Animal Curator

 

Code: 273B BU: 09 (Salary Info) Grade: 020 Effective Date: 2/5/2005

Description of Work
General Duty Statement

Performs supervisory, administrative, and professional work in the acquisition, disposition, care, husbandry, exhibition, security, shelter and facility maintenance of a section of the Como Campus animal collection, and performs related duties as required.

Supervision Received

Works under the general and/or administrative supervision and direction of a manager or a department director.

Supervision Exercised

Exercises technical, general, and/or administrative supervision over assigned staff.

Typical Duties Performed

The listed examples may not include all the duties performed by all positions in this class.

• Plans, directs, and oversees animal collection activities and operations in the areas of animal husbandry, health, habitat, exhibition, security, acquisition, and disposition.
• Oversees and performs the acquisition and disposition of animals through purchases, loans, sales, collection trips, and arranging for the transportation of the animals; conducts research into specific animal history prior to acquisition and exchanges information with other animal collection professionals; makes animal acquisition and disposition recommendations to management.
• Participates in the development and implementation of Como Campus priorities, goals and objectives, policies and procedures; recommends and implements the resulting policies and procedures.
• Analyzes service delivery, work methods, and resource needs and identifies opportunities for improvements; makes recommendations to appropriate management staff and implements improvements as assigned.
• Supervises the work of assigned staff to include developing a work plan, monitoring and directing work flow, assigning work, selecting employees and managing their performance to include developing employee performance standards, coaching employees, conducting employee performance reviews, disciplining employees, making termination recommendations, handling and resolving employee grievances and problems, determining employee development needs, and providing development opportunities.
• Works closely with the consulting veterinarian in ensuring the proper care and treatment of the Como Campus animal collection including the preparation and administration of diets, medical care, and the maintenance of complete and accurate records of such proper care and treatment.
• Initiates and oversees viable breeding, husbandry, and conservation programs for the Como Campus animal collection.
• Participates in the planning and design of exhibits; evaluates exhibit designs and determines design needs; makes recommendations regarding the animal habitats and their security.
• Oversees the maintenance of and participates in the maintenance of the various animal facilities, and ensures that the buildings and exhibits are free from danger and hazards; provides training to assigned Como Campus staff in the appropriate safety procedures required to maintain a safe and hazard free animal exhibition environment.
• Conducts research, analyzes, and determines appropriate needs for equipment, materials, research products, and supplies, including safety equipment and first aid supplies; maintains required inventory reports.
• Assists with the preparation of the annual budget for the section; requisitions supplies, purchases equipment, and maintains expenditures within budgetary limits.
• Establishes appropriate safety procedures for use in the manipulation of the animals and trains staff and volunteers in such procedures.
• Participates in the Como Campus educational program activities and responds to public inquiries regarding the animal collection and associated behaviors.
• Maintains liaison with professional organizations such as the AZA.
• Performs research related to the animal collection in order to keep well informed regarding specimens, current best practices, and in order to maintain compliance with changes in local, state, federal, and international laws concerning animal management.
• Performs the duties of a Zoo Keeper on an as needed basis.

Competencies

• Demonstrates an understanding of the full range of principles, terms, and procedures of the field of animal husbandry, including taxonomy, reproduction, physiology, and life history; demonstrates an ability to apply this understanding in resolving the most difficult and complex challenges associated with the work.
• Demonstrated an understanding of the full range of principles, terms, techniques, and procedures associated with the care, behavior, habitats, exhibition, and transportation of a large variety of animals; demonstrates an ability to apply this understanding in resolving the most difficult and complex challenges associated with the work.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the full range of federal, state, international, and local laws, and the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and records maintenance requirements governing the acquisition, disposition, care, transportation, and exhibition of animals; demonstrates an ability to apply this understanding in resolving the full range of complex challenges associated with the work.
• Demonstrates an expert understanding of the Parks and Recreation and the Como Campus organizational structure, facilities, policies, rules, regulations, procedures, programs, practices, terms, services, mission, and vision; demonstrates an ability to apply this understanding in resolving the most difficult and complex challenges associated with the work.
• Demonstrates an understanding of and an ability to use current office equipment, computer hardware, software applications, and best practices specific to animal collection management, care, exhibition, facility operation and maintenance; demonstrates an ability to use such technology and best practices in providing complex animal acquisition, disposition, exhibition, care, husbandry, shelter and facility maintenance, and security services; demonstrates an ability to respond to the full range of animal care and handling situations; demonstrates a level of proficiency to safely respond to the most complex and dangerous situations; demonstrates an ability to train others in using current technology and best practices; demonstrates an ability to plan, research, evaluate, recommend, introduce, and implement new technology and best practices.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the common principles, terms, procedures, and water quality requirements involved in the operation and maintenance of water filtration systems used in the exhibit and care of aquatic and amphibious animals; demonstrates an ability to identify and repair routine system problems and refer more complex problems to the appropriate maintenance staff or contractor.
• Demonstrates an ability to plan, design, coordinate, and manage multiple projects and programs related to animal husbandry, care, health, habitat, exhibition, security, acquisition, and disposition; demonstrates an ability to meet deadlines, define, measure, and evaluate project and program results, and appropriately prioritize and set deadlines for one's own work and the work of others.
• Demonstrates an ability to facilitate the development and implementation of goals, objectives, priorities, policies, and procedures for a section; demonstrates an ability to develop, prepare, and implement a section budget and manage the associated funds.
• Demonstrates an ability to effectively listen, speak, write, and interact in a tactful and persuasive manner within a diverse work group and with City administrators, community groups, employees of other biological exhibition facilities, professional groups, and a diverse group of Como Campus customers; demonstrates an ability to produce written and visual materials that are easily understood by the intended audience/reader; demonstrates an understanding and respect for the diversity of customers, coworkers, and supervisors, including individuals who may be physically or mentally impaired or whose first language may be one other than English; demonstrates a level of proficiency to make normally required public informational presentations to adults and children.
• Demonstrates effective work group membership by being self-directed and motivated, by willingly accepting new and challenging assignments, and by completing assignments and meeting deadlines; demonstrates effective supervision and leadership of a work group that provides safe and effective animal care and management by encouraging individual participation and creativity, by being supportive of others and the group decision making process, by effectively managing conflict, by being considerate, tactful, and impartial; demonstrates an ability to coach employees, manage their development, manage and appropriately evaluate their performance; demonstrates an ability to creatively resolve employee grievances and problems; demonstrates an ability to improve the work environment by identifying and reducing risks and other work issues associated with animal handling situations.
• Demonstrates an expert understanding of the mission and vision of the Como Campus and the associated customer service standards; demonstrates respect for the diversity of Como Campus customers, both internal and the public; demonstrates a commitment to continuously improving customer service; demonstrates an ability to direct service planning activities.

Requirements

A bachelors degree in Animal Husbandry, Biological Sciences or a related field and, at least, six years of experience as a Zoo Keeper or equivalent experience in a zoo animal related position to include, at least, three years of supervisory experience is required. Four years of additional experience as a Zoo Keeper or equivalent experience may be substituted for the education requirement. There is no substitution for the supervisory experience requirement.