Curator of Australia & Rainforest

National Aquarium; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 83,000 - 111,000; Full time

Job summary

National Aquarium in Baltimore is seeking a Curator of Australia and Rainforest to lead animal care, staff, and day-to-day operations for diverse habitats including Australia: Wild Extremes and Puffin Habitat. You will set husbandry standards, guide collection planning, and ensure timely decisions with Animal Health and leadership.

The role oversees staff, conducts performance coaching, and collaborates across teams to maintain welfare, safety, and exhibit excellence on-site in Baltimore, MD.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, zoology, animal science, aquatic science, horticulture, or equivalent experience.
• At least five years in an aquarium, zoo, or similar setting with three years of staff supervision.
• Knowledge of animal husbandry, welfare assessment, collection management and complex habitat operations.
• Ability to lead people, manage priorities and budgets, and communicate across disciplines.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet driving requirements for Aquarium work.

Responsibilities

• Lead animal and plant care across habitats, including nutrition, behavior, habitat management and population control.
• Identify welfare, health, safety concerns, document changes, and escalate as needed.
• Partner with Animal Health on preventive medicine and health-related decisions.
• Develop collection and breeding recommendations; coordinate acquisitions and dispositions.
• Maintain records meeting laws, AZA standards, and Aquarium policies.
• Supervise staff, hire/onboard, coach, and support succession planning.
• Set priorities and staffing plans for safety and operations.
• Foster collaboration and timely escalation across teams.

Skills

Staff supervision

Leadership

Communication

Project management

Animal care knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in biology or related field

Job description

National Aquarium Pier 3

410-576-8532

501 E Pratt St

Baltimore, MD 21202, USA

Description

Job Title: Curator of Australia and Rainforest

Department: Animal Care and Welfare

Reports to: Vice President, Animal Care Operations

Status: Full-time, exempt

Work location: On-site at National Aquarium facilities in Baltimore, Maryland

Position Summary

The Curator of Australia and Rainforest leads animal care, staff, and day-to-day operations for Australia: Wild Extremes, Upland Tropical Rainforest, Hidden Life, Amazon River Forest, Puffin Habitat, Waterfront Park, and other assigned habitats. The portfolio includes a diverse collection of birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, invertebrates, plants, and select mammals. The Curator sets clear expectations for husbandry and welfare, develops staff, guides collection and habitat planning, and ensures that concerns receive timely decisions and follow-through. This role works closely with Animal Health, Facilities, Life Support Systems, and other teams to support safe, reliable habitats and the Aquarium’s conservation and guest experience goals.

Key Responsibilities

Animal Care and Welfare

• Lead animal and plant care across assigned habitats, including nutrition, behavioral husbandry, habitat management, safe transport, acclimation, and population management, as applicable.
• Use observations, records, welfare assessments, and professional judgment to identify concerns, evaluate outcomes, and improve care practices. Ensure staff monitor feeding, behavior, and signs of illness or injury and document changes. Escalate significant welfare, health, safety, or system concerns promptly.
• Partner with Animal Health on preventive medicine, disease recognition, diagnostics, treatment plans, and health-related decisions; ensure animal care teams carry out assigned care and monitoring.
• Develop collection and breeding or propagation recommendations for assigned species. Coordinate acquisitions, transfers, and dispositions with the Registrar, Animal Health, and Animal Care leadership through established approval processes. Oversee inventories and the documentation, permits, and coordination required for animal and plant acquisitions, transfers, and dispositions.
• Maintain complete, timely records and ensure practices meet applicable laws, permit conditions, AZA accreditation standards, and Aquarium policies.
• Supervise Assistant Curators and provide direction and accountability for animal care and horticulture staff, volunteers, and interns in assigned areas.
• Hire, onboard, coach, evaluate, and develop staff in partnership with Human Resources. Set clear goals, address performance concerns, and support succession and workforce planning.
• Set work priorities and staffing plans that meet animal care, safety, and operational needs, including coverage during incidents and other time-sensitive situations.
• Build a respectful, collaborative culture that encourages sound judgment, communication across teams, and timely escalation of concerns.

Habitat Operations and Safety

• Monitor habitat conditions, exhibit function, and support spaces; identify maintenance and equipment needs and coordinate work with Facilities, Life Support Systems, and Environmental Quality.
• Ensure animal care requirements are reflected in maintenance planning, pest management, construction, and exhibit changes. Coordinate animal protection, access, and monitoring during this work.
• Maintain and enforce safe work practices, emergency procedures, and incident response plans for assigned areas; participate in response to animal, facility, and environmental emergencies.
• Coordinate habitat presentation and operations with Guest Engagement and other teams while protecting animal welfare and staff and guest safety.

Planning and Resources

• Develop annual priorities and longer-term plans for assigned collections, habitats, staffing, and operational improvements in alignment with Animal Care and organizational goals.
• Prepare and manage assigned budgets, purchasing, contracts, inventory, and other resources within approved limits and policies.
• Contribute animal care expertise to exhibit and capital projects, including scope, design review, implementation, commissioning, and transition to ongoing operations.
• Support appropriate research, field work, conservation initiatives, and professional partnerships related to assigned collections.
• Represent the Aquarium in professional forums and public or media activities as authorized.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, zoology, animal science, aquatic science, horticulture, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least five years of progressively responsible experience in an aquarium, zoo, or comparable animal care setting, including at least three years supervising staff.
• Demonstrated knowledge of animal husbandry, welfare assessment, collection management, and complex habitat operations across one or more taxa in the assigned portfolio.
• Ability to lead people, manage competing operational priorities and budgets, make informed decisions, and communicate effectively across disciplines.
• Ability to recognize animal welfare, health, environmental, and safety concerns and coordinate an effective response.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet the Aquarium’s requirements for driving on its behalf.

Preferred

• Experience with mixed-species habitats, population planning, breeding or propagation programs, and animal transfers.
• Experience partnering with Facilities and Life Support Systems on complex exhibits or capital projects.
• Participation in AZA programs, Species Survival Plans, Taxon Advisory Groups, research, conservation, or relevant professional organizations.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary range $83,000-111,399 Annual. National Aquarium provides an excellent benefits package, including flexible paid leave and up to four weeks of paid family leave. Employees are eligible for health care (single and family) after 30 days of full-time work. Conservation day leave and 401(k) plan with employer match available.

About the National Aquarium

Established in 1981, the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect people with nature to inspire compassion and care for our ocean planet. The Aquarium’s award-winning habitats are home to thousands of animals representing hundreds of species of fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. We are proud to be accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and exceed industry standards in all aspects of animal care and welfare.

More than 1.2 million people visit the Aquarium each year to experience our immersive exhibits, and we reach far more through our science-based education programs and hands-on field conservation work.The National Aquarium is one of the top three aquariums in the United States and the largest paid cultural attraction in Maryland.

Our Mission and Goals

The Aquarium’s mission—to connect people with nature to inspire compassion and care for our ocean planet—begins within the walls of its buildings, but it does not end there. The Aquarium protects, enhances and restores natural resources through education and engagement, habitat restoration, animal rescue and sustainable business practices, with its conservation work guided by three overarching goals—to combat climate change, save wildlife and habitats, and stop plastic pollution.

Our Values

At the National Aquarium, our core values form the basis for our beliefs about our organization, our colleagues and ourselves, and serve as the framework to guide our behaviors and actions to achieve our mission.

Connection:

We take the time to build lasting connections with each other, our guests, the animals in our care and the nature that surrounds us. We communicate clearly and collaborate readily within and across teams. We engage thoughtfully with our partners. We practice shared accountability.

Curiosity:

We center learning and growth in all that we do. Our people are empowered to explore new approaches. We support taking risks. We value diverse perspectives and bold ideas. We embrace change.

Optimism:

We celebrate the power of positive moments and shared experiences. We seek out opportunities to have fun. We reconnect with our purpose through sharing successes with our colleagues.

Service:

We are in service to each other, our guests and our communities. We make intentional decisions and actions for the benefit of the people and animals within our organization.

Wellbeing:

We ensure our people and animals have what we need mentally and physically to thrive. We are committed to improving the wellbeing of communities and sharing the healing power of natural for all.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice

National Aquarium values an inclusive and diverse environment for all employees, volunteers, and interns. Our goal is to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a candidate pool representative of the variety of communities we serve. With a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, the Aquarium is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and promotes an environment free from all discrimination and harassment.

In the selection and retention of employees, volunteers, and interns, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or belief, national, social, or ethnic origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, physical, mental, or sensory disability, sex (including pregnancy or childbirth), marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, arrest record, family or caregiver status, HIV status, socioeconomic status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Our organization is dedicated to this policy with respect to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, training, promotions, performance management, and separation, and general treatment during time of employment.

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.