To help illustrate Zoologist roles, here are several job descriptions that represent (real) entry level Zoologist jobs. Pay particular attention to the selection criteria (specifications) to learn more about what conservation employers are looking for when they hire Zoologists.

Marine Zoologist | New York Natural Heritage Program | East Setauket, USA

Graduate Zoologist | Biosis | Port Melbourne, Australia

Biosis is a business that lives to influence better client decisions about ecology and heritage.

We are ethical, independent and genuine.

We employ highly experienced multi-disciplinary teams of aquatic ecologists, archaeologists, botanists, zoologists, environmental planners and GIS analysts, across our offices in Albury, Ballarat, Melbourne, Newcastle, Sydney, Wangaratta, Western Sydney and Wollongong.

About the role

We have an excellent opportunity for a highly motivated zoologist to join our team in Port Melbourne on a full-time permanent basis.

To be successful in this role you will need to have an interest in developing knowledge of applied botany or zoology and be able to demonstrate your strengths against the selection criteria below.

There is a fantastic opportunity to grow into specialisms under the guidance of industry recognised experts etc.

Our offer

Biosis prides itself on having a supportive and progressive workplace culture in all our teams.  All our employees enjoy:

• Mentoring from experts in their field
• Employee spot rewards like Shoutouts and gift cards
• Flexible work arrangements
• A learning and development program actually valued and championed by senior staff including team retreat days
• Study assistance to pursue higher qualifications
• Internal job opportunities throughout Australia

Selection criteria

To be considered for this role, please forward your CV and cover letter which demonstrate these required skills and attributes:

• Tertiary qualifications in environmental science, ecology, botany or zoology.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated ability in problem-solving and completing tasks with minimal supervision.
• Strong written communication skills, such as formal report and proposal writing.
• Strong organisational skills including being able to prioritise tasks and meet deadlines.
• High attention to detail and competence with database management and administrative processes.
• South-Eastern Australian flora and/or fauna identification skills.
• Basic knowledge of relevant Commonwealth and state legislation.
• Experience with ecological field surveys and logistics.
• Competency with MS Word, Excel, Outlook, or similar software packages.
• A current manual driver’s licence.
• Australian citizenship or residency, or a valid work permit.

Zoologist | Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society | West Palm Beach, USA

The Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society is currently seeking a full-time Zoologist to provide world-class animal care to a wide variety of species, with a focus on our large carnivores (tigers, jaguars, black bears), avian (psittacines, waterfowl, birds of prey), primates (callitrichids, spiders, capuchins) and small mammal collection.

We are in the process of re-imagining of our beautiful tropical Zoo, and are looking to bring in new expertise and enthusiasm. The Zoo staff work in a positive, team-oriented environment to support our mission to inspire people to act on behalf of wildlife. Zoologists promote increased environmental awareness and conservation  through excellent animal care and management practices, coupled with positive visitor experiences.

The ideal candidate will have a strong animal care background with a deep experience in operant conditioning, welfare input/outputs, habitat design criteria, animal nutrition and animal social interactions, including introductions and breeding. They will also have experience engaging visitors with formal and informal animal encounters where they share their passion for animal wellness and preservation of wild places. Finally, they will demonstrate a solid track record of workplace competency performance, including communication, teamwork, efficiency, emotional intelligence, leadership, planning, change management and administration.

WHAT WE OFFER:

• A competitive salary, commensurate with your skills and experience
• An EXCELLENT benefits package (current year/plan), which includes:
  
  • 100% paid employee level coverage for designated medical & dental plan
  • 100% paid coverage for 100K of life insurance
  • 100% paid short-term & long-term disability
  • 401K – Employer contributes 3% of your salary
  • Optional vision, accident and critical illness coverages available through pre-tax payroll deductions
  • Generous paid time off policy, Zoo Membership and FREE admission to other Florida Attractions!

REQUIREMENTS

Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years’ paid experience in a zoological facility caring for animals
• Bachelor’s degree (Biology, Psychology or a related field) is preferred
• Experience with the husbandry and behavior of a variety of birds, mammals and primates
• Physically able to stoop, bend, reach, lift, carry or push at least 50 pounds in a south Florida climate
• Must have valid driver’s license, able to work weekends, holidays and special events as needed
• Demonstrated ability to research and write effectively
• Participation in AZA programs and other zoo related organizations
• Use hand and power tools for minor carpentry and habitat modification projects
• Demonstrated initiative and problem solving
• Competence in behavior analysis and animal training
• Excellent communication skills with co-workers, managers and veterinary staff
• Be familiar with AZA, USDA and FWC regulations and expectations

Competencies:

• Integrity/Trust — Maintaining social, ethical, and organizational values and norms; building trust and confidence with the staff and with internal and external customers; respecting the confidentiality of personal and proprietary information.
• Initiative — Taking actions to achieve goals; self-starting and proactive; asserting oneself to support others in the achievement of their goals; originating action rather than responding only to the actions of others; anticipating the needs of both internal and external constituencies.
• Customer Focus – Demonstrates courtesy, cooperation and friendliness with staff, volunteers and customers. Actively listens, anticipates and evaluates the customer’s needs. Ensures that customer satisfaction is a priority in all areas of responsibility. Actively engages our customers while fulfilling job responsibilities.
• Analysis – Obtaining relevant information and identifying key issues and relationships from a base of information; comparing data from different sources (both interactive and written); defining underlying problems or opportunities and recognizing trends; defining and structuring functions and teams based on key strategies and goals.
• Teamwork — Supporting, facilitating, and participating in activities that promote team effectiveness; demonstrating sensitivity for the feelings and needs of team members and supporting team goals.
• Professional/Technical Knowledge and Competency — Remains current on developments in the field within and outside the organization; maintains proficiencies
• Planning and Organizing — Establishing a course of action with specific long-range goals for the Zoo; setting priorities among competing requirements and allocating resources in the most efficient and effective way; developing contingency plans that participate changes in the work environment.
• Collaboration — Works well with people outside their immediate work group.

SUMMARY

Minimum Duties & Responsibilities

• Perform animal husbandry tasks (feed, clean, train, etc) for terrestrial animals (mammals, birds, primates, reptiles) – daily
• Clean, maintain and improve animal care facilities, including service areas and surrounding spaces – daily
• Enhance the welfare of the animals by observing and understanding animal behaviors and analyzing welfare outputs to increase mental stimulation and choice within the animal’s environment -daily
• Plan, prepare and feed out nutritious diets – daily
• Assist veterinary team during animal health diagnostic and care procedures – as needed
• Complete animal records including: animal feeding habits, diets, breeding behavior, health status, physical conditions, enrichment and training – daily
• Communicate safety and health concerns to appropriate staff – as needed
• Participate in the capture and restraint of animals for transfer and veterinary procedures – as needed
• Participate in animal behavioral training program and commit to learning training techniques – as needed
• Design and execute behavioral shaping plans for all animals under their care – as needed
• Participate in exhibit concept design and collection planning discussions – as needed
• Provide informal guest presentations – daily
• Initiate informal talks and encounters – daily
• Participate in educational programs as assigned (zoo camp, fee based encounters, etc) – as needed
• Handle program animals for events and encounters – as needed
• Participate in drills and emergency response and provide feedback on the experience – as needed
• Safely operate vans, pickup trucks, golf carts, hand tools, power tools, personal computers, laboratory equipment and general office equipment. – as needed’
• Proactively seek out experiences and information to enhance professional skills and knowledge
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Zoologist/Biologist (Postdoctoral Fellow) | Smithsonian Nation Museum of Natural History | Florida, USA