Job Description
Position Type & Salary - Full Time Salaried
- $45,000 - 52,000
Position Summary Responsible for the husbandry operations in the facility including the care, procurement, maintenance, and wellbeing of all animals at the aquarium. This position is responsible for ensuring accuracy in record keeping, disease prevention and training staff and promoting the on-going education within their team. This role requires a leader who is equally passionate about animal welfare, team development, and guest education. The ideal candidate leads from the floor, actively mentors staff, collaborates across departments, and embraces the Children's Aquarium Dallas mission of creating positive, educational and engaging experiences for every guest.
Duties & Responsibilities - Manage, support, and actively supervise the Animal Care Team through a hands-on leadership approach that prioritizes coaching, mentorship, accountability, and professional development.
- Foster a positive, collaborative team culture by modeling professionalism, approachability, respect, and strong communication with all departments.
- Display a friendly, engaging, and guest-focused attitude at all times, actively interacting with visitors to support education, conservation messaging, and memorable guest experiences.
- Serve as a visible leader on the floor, not solely behind the scenes, ensuring animal care operations and guest engagement standards are consistently upheld.
- Represent and promote the Children's Aquarium Dallas in a positive manner to maintain a professional image for the company and facility.
- Work closely and effectively with other departments to support operational success, teamwork, and compliance with company policies and procedures.
- Supervise and coordinate schedules and activities of staff engaged in the inventory, care, feeding, enrichment, and delivery of animals.
- Oversee all medical treatments as required and monitor animal health and welfare standards.
- Review and monitor all animal necropsy and veterinarian site visit reports.
- Serve as the Children's Aquarium Dallas representative to professional agencies, institutions, and committees including aquarium operations, exhibits, research, and safety as needed.
- Continuously strive to improve animal exhibits, welfare practices, enrichment programs, and educational value.
- Coordinate with support departments for maintenance and operation of life support systems and technical infrastructure.
- Proactively assist in implementing new exhibits, interactive opportunities, and educational experiences that enhance guest engagement and revenue opportunities.
- Ensure compliance with all health, safety, and regulatory standards.
- Organize and evaluate exhibit effectiveness and support ongoing improvements.
- Maintain operational readiness and ensure all Animal Care Team members adhere to company standards and SOPs.
- Manage emergency situations to minimize risk to guests, team members, animals, and facility property.
- Assist in developing policies and procedures for animal operations, life support systems, and exhibits.
- Ensure all required records (inventory, medical records, mortalities, dispositions) are accurate and maintained.
- Develop, implement, and oversee comprehensive training programs that emphasize both technical skills and guest engagement competencies.
- Conduct performance appraisals in a timely, fair, and constructive manner to support individual growth, accountability, and team success.
- Provide ongoing coaching, mentorship, and corrective guidance in a consistent and professional manner to build a strong, capable team.
- Support on-the-job training programs to ensure staff are confident, knowledgeable, and aligned with the organization's standards for animal care and guest experience.
- Demonstrate working knowledge of aquatic Life Support Systems (LSS), including filtration, pumps, plumbing components, and water quality monitoring equipment.
- Perform routine LSS checks, basic troubleshooting, and minor repairs to ensure continuous functionality and animal safety.
- Identify and promptly communicate system irregularities, equipment failures, or water quality concerns to appropriate teams.
- Collaborate with facilities and technical staff to support preventative maintenance and system reliability.
- Other duties as assigned.
Experience, Skills & Qualifications - Three years in a similar management role required.
- Degree in wildlife/marine biology or relevant work experience.
- Experience managing teams required.
- Exceptional leadership skills and proven experience.
- Experienced animal biologist with a strong background in fresh and saltwater aquariums.
- Experience in the care of flora and fauna present in a public aquarium setting
- Excellent time management as well as written and oral communication skills.
- Strong listening, presentation and decision-making skills.
- Technically proficient in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word.
- Creative problem solver who thrives when presented with a challenge.
- Energetic and eager to tackle new projects and ideas.
Abilities The individual must possess the following abilities to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some or a combination of the abilities.
- Ability to stand and walk for long periods of time.
- Ability to read, listen and communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
- Ability to access and accurately input information using a moderately complex computer system.
- Hearing and visual ability to observe and detect signs of emergency situations.
- Ability to lift and carry up to 75 pounds.
Job Tags
Full time, Work experience placement