Senior Quarantine Specialist: Terrestrial (Full-Time)

Fort Wayne Zoo; Fort Wayne (IN); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Life Insurance

Long-Term Disability Insurance

403b Plan

403b Matching

Employee Assistance Program

Paid Days Off

Paid Holidays

Paid Health & Wellness Days

Paid Parental Leave

Dental

Vision

Life

Pet Insurance Programs

Job summary

Fort Wayne Zoo is seeking a full-time Senior Quarantine Specialist: Terrestrial to join our team. This role focuses on implementing quarantine protocols, monitoring animal health, and maintaining high standards of welfare for newly arriving species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals.

The position requires a 40-hour work week year-round, with comprehensive benefits. You will collaborate with veterinarians, care staff, and guest-facing teams to support enrichment, habitat design,

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Three years of zoological experience with diverse taxa required.
• Valid driver’s license required.
• Bachelor’s degree in an animal-related field preferred.
• Experience maintaining aquatic habitats preferred.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with staff to design species-appropriate enclosures and husbandry procedures.
• Collaborates with Veterinary staff to establish quarantine procedures.
• Prepares enclosures, substrates, supplies, and enrichment for animal arrivals.
• Maintains written records of weights, care, and observations; assists with hospital care as needed.

Skills

Animal care

Communication

Safety awareness

Team collaboration

Education

High school diploma or GED

Three years zoological experience

Valid driver's license

Bachelor's degree in animal-related field preferred

Aquatic habitats experience preferred

Tools

Ladders

Mowers

Spin trimmers

Job description

Applications are being accepted for a full-time Senior Quarantine Specialist: Terrestrial to join the Fort Wayne Zoo team.

This generalist will have a unique opportunity build on their experience working with a diverse range of species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and small and large mammals in addition to crosstraining with aquatic quarantine and hospitalized species.

This is a full-time position requiring availability for a 40-hour work week year-round.

Full-time benefits include

• Health Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• 403b Plan
• 403b Matching
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Days Off
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Health & Wellness Days
• Paid Parental Leave
• Dental
• Vision
• Life
• Pet Insurance Programs

All team members receive Team Member Perks such as

• free Staff Membership
• concessions and retail discounts
• development opportunities
• appreciation programs

The Senior Quarantine Specialist provides quality daily animal care for a wide variety of animal species newly arriving at the Zoo by adhering to quarantine protocols, monitoring health, ensuring appropriate animal wellbeing, and performing husbandry practices such as operant conditioning, enrichment strategy, and assisting with enclosure furnishing design.

The Senior Quarantine Specialist focuses on either terrestrial or aquatic quarantine, while assisting with all quarantine residents, facilities, and operations.

This position also provides care for animals receiving veterinary hospitalization, assists with medical treatment, and maintains hospital facilities.

This position also strives to embody the Zoo’s values at all times, contributes to positive guest experiences, and performs other duties as required.

Essential Functions And Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Collaborates with Animal Care Supervisors and Area Curators to design species appropriate enclosures, furnishings, and husbandry procedures.
• Collaborates with Staff Veterinarian to establish and ensure proper quarantine procedures.
• Prepares enclosures for animal arrival into quarantine or hospital care, including perching, substrate, supplies, cleaning tools, lighting, and climate systems.
• Disinfects and disassembles enclosures at the conclusion of quarantine periods, following established protocols.
• Maintains aquatic quarantine systems, including water quality and acclimation procedures.
• Maintains clean and safe animal enclosures, including raking, sweeping, hosing, scrubbing, and disinfecting.
• Provides food and water to animals following established protocols and species-appropriate methods.
• Utilizes operant conditioning techniques to advance training, health, and wellbeing.
• Monitors animals and appropriately reports observations to animal health staff as needed.
• Assists Veterinary Technicians with daily treatment of hospitalized animals; provides treatment to animals as directed by Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians.
• Assists Environmental Quality Technicians with water quality testing as needed.
• Picks up medications, medical supplies, and other items from in-town vendors; delivers supplies and prescription refills to areas of the Zoo.
• Maintains accurate written and digital documentation of animal weights, care, behavior, observations, and treatments as needed.
• Provides opportunities for animals to exhibit species-appropriate behavior through approved enrichment techniques and habitat furnishings
• Regularly conducts and documents animal wellbeing assessments.
• Provides care for injured or orphaned wildlife; coordinates transport to licensed rehabilitators.
• Cleans and disinfects animal transport crates; returns to origin zoo as requested.
• Assists with animal transport between zoos as needed.
• Assists with hand rearing of animals as needed.
• Prepares and delivers packages for air or ground delivery.
• Maintains clean, efficient, organized, and well-kept department spaces, including conducting minor repairs and improvements and maintaining all equipment, tools, and supplies in good working order.
• Engages with guests both informally and through formal presentations.
• Operates vehicles to transport supplies, equipment, and animals within the Zoo and between facilities.
• Participates in maintenance, operations, and education functions of the Zoo as necessary.
• Supports the Zoo’s commitment to continued growth of diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and belonging for team members, volunteers, guests, and supporters.
• Assists with special projects and helps other team members as needed.
• Actively contributes to positive guest experiences.

Education And Experience

To perform this job successfully, an individual must have the following education and/or experience.

• High school diploma or GED is required.
• Three years of experience with a variety of taxonomic groups in a zoological setting is required.
• Valid driver’s license is required.
• Bachelor’s degree in an animal-related field is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability maintaining aquatic habitats and systems is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Knowledge of animal care, handling, and natural history for a wide variety of species under direct care.
• Ability to endure high-stress situations when feeding, transferring, restraining, or treating animals.
• Knowledge of animal welfare concepts and ability to apply that knowledge to assess the welfare of individuals or groups of animals.
• Ability to identify native trees and shrubs when providing browse to animals.
• Ability to utilize specialized tools (ladders, spin trimmers, mowers, hand drills, etc.).
• Ability to adapt to a rapidly changing, dynamic work environment.
• Ability to professionally and effectively communicate with others through written correspondence.
• Ability to troubleshoot, analyze situations, and make sound business decisions.
• Ability to make independent decisions and manage time effectively.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office software.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Ability to work a highly flexible schedule as required to successfully perform the requirements and functions of the position, including required weekend, evening, holiday, and irregular hours.
• Ability to handle confidential information.
• Ability to understand and follow all safety regulations.
• Ability to track and manage multiple tasks and priorities.
• Ability to arrive at work when scheduled and maintain a positive attendance record.
• Ability to serve as a goodwill ambassador, in every respect and at all times, for the Fort Wayne Zoological Society and the Fort Wayne Zoo in contacts with guests, partners, and the community.
• Ability to deal tactfully and politely with guest questions and misbehavior.
• Excellent communication skills to establish and maintain effective working relationships with team members, volunteers, partners, and the community.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to operate office equipment, including computers, copiers, fax machines, and phones.
• Ability to professionally and appropriately interact and communicate with others, both in person and through phone, email, and written correspondence.
• Ability to regularly travel assigned areas several times per day and efficiently enter all assigned areas.
• Ability to negotiate a confined workspace while working with one or more coworkers.
• Ability to properly lift and carry items up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to stand and sit for periods of time and to move intermittently throughout the workday.
• Ability to perform focused work with close attention to detail.
• Ability to work both indoors and outdoors, with exposure to extreme temperatures and inclement weather conditions; the environment may include wet, icy, or muddy conditions.
• This position may include exposure to hazardous materials, fumes/odors, dirt, and dust; potentially dangerous or venomous animals; zoonotic diseases; noxious native plants; and native biting insects and arthropods.

This description is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this position.

It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements.