Associate Director of Primate Care & Conservation

Brookfield Zoo; Brookfield (IL); Sur place; USD 70 000 - 77 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

Brookfield Zoo Chicago seeks an Associate Director, Primate Care & Conservation, a full-time salaried role responsible for leading the Primate Department, ensuring high standards of animal care, welfare, staffing, training, safety, and departmental priorities.

You will partner with the Director of Primates to advance strategic goals across science, education, training, and animal welfare while ensuring compliance, operational excellence, and an extraordinary guest experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or five years of equivalent experience in biology or zoology.
• Minimum 5 years of captive management experience in a zoo or large-scale facility.
• Minimum 2 years of supervisory experience.
• Ability to work safely with live animals and interpret behavior.
• Strong communication and MS Office skills.
• Valid driver’s license; Illinois residence within 90 days.

Responsabilités

• Provide operational leadership for the Primate Department and coordinate daily operations.
• Oversee animal management activities and welfare programs.
• Lead departmental workforce management including scheduling and training.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and safety standards; maintain readiness for inspections.
• Oversee resources such as facilities, equipment, and budgets; drive improvements.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Connaissances

Interpersonal communication

MS Office proficiency

English fluency

Cultural competency

Staff coaching & development

Formation

Bachelor’s degree in Biology or Zoology

High school diploma or equivalent

Description du poste

The Associate Director, Primate Care & Conservation is a full-time salaried position grade 08 withan expected hiring range of $69,583 to $76,541 annually.Please follow the below link or copy and paste it in your internet browser to see Compensation and Benefits Summary.

Benefits Overview Non-union Full-time

https://assets.ctfassets.net/y4b3fp715dyu/5r0XxOaOuC8bMYn6BkYkbu/56786a6bd10e28f79848d821ae2ae31e/Benefits-overview-non-union-full-time.pdf

This position contributes to the success of Brookfield Zoo Chicago (“BZC”) by providing operational leadership and management for the Primate Department, ensuring the effective implementation of animal care, welfare, staffing, training, safety, and departmental priorities. Serving as the primary operational leader and partner to the Director of Primates, this position supports Brookfield Zoo Chicago's mission and strategic pillars of Innovations in Science, Education, Training, and Animal Welfare, Institution of Choice, and Extraordinary Guest Experience through exceptional animal management, employee development, regulatory compliance, and organizational effectiveness.

PRIMARY JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions of the position.

1. * Provide operational leadership for the Primate Department by implementing departmental priorities, coordinating daily operations, and ensuring continuity of animal care, staffing, and departmental functions.
2. * Oversee animal management activities, including population management initiatives, animal welfare programs, veterinary procedures, transfers, introductions, training, and husbandry practices to support exceptional standards of animal wellbeing.
3. * Lead departmental workforce management through employee scheduling, recruitment, onboarding, training, coaching, performance management, staff development, and succession planning.
4. * Ensure departmental compliance with accreditation standards, regulatory requirements, institutional policies, safety programs, and operational procedures while maintaining inspection readiness and risk mitigation practices.
5. * Oversee departmental resources, including facilities, equipment, budgets, records, and operational systems, and recommend improvements that enhance efficiency, safety, and animal care outcomes.
6. Other related duties as assigned.

* Denotes Essential Job Function(s)

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Zoology or related field or five years’ equivalent combination of training and/or experience required. High school diploma or educational equivalent (e.g., GED.) required.

• Minimum 5 years of captive management experience in a zoo or large-scale animal care facility or equivalent experience required within the taxon specialty.
• Minimum 2 years of supervisory experience required.
• Understanding of practical principles of animal behavior and the ability to work with live animals safely. Ability to perceive and act upon relevant changes in animal behaviors and conditions routinely.
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills, including verbal, written, and listening skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications (word processing and database management) essential.
• Cultural competency; experience and/or ability to work and interac tively with a diverse, multicultural audience. English fluency at a professional working proficiency.
• Valid driver’s license required. Illinois residents must possess a valid Illinois license within 90 days of hire. Valid out-of-state license required for out-of-state residents.

DESIRABLE/PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Multilingual ability, Spanish fluency a plus.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

This position description summarizes the primary duties and functions of this position, but should not be considered a complete listing of every duty the incumbent may ever be called upon to perform.

Brookfield Zoo Chicago may require an employee to take and pass a physical examination to determine the employee’s ability to meet the essential functions of the job. This may include vaccinations, blood tests, hearing tests, or other such medical testing or procedures as deemed reasonably necessary for the job and/or required by law.

OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

See Occupational Requirements Form.

001416/08/101626