Director of Nutrition

Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance (DZCA) honors our animals, staff, and guests by conducting ourselves with integrity through our Core Actions: Inspire Awe, Safety, Care, and Connect, and by embracing our Core Values: Welcoming, Curious, United, Courageous, and Transformative in all that we do.

The Director of Nutrition directs all aspects of our animal nutrition program; including strategic direction, diet formulation, clinical nutrition, regulatory compliance, and team development. This role requires collaboration across the organization to support animal health and wellbeing, ensuring alignment with DZCA’s mission and values.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Program Leadership & Strategy: Shape and drive the strategic direction of the Nutrition Program, ensuring alignment with DZCA’s mission and core values. Oversee team management, including recruitment, development, performance, and operational workflow. Establish and refine nutrition policies and procedures to support animal health and wellbeing.
• Nutrition Science & Diet Formulation: Design and evaluate species-specific diets, balancing nutritional, behavioral, and husbandry goals. Guide body condition scoring practices and oversee the Zoo’s browse program. Collaborate with veterinary teams on clinical nutrition and lead research initiatives, sharing findings in scientific forums.
• Financial Oversight: Manage the Nutrition Program budget, including purchases and vendor contracts, ensuring fiscal responsibility.
  Compliance & Safety: Ensure adherence to USDA, AZA, FDA, and HACCP standards for biosecurity and food safety.
• Cross-Department Collaboration: Partner with Animal Care, Veterinary Medicine, and Horticulture teams to address dietary needs and troubleshoot nutritional challenges. Serve as a nutrition resource, offering training and expertise to staff while engaging in Zoo committees and conservation programs.
• Representation & Professional Engagement: Represent DZCA in national and international forums and contribute to multi-institutional initiatives supporting wildlife nutrition and welfare.

This is not intended to be an all-inclusive detailed list of daily duties nor is it a definition of a process.

Technical / Professional Requirements & Qualifications

• Education: Graduate degree in nutrition science or related field, PhD preferred.
• Experience: Requires minimum of 7-years’ experience in nutrition science, zoological animal diet formulation, scientific research and peer-reviewed publication, team leadership and supervision, budget management, and inventory and procurement practices. Experience with HACCP, regulatory compliance, and working in a nonprofit strongly preferred and/or any equivalent combination of experience, lived experience, and/or special skills.
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Must demonstrate exceptional collaboration, organization, communication, and adaptability in a fast-paced environment. Requires effective negotiation skills, discretion, and the ability to lead, coach, and mentor teams. Experience with strategic goal execution and managing complex teams or programs is preferred.

Position Conditions

• Ability to pass a background check and pre-employment drug and alcohol screen.

Schedule & Work Environment

• Schedule: Monday-Friday, with occasional evenings and weekends.
• Work Location: Hybrid

A Truly Wild Workplace with Competitive Benefits

Join our One Zoo Team and enjoy a full spectrum of competitive benefits, including:

• Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage
• Generous paid time off: vacation, sick leave, personal days, and holidays
• A Family Plus Denver Zoo Membership
• Concession and retail discounts

Compensation 

The range for this position is $8,330 - $10,621 (monthly).

Application Process and Timelines

Application deadline: December 11, 2024. Review of applications will begin immediately.  DZCA reserves the right to close the position prior to this date. 

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and others who identify as nonwhite, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and those with lived experience with racism and/or misogynoir are encouraged to apply for this role. 

DZCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and a