Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Zoo Research Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Zoo Research Manager leads and coordinates the institution’s research, monitoring, and evaluation programs to advance animal health, welfare, conservation outcomes, and public education. This role integrates research design and project management with cross-department collaboration (veterinary, husbandry, collection management, education), grant and budget administration, regulatory compliance (IACUC/ethics, collecting permits), data governance, scientific communication, and stakeholder engagement. The ideal candidate translates applied research into evidence-based animal management, breeding programs, enrichment, and conservation action while mentoring staff, supervising fieldwork and lab operations, and representing the organization in academic and conservation partnerships.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Research Technician or Research Assistant (zoology, ecology, animal behavior)
Field Biologist or Wildlife Ecologist with captive/ex-situ experience
Senior Animal Care/Husbandry Specialist with research project involvement

Advancement To:

Head of Research / Senior Research Scientist
Director of Conservation and Research
Chief Scientific Officer / VP of Conservation Programs

Lateral Moves:

Wildlife Program Manager
Conservation Partnerships Manager
Animal Health & Welfare Program Lead

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead the design, implementation and oversight of multi-year research programs that address animal welfare, behavior, reproduction, nutrition, genetics, and conservation priorities across the zoo’s living collection and field programs.
Develop, write and manage competitive grant proposals, institutional contracts, and donor-funded research agreements; steward awarded funds, prepare budgets, and ensure deliverables and fiscal compliance.
Supervise, mentor and evaluate a multidisciplinary research team including postdocs, technicians, field staff, interns and student researchers; establish performance goals and professional development plans.
Coordinate with veterinary services to design and implement clinical and non-invasive health monitoring protocols, diagnostic testing plans and longitudinal animal health studies.
Establish experimental protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for behavioral observations, physiological sampling, remote monitoring (camera traps, telemetry), and enrichment efficacy trials.
Ensure all research activities meet regulatory, ethical and permitting requirements (IACUC, site permits, CITES, USDA/APHIS where applicable) and maintain accurate records for audits and compliance reviews.
Oversee data management, quality assurance, and lifecycle for research datasets — implement data standards, metadata, secure storage, and sharing policies to enable reproducible science and institutional reporting.
Analyze research data using appropriate statistical, modeling and spatial tools (R, Python, GIS) and lead collaborative interpretation with internal stakeholders to inform management decisions.
Publish peer-reviewed articles, technical reports and white papers; present findings at scientific conferences, stakeholder meetings and public forums to amplify institutional research impact.
Design and manage applied conservation projects that link captive research to in situ conservation partners, reintroduction programs, and species action plans.
Integrate research outcomes into husbandry and exhibit design, providing evidence-based recommendations for enrichment, social grouping, breeding management, and environmental modifications.
Plan, supervise and ensure safe execution of fieldwork, sample collection, and transport (biosafety, chain of custody, cold-chain logistics) including for remote or international conservation projects.
Build and maintain strategic partnerships with universities, research institutes, government agencies, NGOs, and community stakeholders to expand collaborative research opportunities and resource sharing.
Oversee laboratory operations for genetics, endocrinology, pathology or microbiology testing — manage contracts with external labs, quality control, sample archives, and lab safety protocols.
Develop institutional research strategies, annual workplans and KPIs; report research outcomes and impact metrics to senior leadership and the board of trustees.
Manage capital and operational budgets for the research program — prioritize equipment purchases (e.g., telemetry, monitoring cameras, lab supplies), and prepare cost-benefit analyses for investments.
Lead captive breeding research and genetic management initiatives, including pedigree analysis, assisted reproductive technology protocols and long-term ex situ species management planning.
Coordinate volunteer, student and citizen science contributions; design training programs, project scopes and supervision frameworks to ensure data integrity and participant safety.
Facilitate cross-departmental research translation workshops and regular communication channels with husbandry, veterinary, education and facilities teams to embed research into daily operations.
Oversee contract negotiations and scope-of-work agreements for consulting scientists, contractors and external research collaborators while protecting institutional IP and data-sharing expectations.
Monitor and report on research-related health and safety risks, implement mitigation plans, and maintain emergency response procedures for field and captive research scenarios.
Lead public-facing dissemination of research outcomes through interpretive content, exhibit updates, media briefings, and education programming that communicate conservation science and impact.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
Represent the zoo on regional conservation working groups and species survival plans.
Maintain and curate specimen/sample collections, frozen tissue banks and genetic repositories for research access and long-term conservation value.
Assist marketing and development teams in translating scientific findings into compelling donor materials and impact statements.
Provide technical guidance on procurement of research-specific hardware and software, including telemetry, camera systems, LIMS and statistical licenses.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Research design and experimental methodology for captive and field-based animal studies (behavioral trials, welfare assessment, physiological monitoring).
Advanced statistical analysis and modeling using R, Python, SAS, or equivalent; experience with mixed models, GLMMs, time-series and multivariate techniques.
Data management and governance: database design, metadata standards, LIMS familiarity, data repositories and reproducible workflows (Git, RMarkdown, Jupyter).
Geographic Information Systems (ArcGIS, QGIS) for spatial analysis, habitat mapping and survey planning.
Molecular and laboratory techniques familiarity (genetics, endocrinology assays, PCR, sample preservation) and experience managing lab collaborations or in-house labs.
Permit and compliance management: IACUC/ethics protocol preparation, CITES documentation, export/import permits, and adherence to domestic wildlife regulations.
Project and grant management: budgeting, milestone tracking, reporting, and donor/stakeholder liaison.
Experience with animal husbandry, welfare assessment metrics, behavioral observation software (BORIS, Observer XT), and enrichment evaluation methodologies.
Fieldwork logistics and safety: remote field operations planning, biosafety, sample chain-of-custody and wildlife capture/handling protocols.
Scientific communication: manuscript preparation, peer-review process navigation, conference presentations, and public-facing science writing.
Technical proficiency with telemetry, remote camera networks, acoustic monitoring equipment and automated data collection platforms.
Experience with population genetics, pedigree analysis software, and ex-situ species management (EEP/SSP) practices.

Soft Skills

Leadership and team development: ability to coach, mentor and inspire interdisciplinary teams and volunteers.
Strategic thinking and problem solving: translating scientific evidence into actionable management recommendations.
Excellent written and verbal communication tailored to scientific, management and public audiences.
Stakeholder management and diplomacy: building consensus among internal departments, external partners, regulators and funders.
Time management and prioritization: balancing multiple concurrent projects, deadlines and operational constraints.
Adaptability and resilience in dynamic environments, including field conditions and crisis situations.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Biology, Zoology, Wildlife Ecology, Conservation Science, Animal Science or closely related field.

Preferred Education:

Master's or PhD in Biology, Animal Behavior, Conservation Biology, Ecology, Veterinary Science or related discipline; doctoral candidates with applied zoo research experience strongly preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Animal Behavior and Welfare
Conservation Biology and Ecology
Wildlife Management and Population Genetics
Veterinary Science and Comparative Physiology
Data Science / Biostatistics (applied to ecological data)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–10 years of progressive research experience in zoological, academic or field conservation settings, including demonstrable project leadership and published outputs.

Preferred:

7+ years managing research programs with budgetary responsibility, supervisory experience, and a track record of successful grant funding and peer-reviewed publications.
Demonstrated experience coordinating cross-functional teams (veterinary, husbandry, education, facilities), handling permitting and compliance processes, and leading applied conservation initiatives with measurable outcomes.