General Application - Animal Care

Description

Summary

Are you passionate about animal care, welfare, and conservation? Submit your application here to be considered for future opportunities on the Animal Care & Welfare team at Dallas Zoo! Even if your experience does not follow a traditional route or meet every qualification listed, we recognize that meaningful contributions come from many different directions, and we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. The Dallas Zoo values a variety of professional backgrounds and experiences, including those gained through volunteering, internships, agriculture, and / or military service.

Whether you're an experienced keeper or just beginning your zoo career, we welcome your interest in joining a team committed to exceptional animal welfare, collaboration, and professional growth. New team members are supported through structured on-the-job training, access to mentorship from experienced Zoologists, and opportunities to gain experience with different husbandry techniques. We believe that curiosity, commitment to animal welfare, and a collaborative mindset are just as important as specific credentials. Our team is made up of individuals with a wide range of experiences, and we’re proud to support continued learning through mentorship and hands-on training.

At the Dallas Zoo, we use the title Zoologist instead of Keeper to reflect the high level of responsibility, specialized training, and scientific knowledge of animal husbandry techniques required in these roles. Our Zoologists contribute to enrichment programs, participate in operant conditioning and reproductive management, support conservation initiatives, and maintain detailed behavioral and health records in line with AZA standards. The title recognizes their role as both animal care professionals and stewards of wildlife conservation.

By applying through this posting, you’ll be added to our talent pool for upcoming roles and may be contacted if your background aligns with departmental needs. We encourage you to check back regularly and apply directly to any specific roles that match your experience and interests.

This general application is not tied to a specific opening but is reviewed on a rolling basis as positions become available across our animal departments, including Ambassador Animals, Birds & Ectotherms, Large Mammals, and Mammals.

Our animal care positions are structured in three progressive levels :

• Zoologist – Our entry-level animal care staff provide daily care for a variety of species while gaining valuable experience in husbandry, enrichment, and behavioral observation.
• Senior Zoologist – With increased experience and responsibility, Senior Zoologists help lead daily section routines, and mentor less experienced team members.
• Lead Zoologist – As team leads, these senior professionals provide mentorship, take on specialized tasks and projects, coordinate section operations in the absence of management, and may represent Dallas Zoo in AZA programs.

Located just three miles south of downtown Dallas, the 106-acre Dallas Zoo is the oldest and largest in Texas. Founded with just two deer and two mountain lions in 1888 as the first Zoo in the Southwest. This city-owned and privately managed zoo is a thriving example of a successful public-private partnership. As an accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) for 35 years, the Zoo provides a home for more than 2,000 animals representing over 400 species.For full-time staff, the Dallas Zoo offers comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage, a 401(k) retirement plan, PTO, and sick time. Compensation is commensurate with experience and education. The Dallas Zoo participates in in-situ and ex-situ conservation programs and encourages and supports staff to participate.

Join us in Engaging People & Saving Wildlife every day! A summary of the work of each of our Animal Care Teams is below.Ambassador Animal Experiences

The Animal Outreach team provides robust and diverse programming on and off-site in the greater Dallas Fort Worth metroplex. This team oversees a varied group of birds, mammals, and reptiles, including prehensile-tailed porcupines, flamingos, tamanduas, penguins, parrots, tortoises, and snakes, to name a few.

The Wild Encounters team focuses on up-close encounters through structured presentations at our Wild Encounters stage. Featured animals include Gambian pouch rat, North American porcupine, opossum, southern tamandua, free-flighted black vulture, southern ground hornbill, snakes, lizards, and more!

Finally, the Wildlife Show team gives formal, entertaining, scripted presentations on our dynamic stage, showcasing free-flighted birds such as hadada ibis, macaws, birds of prey, pigeons, and trumpeter hornbills. Other cast members include an African crowned crane, bald eagle, ravens, and our newest addition, a white stork. While this position will focus on our outreach area, it will also be cross trained to support all ambassador sections.Birds & Ectotherms

The BREC team (Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, Invertebrates, Small Neotropical Mammals, and Fish) oversees a taxonomically diverse collection housed across a variety of specialized indoor and outdoor habitats. This team provides daily care for species representing every major vertebrate class, with a strong emphasis on conservation breeding programs, assurance colonies, and animals requiring complex life support systems. Representative species include whooping cranes, African penguins, Galápagos tortoises, crocodile monitors, Houston toads, Texas blind salamanders, mantellas, butterflies, tarantulas, and a variety of native Texas fish and freshwater species.Team responsibilities include husbandry, enrichment, and behavioral observation, as well as participation in AZA conservation programs, species reintroduction efforts, and veterinary collaboration. Ideal candidates should be detail-oriented, familiar with taxon-specific care, and have an interest in conservation-focused work.Large MammalsThe Hoofstock team provides daily care for a wide variety of hoofed mammals and select bird species, including giraffe, greater kudu, okapi, hippo, guinea fowl, and ostrich. This team works collaboratively to ensure the highest standards of animal welfare through operant conditioning, behavioral enrichment, and habitat maintenance. Hoofstock keepers may also lead VIP and donor tours and participate in public-facing opportunities to share their work. Zoologists in this section will be cross-trained across multiple Hoofstock species.

The Elephant team is responsible for the daily husbandry and welfare of our African elephant herd. Using operant conditioning as a foundation, the team prioritizes positive behavioral management, health monitoring, and collaborative care practices. Zoologists in this area may also be asked to represent the elephant team during VIP and donor experiences and occasionally engage with the public as part of educational or outreach efforts.

Mammals

The Primate team manages a diverse range of primates, from small-bodied species like emperor tamarins to two great ape species, including gorillas and chimpanzees. This section spans both sides of the Dallas Zoo and requires a strong understanding of each animal’s natural history as well as individual behavior. Team members are responsible for delivering exceptional animal welfare through behavioral observation, targeted enrichment, and advanced training techniques tailored to both species and individual needs.

The Carnivore / Children’s Zoo (C2) section includes large carnivores such as lions and tigers, small / medium sized carnivores, as well as a variety of Children’s Zoo animals. The Children’s Zoo consists of naked mole rates, primates, reptiles, and farmyard animals. The C2 section consists of routes on both sides of the zoo and requires knowing the natural history of many taxa. Zoologists need to understand both natural and individual behaviors of each species and incorporate that information into outstanding animal welfare at all levels including but not limited to training and enrichment.