Animal Care Professional, Ambassador Animals

Job DetailsJob Location: Birmingham Zoo - BIRMINGHAM, AL 35223Position Type: Full TimeSalary Range: $17.25 - $17.25 HourlyBirmingham Zoo Inc. (BZI) is a nonprofit, Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited Zoo and regional tourist attraction serving the greater Birmingham community and beyond. We advance wildlife conservation through responsible animal care, education, and local and global conservation efforts in support of our mission, Inspiring Passion to Conserve the Natural World.

 

POSITION SUMMARY

 

The Animal Care Professional is responsible for performing daily animal husbandry and supporting animal health and wellbeing, including monitoring behavior, maintaining habitats, preparing diets, providing enrichment, maintaining accurate records, and engaging with guests through informal and formal interactions. This role contributes to safe, consistent, and high-quality animal care operations across the assigned department.

The successful candidate will combine exceptional animal care with guest engagement, providing daily husbandry for the Zoo's Ambassador Animal collection while helping create memorable experiences for visitors. Responsibilities include caring for a diverse variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates, as well as presenting ambassador animals throughout the Zoo and at both on-site and off-site events. Through engaging education talks and up-close animal encounters, this position helps inspire curiosity, foster connections with wildlife, and support the Zoo's conservation mission.

All employees serve as ambassadors of the Zoo and are expected to act in a professional manner consistent with the Zoo’s mission and its core values of Passion, Excellence, Teamwork, Stewardship, and Inclusion. This expectation applies when interacting with the public or when reasonably perceived as representing the organization.

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

 


Performs daily animal husbandry and supports animal health and wellbeing, including maintaining habitats, preparing diets, monitoring behavior, providing enrichment and training, and adapting care practices based on environmental and operational needs.
Observes, documents, and communicates animal behavior, health, and wellbeing concerns; maintains accurate records; and supports safe animal handling, restraint, and transport using approved techniques.
Collaborates with team members, including assisting training new staff and volunteers, and supports a respectful, safe, and welcoming work environment while engaging with guests and contributing to consistent, safe, and high-quality animal care practices in alignment with organizational policies and procedures.
Adheres to all organizational policies and procedures as outlined in the Employee Handbook and applicable departmental guidelines.
This job description reflects the general nature of the work and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties. This position may be assigned additional duties reasonably related to the employee’s primary responsibilities and organizational needs, provided such duties are within the employee’s training, experience, and safety requirements and do not materially change the nature of the position.


 

 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

For purposes of this job description, “staff” may include employees, volunteers, interns, and other assigned personnel.

 


No direct supervisory responsibility for staff.
Demonstrates professionalism, accountability, and adherence to organizational policies, safety procedures, and training requirements, serving as a model for staff.


 

SAFETY ANALYSIS

 


This position involves exposure to hazards common to outdoor and operational Zoo environments, including weather conditions, equipment, and other environmental factors.
Specific training and procedures will be provided to maintain safety of people as the highest priority, followed by the safety of the animal collection.
Use and understanding of personal protective equipment (PPE) is required based on assigned tasks and work conditions.
Employees are required to follow all Zoo safety policies and procedures as outlined in the Employee Handbook and Emergency Procedure Manual and to promptly report injuries, incidents, or safety concerns through established reporting channels.


 

 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described below are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of this position, with or without reasonable accommodation.

 


Ability to stand, walk, bend, kneel, crouch, and move for extended periods in outdoor and operational environments.
Ability to use hands, fingers, and tools or equipment required for assigned tasks.
Ability to communicate effectively, including exchanging information with others.
Ability to routinely move, lift, or carry items up to 50 pounds or more, depending on assigned duties.
Ability to work in