Animal Ambassador

Maymont Foundation•Richmond, VA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Maymont is a 100-acre historic estate and park, located in Richmond, Virginia, with many unique experiences for all to enjoy, including the historic Maymont Mansion, The Robins Nature Center, arboretum, formal gardens, and habitats for native Virginia wildlife and farm animals. Since 1975, Maymont has been maintained and operated by the nonprofit Maymont Foundation, committed to creating experiences that delight, educate and inspire its guests. The Maymont Foundation is seeking a dynamic, efficient and enthusiastic individual to join our team as an Animal Ambassador Specialist. This position blends animal care and guest educational experiences. The Specialist is responsible for animal husbandry, training, socialization, enrichment and public presentations that incorporate a variety of experiential learning methods in the Robins Nature Center and along the newly renovated Virginia Wildlife Trail opening in spring 2026. The Specialist will assist in the development and implementation of public education programs for visitors of all ages. This position reports to the Director of Programming and Curator, Natural Resources.

Requirements

Great attitude, energy and enthusiasm
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including weekends and evenings aligning with program facilitation responsibilities
Ability to follow detailed written or oral instructions
Knowledge of biological principles and terms
Knowledge of safety precautions and willingness to work with normal hazards associated with an animal care facility (e.g., disinfectant chemicals, potential zoonotic diseases, being soiled or wet)
Willingness to be vaccinated with employer-provided rabies pre-exposure vaccine
Ability to work effectively and professionally with co-workers and Maymont visitors
Ability to pass employer-provided training in Basic First Aid and CPR
Ability to pass a background check
Experience in animal restraint and handling preferred
Ability to use operant conditioning techniques
Valid driver's license required with reliable transportation to/from Maymont
Ability to operate or learn to use hand and gardening tools, power tools, farm tractor, personal computer, microscope and first aid equipment

Nice To Haves

Associates degree or higher in biology, science education or environmental science, preferred
Experience and comfort with public speaking in an informal educational setting
One year of paid animal care experience in a public zoo/aquarium setting, preferred

Responsibilities

Create and implement public programming and behind the scenes experiences on-site that build meaningful connections with guests while offering insights into animals’ natural behaviors, habitats, and natural history
Participate in the planning, scheduling and implementation of educational animal engagement programming interactions, tours, special programs and events, workshops, and classes
Maintain the appearance of both indoor and outdoor habitats by cleaning and prepping habitats daily to meet Maymont standards for animal care and guest experience
Care for all animals within area of responsibility and as assigned, including but not limited to, diet preparation, daily husbandry, behavioral enrichment, operant conditioning/training, and application of veterinary treatments
Assist in analyzing and reporting results of animal engagement program evaluations and feedback for continuous improvement of guest experiences, as well as track animals’ participation in programs
Work with animal keepers and behaviorists for training plan development; coordinate with leadership within the Zoology and Education teams for all animal care related topics and for use of program supplies and educational materials
Develop and modify animal enrichment proposals that provide stimulating and safe enrichment appropriate for each species with the goal of eliciting natural behaviors
Utilize Maymont’s database and other tools to track participation numbers in programs to assist in short- and long- term planning aligned with strategic goals
Perform preventative medical care of animals in the collection (fecal floats, de-worming, vaccinations, etc.)
Maintain daily records, including but not limited to inventory, animal care and feeding, and medications
Maintain, troubleshoot, and repair animal facilities and equipment, and participate in habitat improvement, design, and other planning
Research data to properly understand and maintain the animals within area of responsibilites
Help supervise and engage interns, volunteers and students
Support other Animal Care and Education teams at The Robins Nature Center, Farm and Landed Zoology as needed
Participate in Maymont community events as needed, which may be outside of regular work schedule
Comply with legal, insurance and health/safety regulations, as well as Maymont policies, rules and procedures at all times
Assist with other duties and tasks as assigned