Wildlife Education Curator

Arizona Department of Administration; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 56,000 - 101,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation days

Sick days

Retirement benefits

Health care options

Job summary

Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking a Wildlife Education Curator to lead the wildlife education team in Phoenix. This role ensures high standards for facility operations, animal care and public outreach, while coordinating education programs for diverse audiences.

The ideal candidate will have supervisory experience, wildlife collection management skills, and the ability to manage budgets and partner with internal teams to deliver engaging, safe visitor experiences.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife, Zoology or related field.
• 5+ years of supervisory experience in a curator/leadership role preferred.
• Experience managing a live wildlife collection and education programs.

Responsibilities

• Oversee Wildlife Center operations and enclosure design, fabrication and maintenance.
• Manage non-releasable wildlife collection and Desert Tortoise Adoption Program.
• Ensure safety, compliance with policies, SOPs, and regulatory standards.
• Lead development and evaluation of wildlife education/outreach programs and events.
• Direct, motivate, train, and evaluate staff, interns and volunteers.
• Manage assigned budget and forecast expenditures.
• May serve as Education Branch Chief when needed.

Skills

Wildlife conservation

Written communication

Project management

Budget management

Team leadership

Event planning

Public outreach

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife/Zoology or related field

Tools

Google Suite

Job description

GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT

Join the only state agency in Arizona responsible for conserving and protecting more than 800 wildlife species. Be part of a passionate group of people who want to make a positive impact on outdoor recreation in Arizona by managing resources for safe, compatible opportunities for current and future generations. From fishing, boating and off-highway vehicle use to shooting sports, hunting and wildlife watching, Arizona Game and Fish supports it all. Our biologists use the best available science in their management actions, and our wildlife managers are on the ground in your communities making a difference every day. Opportunities abound beyond the field at AZGFD, so check us out and see what we’re all about! Consider joining our workforce today. AZGFD celebrates the diversity of Arizona's people, landscapes and of course, wildlife. However you choose to enjoy Arizona’s wildlife and wild places, the outdoors is open for all. The Arizona Game and Fish Department manages fish and wildlife in Arizona and under the authority of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, creates and implements scientific methods and regulations to effectively manage fish and wildlife habitat via conservation, enforcement, hunting, fishing, watercraft and off-highway vehicle recreation, and shooting sports. The Arizona Game and Fish Department dedicates itself to excellence, values its employees and supports a culture of stewardship, teamwork and partnerships.

Wildlife Education Curator

Job Location: 5000 West Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086

Salary: $56,098 - $100,989

Grade: 24

Closing Date: 09/27/2026

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR 2 “Wildlife Education Curator” INFORMATION, EDUCATION AND WILDLIFE RECREATION DIVISION / EDUCATION BRANCH PHOENIX, ARIZONA BASED FLSA – Exempt / SALARY GRADE 24 ($56,098 - $100,989) CLOSING DATE: 09/27/2026 The Arizona Game and Fish Department is currently seeking a Wildlife Education Curator to join our dynamic wildlife conservation education team! This role plays an integral part in ensuring our facility, husbandry and animal behavior management practices are upheld to the highest standards while managing our wildlife education and outreach programs. The ideal candidate will be an experienced, driven and engaging curator who thrives in a role with broad responsibilities, rapid shifts in priorities and excels at facility based project management, problem solving, program development and evaluation. The preferred candidate must be a collaborative team player that understands the intricacies of providing a world class customer experience while ensuring the health and safety of the wildlife in our care. The position will require occasional in-state travel.

Job Duties:

• Facility & Center Operations: Responsible for Wildlife Center operations to include serving as the subject matter expert in managing enclosure and facility design, fabrication, construction and maintenance of animal displays and enclosures, facility improvements and repairs.
• Animal Collection Management: Manages the Department’s non-releasable live wildlife collection and the Desert Tortoise Adoption Program, assuring that all operations comply with established procedures, professional standards and governmental regulations.
• Compliance & Safety: Responsible for oversight of best practices through audits and inspections, drills, curation of SOP’s, compliance with safety protocols, emergency action plans and adherence to Department, state and federal policies and standards.
• Education & Outreach: Manages wildlife education and outreach programs by creating and implementing community programs including, but not limited to, classes, educator professional development, training, outreach programs and events.
• Team Leadership: Directs, motivates, trains and evaluates the performance of animal care and outreach/education staff, interns and volunteers to achieve the programmatic goals and objectives.
• Budget Management: Manages assigned budget, monitoring expenses for supplies, projects and services throughout the year. Reviews and analyzes activities, costs, operations and forecasts data to determine progress toward goals and objectives.
• May serve as the Education Branch Chief when necessary and performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs):

The candidate will have knowledge of/in: wildlife conservation, familiarity with native wildlife of Arizona, basic knowledge of wildlife, ecology, biology and other sciences required for the preparation and presentation of educational programs, captivity standards, animal husbandry techniques, federal, state and all other applicable statutes and laws governing the captive care and use of live wildlife in educational programs, live wildlife exhibit and enclosure design, interpretive display design and development that incorporates multiple learning styles, supervision and leadership, and event planning, coordination and management. Knowledge of facility management including maintenance and repair. The candidate must have skill in: written and verbal communication, strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to constructively manage differences of opinion among diverse internal and external customers, strong presentation skills, expertise in project management, live wildlife handling, time management, report preparation, budget management, computer skills with a strong, understanding of Google suite of applications and excellent organizational and problems solving skills. The candidate must be able to repair and maintain animal enclosures and facilities, enter animal areas and perform physical work, coordinate animal transportation using airlines and other vehicles, design, develop and implement wildlife education programming for formal and informal audiences, maintain the highest level of quality as it relates to the Center’s public and professional image pertaining to animal health, training and husbandry, interpret and follow department operating policies, procedures and directives, multi-task across diverse program areas with changing priorities while managing multiple budgets, facilitate and lead internal and external meetings, use critical thinking to solve complex problems and supervise staff in all aspects of their job.

Selective Preference(s):

The preferred candidate will have at least five (5) years of experience serving in a supervisory role as an assistant curator or curator level or above, experience managing a collection of live wildlife, supervising and mentoring animal care and education staff, live wildlife facility operations and maintenance experience, live wildlife exhibit and enclosure design experience, handling live wildlife used in educational programs, experience developing, implementing, and managing an education program and a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife, Zoology or related field.

Pre-Employment Requirements:

Position requires possession of and the ability to retain a current, valid state-issued driver’s license appropriate to the assignment.

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business, then the following requirements apply:

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

Benefits:

• 13 days’ of vacation
• 12 sick days
• 10 paid holidays
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Participation in the nationally recognized Arizona State Retirement System
• Superior health care options
• Vision care, dental care, pharmacy benefits, and flexible spending account (options available)
• Life, long-term disability, and short-term disability insurance options are available
• Many more benefit programs are available

Retirement:

Positions in this classification participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS). Please note, enrollment eligibility will become effective after 27 weeks of employment.

Contact Us:

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Milani Barron at [e-mail] for assistance. The Arizona Game and Fish Department is an Equal Employment Opportunity agency.

Advertised: 28 Aug 2026 US Mountain Standard Time

Applications close: 27 Sep 2026 US Mountain Standard Time