Zoological Supervisor

Entertainment Places; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Floating Holidays

Accrual-based Paid Time Off

SEA Employee

Complimentary Park Tickets and Passes

SEA Park Discounts on Food and Merch

Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

401K plan

Voluntary Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Benefits

Dependent and Health Care

Flexible Spending Accounts

Employee Assistance Program

Legal Assistance Plan

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is seeking a Zoological Care Supervisor to oversee daily animal care, maintenance, and training across a diverse collection. You will mentor staff, support guest interactions, and drive conservation through high standards of animal welfare.

The role requires 7 years of zoological experience or 2 years at Senior I level, strong leadership, and the ability to work a flexible schedule including weekends and holidays. Proficiency in Microsoft Office is expected.

Qualifications

• Minimum 21 years of age.
• 7 years of professional zoological experience or 2 years at Senior I Zoological Specialist level.
• Strong leadership and supervision skills.
• Excellent communication and organizational abilities.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including weekends and holidays.

Responsibilities

• Supervise daily animal care logistics and operations in assigned area.
• Mentor Zoological Specialists and Husbandry Assistants toward growth and development.
• Promote guest experience and conservation through exceptional animal care.
• Coordinate with park departments and manage staff scheduling.
• Maintain safety and adherence to SEA grooming guidelines and standards.
• Assist in budgeting, training planning, and performance evaluations.

Skills

Zoological leadership

Team mentoring

Animal care

Safety procedures

Guest interaction

Education

College degree in Zoology, Biology, Psychology, or related field

Job description

Title Information

Title: Zoological Care Supervisor

Park: Busch Gardens Tampa

Minimum Age: 18

Employee Class: Full Time

Hourly Position Summary

The Zoological Care Supervisor is responsible for the overall daily husbandry, maintenance, and training of a diverse animal collection. The successful applicant must be team-oriented with a positive, supportive attitude. The Zoological Care Supervisor will supervise daily animal care logistics and operations in an assigned area, supporting and mentoring Zoological Specialists and Husbandry Assistants toward growth and development. The supervisor will also work alongside other members of the management team to support Zoo needs, evolve guest interactions for increased guest satisfaction, and promote conservation through exceptional animal care.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform as a frontline supervisory position.
• Supervise and mentor team members on required husbandry procedures, training methods, and safety guidelines through active participation.
• Responsible for ensuring your team provides excellent guest experience and engages in all aspects of guest interaction programs both on and off property.
• Offer solution-minded and professional discussion for effective and open communication with team members, management, and other park departments.
• Responsible for information exchange and follow-up.
• Responsible for proper staffing of animal area(s) through effective scheduling.
• Maintain a flexible work schedule to include participation in all shifts of assigned area.
• Support and adhere to the Zoo’s Guiding Principles (staff development and culture, conservation and education, sustainable population planning, animal behavior management, animal health and animal welfare).
• Responsible for area maintenance including submission of work orders, tracking of project/repair completions, communication of needs to assigned Zoological Curator, and participation in the development of exhibit modifications and surrounding areas as needed.
• Assist in promoting, developing, and completing research projects as opportunities arise.
• Communicate professionally and effectively with ambassadors and guests.
• Ensure safe daily operations in the Zoological Department, and ensure that all park quality, safety, and husbandry standards are met.
• Responsible for maintaining team member morale and motivation in assigned area(s) and throughout the department when applicable.
• Participate in developing and implementing short-term planning and long-range objectives.
• Assist and support management in mentoring, performance evaluations, developing training plans, scheduling, daily record keeping, and policy and procedure development.

Additional Responsibilities

• Participating in zoo interviews, assisting management with yearly budget, coordinating animal handling, and planning animal moves and introductions.
• Learn and demonstrate Zoo safety protocols, including all necessary standard operating procedures within assigned zoo area(s), Zoo MOD training, and emergency response procedures.

Requirements

• At least 21 years of age.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet company driving guidelines.
• Must have at least 7 years of professional zoological experience within a zoological facility (AZA preferred) or at least 2 years of internal experience at the Senior I Zoological Specialist level.
• Strong work ethic and self-discipline.
• Self-disciplined, self-reliant, and able to follow all safety guidelines.
• Able to operate light and possibly heavy equipment including tractors, skid-steers, mowers, weed-eaters, trailers, and other equipment as needed.
• Ability to work in a physically demanding work environment in a variety of outdoor weather conditions (ex. dust, extreme heat, cold, rain).
• Ability to lift, carry, push, and/or pull up to 50lbs as needed in the specified area.
• Ability to stand, walk, lift, bend, climb, and squat as needed in the specified area.
• Ability to follow all standard operating procedures for the specified area.
• Ability to complete all provided SEA training as assigned.
• Must be flexible in work locations as placement will depend on business needs and career development opportunities.
• Able to work at least 40 hours per week, with a flexible schedule based on business needs to include mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, occasional overnights, and Zoo Manager on Duty (MOD) shifts.
• Knowledge of animal collection management, conservation, animal diets and nutrition, natural history, animal wellbeing and husbandry, and applied animal behavior and training.
• Proficient in Microsoft software products.
• Current internal applicants should not have any significant performance deficiencies within a six-month period.
• Must be process- and detail-oriented and possess the ability to handle multiple projects with strict deadlines in a fast-paced and rapidly changing environment.
• Must be able to work successfully both independently and in a team environment.
• Must demonstrate consistent initiative, creative problem-solving skills, excellent communication (written and verbal), and strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Professional and outgoing presence required.
• Must adhere to and ensure team compliance of all SEA grooming guidelines and employment standards.
• Must be able to successfully complete all legal, company, and department training requirements, including required tests and certificates within established timelines.

Preferred Qualifications

• College degree in Zoology, Biology, Psychology, or related field.
• Knowledge of SEA systems (Kronos, ParkWare, TRACKS, etc.)
• Experience with multiple species including Class I animals.
• Leadership experience preferred.

Perks of the Position

• Paid Floating Holidays
• Accrual-based Paid Time Off
• SEA Employee
• Complimentary Park Tickets and Passes
• SEA Park Discounts on Food and Merchandise
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 401K plan
• Voluntary Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Disability Benefits
• Dependent and Health Care
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Legal Assistance Plan

The perks of the position

• Paid Time Off
• Complimentary Park Tickets and Passes
• Park Discounts on Food and Merchandise
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 401K Retirement plan
• Voluntary Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Disability Benefits
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Dependent and Health Care
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Legal Assistance Plan

EEO Employer: SEAWORLD PARKS & ENTERTAINMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. ALL APPLICANTS WILL BE CONSIDERED WITHOUT REGARD TO AGE, RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, PREGNANCY, GENDER IDENTITY OR EXPRESSION, DISABILITY OR COVERED VETERAN STATUS.

United Parks & Resorts is a world-renowned leader in the themed-park and entertainment industry. Our success is built on a passion for caring for animals and a dedication to delivering positive, memorable experiences to people from around the world. We’re also committed to helping ambitious people achieve their professional best. We’re always seeking exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable individuals for a variety of roles throughout our organization.