keepers on nutrition and enrichment, overseeing quarantine for new arrivals, and participating in Species Survival Plan (SSP) breeding decisions. No two days look the same, and you may treat a gecko and a giraffe in the same afternoon.
What's the difference between a zoo vet tech and a vet tech at a regular clinic?
The clinical skills are largely the same: anesthesia, lab work, medication, imaging, surgical assist. The difference is the range of species and the complexity of handling. Zoo vet techs work with animals that can't simply be placed on a table, which means more chemical immobilization, remote injection, protected contact procedures, and creative problem-solving. You also work much more closely with zookeepers, who know the animals' normal behavior and help identify when something is wrong.
How competitive are zoo vet jobs?
Among the most competitive in all of veterinary medicine. There are far fewer zoo vet positions than there are qualified candidates. Zoological medicine residencies accept only a handful of applicants each year nationwide. For vet tech positions, competition is also strong at major zoos, though there are more openings overall. In both cases, your best advantages are zoo-specific experience and strong references from within the zoo community.
Can I work as a zoo vet tech without zoo experience?
Technically yes, but it's a tough sell. Most zoos prefer candidates who already have some experience with exotic species, even if it's from volunteer work, wildlife rehabilitation, or an internship. If you're coming from a domestic vet clinic, start by volunteering at a local zoo on your days off or applying for a zoo vet tech internship. That exposure makes a big difference when hiring managers compare applicants.
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