Marine Mammals - Director of Animal Care and Conservation

Brookfield Zoo Chicago•Brookfield, IL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Brookfield Zoo Chicago is seeking a Director of Marine Mammal Care & Conservation to provide leadership to its Marine Mammal program and team. This role involves managing marine mammal species, including social groupings, breeding programs, behavioral enrichment, and operant conditioning. The Director will innovate animal care in the newly renovated Dolphin Bay, focusing on conservation and educational storytelling to drive public engagement. As a people-first manager, they will strengthen the animal care team and develop future leaders. This position contributes to BZC’s Next Century Plan, focusing on expanding wildlife habitats and immersive experiences. The Director leads the overall direction and operations of the marine mammal department in alignment with BZC’s long-range plans for animal care, welfare, and conservation. This is a full-time salaried position (grade 09) with an expected hiring range of $77,916.67 to $85,708.33 annually.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Zoology or related field or eight years’ equivalent combination of training and/or experience required.
High School Diploma or GED equivalent required.
Minimum 5 years of captive management experience in a zoo or large-scale animal care facility or equivalent experience required within the taxon specialty.
Minimum 3 years of managerial experience required (including budget development and management, high-level animal collection management, staff recruitment, etc.).
Understanding of practical principles of animal behavior and the ability to work with live animals safely.
Ability to perceive and act upon relevant changes in animal behaviors and conditions routinely.
Strong interpersonal and communications skills, including verbal, written, and listening skills.
Proficiency in MS Office applications (word processing and database management) essential.
Cultural competency; experience and/or ability to work and interact effectively with a diverse, multicultural audience.
English fluency at a professional working proficiency.
Valid driver’s license required.
Illinois residents must possess a valid Illinois license within 90 days of hire.
Valid out-of-state license required for out-of-state residents.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with animal record keeping systems, studbook programs preferred.
Multilingual ability, Spanish fluency a plus.
SCUBA certification (may be required for positions managing aquatic taxa).

Responsibilities

Maintaining the highest quality of daily husbandry and welfare of the marine mammal collection.
Collection planning.
Supervision and development of assigned animal care specialists.
Maintaining guest educational programs.
Overseeing the department’s behavioral enrichment and operant conditioning programs.
Creation and management of the departmental budget.
Participating in donor cultivation and tours.
Management of assigned facilities to comply with regulations and accreditation standards.
Submitting work orders and following projects through to completion.
Development and management of conservation programs related to the taxon specialty.
Working closely and collaboratively with the Animal Health & Welfare team on animal management/veterinary cases.
Participating in and facilitating research when necessary.
Participating in the development and implementation of Animal Care and Programs (ACP) guidelines and procedures.
Performing other related duties as assigned to assure achievement of annual goals and objectives.