Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Zoo Veterinary Supervisor

🎯 Role Definition

The Zoo Veterinary Supervisor oversees day-to-day veterinary operations within a zoological environment, directing clinical services, preventive medicine, diagnostic testing, anesthesia and surgery, quarantine protocols, and staff training. This role is responsible for ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare, regulatory compliance (including AZA and USDA guidelines), and integration of veterinary care with animal husbandry, nutrition, and conservation programs. The supervisor will mentor and evaluate veterinary technicians and staff, manage budgets and supplies, and coordinate internal and external veterinary consultations and referral relationships.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Staff Veterinarian or Associate Veterinarian (zoo/exotics)
Senior Clinical Veterinarian in wildlife rehab, aquarium, or sanctuary
Veterinary Medical Officer with experience in exotic animal practice

Advancement To:

Chief of Veterinary Services / Chief Veterinarian
Director of Animal Health & Welfare
Director of Conservation Medicine or Clinical Research

Lateral Moves:

Head of Animal Management/Curator
Conservation Program Manager
Clinical Operations Manager in aquarium or wildlife hospital

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead and coordinate comprehensive preventive medicine programs including vaccination schedules, parasite control, dental care plans, and population health monitoring for a multispecies collection, ensuring programs are evidence-based and consistent with current zoo and wildlife medicine standards.
Supervise and mentor a team of veterinarians, veterinary technicians, interns, and assistants by setting clear expectations, conducting performance evaluations, facilitating continuing education, and creating competency-based training programs for animal handling, anesthesia, and clinical procedures.
Provide direct clinical care including medical diagnostics, treatment plans, surgical procedures, anesthesia management, pain management protocols, and postoperative care for a broad range of exotic and native species.
Oversee diagnostic workflows including sample collection, submission to internal and external laboratories, interpretation of bloodwork, microbiology, parasitology, cytology, histopathology, and imaging studies (digital radiography, ultrasound, endoscopy).
Develop, implement, and monitor quarantine, isolation, and biosecurity protocols for incoming animals, inter-zoo transfers, and suspected infectious disease cases to mitigate transmission risk and protect collection health.
Serve as the primary lead for emergency and critical care response for animal health crises (trauma, dystocia, acute medical events), directing triage, stabilization, and advanced life-support measures and coordinating 24/7 on-call veterinary coverage as required.
Manage and approve clinical budgets, procurement of pharmaceuticals, medical and surgical supplies, and diagnostic equipment; negotiate vendor contracts and track expenditures to ensure fiscal responsibility and continuity of care.
Ensure regulatory compliance with federal, state, and accrediting bodies including USDA, state wildlife agencies, AZA (Association of Zoos & Aquariums) accreditation standards, and institutional policies; prepare for and participate in inspections and audits.
Maintain accurate medical records and electronic health records (EHR) for all animals, including exam notes, diagnostic results, surgical logs, clinical imaging, controlled substance logs, and release/transfer documentation, ensuring legal and institutional standards are met.
Collaborate with animal care teams, nutritionists, curators, conservation scientists, and husbandry staff to integrate clinical recommendations into daily animal management, enrichment, and long-term species health strategies.
Design and implement population-level health plans, morbidity/mortality reviews, epidemiologic surveillance, and risk assessments for multi-species exhibits and breeding programs to inform management decisions and conservation priorities.
Coordinate and consult with external veterinary specialists, diagnostic laboratories, universities, and rehabilitation centers for second opinions, advanced procedures, and collaborative research projects.
Establish and maintain robust controlled substance policies and procedures, including secure storage, accurate dispensing, and compliance with DEA/state regulations as they relate to animal care and anesthesia.
Lead disease outbreak investigations, including case definition, contact tracing within the collection, diagnostic testing coordination, quarantine implementation, and communication with regulatory agencies and institutional leadership.
Oversee surgical suite management, instrument sterilization protocols, aseptic technique enforcement, and peri-operative safety procedures to minimize surgical complications and infection rates.
Develop and deliver animal health-related training for staff and volunteers on safe animal handling, restraint techniques, zoonotic disease prevention, PPE use, and emergency protocols to reduce workplace risk and improve animal outcomes.
Participate in and lead clinical research and conservation medicine initiatives, including study design, animal welfare review board submissions, data collection, analysis, and publication or presentation of findings to advance species conservation and clinical best practices.
Coordinate medicine and procedure scheduling to optimize use of facilities, staff time, and minimize stress to animals, while ensuring prioritized care for urgent clinical needs.
Manage accession and disposition health clearance protocols, including pre-transfer health evaluations, transport health certificates, and post-arrival health surveillance to support animal movements and cooperative breeding efforts safely.
Drive continuous quality improvement processes in veterinary services by developing clinical protocols, standard operating procedures (SOPs), morbidity and mortality rounds, and performance metrics to monitor service impact and animal welfare.
Serve as a key institutional spokesperson for animal health matters, preparing and delivering communications to senior leadership, media, and stakeholders in coordination with institutional communications teams as appropriate.
Support staff mental health and resilience by implementing procedures for secondary-traumatic stress mitigation, debriefing after critical incidents, and access to wellbeing resources for clinical teams.

Secondary Functions

Participate in AZA, regional zoo, or wildlife veterinary committees, working groups, and continuing education events to maintain currency with industry standards and contribute to the professional community.
Collaborate with conservation and field programs to align veterinary expertise with in-situ projects, translocation efforts, and ex-situ support for threatened species recovery plans.
Assist in designing and delivering public-facing educational programming about animal health, conservation medicine, zoonotic risk, and stewardship to engage visitors and donors.
Contribute to grant writing and fundraising efforts that support veterinary facilities improvements, clinical research, or conservation initiatives, including preparing clinical budgets and technical sections.
Maintain and improve clinical facilities and laboratory capabilities (on-site lab, imaging, surgical suites) through project planning, equipment specification, contractor coordination, and budget management.
Develop and maintain inventory control systems for pharmaceuticals, controlled substances, and specialized feed or supplements to ensure availability and regulatory compliance.
Provide input into exhibit design and animal housing projects to optimize animal welfare, clinical access, and biosecurity considerations during construction and renovation planning.
Support occupational health programs and zoonotic disease surveillance for staff and volunteers, coordinating with institutional medical providers, setting vaccination and testing protocols, and managing exposure incidents.
Assist with accreditation preparation by compiling veterinary program documentation, SOPs, treatment logs, and outcomes metrics required for site visits and compliance reviews.
Facilitate interdisciplinary case reviews, morbidity & mortality rounds, and continuing education sessions to disseminate lessons learned and enhance clinical competencies across the institution.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or equivalent clinical veterinary degree and active veterinary licensure in the applicable jurisdiction; eligibility or maintenance of multi-state licensure preferred.
Advanced clinical skills in exotic and wildlife medicine, including hands-on experience with anesthesia protocols, multi-species surgical procedures, intubation, and perioperative pain management.
Proficiency in diagnostic imaging (digital radiography, ultrasound, endoscopy) and interpretation of radiographs, ultrasound studies, and minimally invasive diagnostics.
Strong laboratory diagnostics competency: blood chemistry and hematology interpretation, microbiology sample handling, cytology, and experience coordinating histopathology and molecular diagnostics.
Experience implementing and managing preventive medicine programs: vaccination, parasite control, dental care, and preventive screening protocols for diverse species.
Expertise in biosecurity, quarantine management, infectious disease outbreak investigation, and zoonotic disease risk mitigation.
Demonstrated capability with veterinary electronic medical record systems (EHR), controlled substance tracking, and clinical documentation best practices.
Surgical suite and anesthesia equipment management, including maintenance schedules, equipment calibration, and sterilization/aseptic protocol oversight.
Budget management skills including clinical supply procurement, controlled substance accounting, capital equipment planning, and vendor negotiation.
Experience with regulatory compliance for zoos and animal facilities (AZA, USDA, state wildlife agencies), including preparation for inspections and audits.
Familiarity with conservation medicine, wildlife rehabilitation protocols, and coordination of inter-institutional animal transfers and breeding programs.
Data-driven decision making with competency in clinical metrics, morbidity/mortality analysis, and using health data to refine protocols and demonstrate program outcomes.

Soft Skills

Leadership and team-building: proven ability to supervise, mentor, and motivate a multidisciplinary clinical and husbandry staff while fostering a culture of learning and accountability.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills for clinical reporting, stakeholder updates, grant proposals, and public-facing education.
Strong problem-solving and critical thinking under pressure, with effective triage and prioritization in emergency and resource-limited situations.
Collaborative interpersonal skills to work effectively with curators, keepers, nutritionists, conservation scientists, facilities, and external partners.
Emotional resilience and empathy to support staff through difficult clinical outcomes and reduce burnout, while maintaining professional decision-making.
Project management and organizational skills to manage multiple simultaneous clinical, administrative, and capital projects with clear timelines and deliverables.
Ethical judgment and integrity in clinical decision making, confidentiality of records, and stewardship of institutional resources.
Flexibility and adaptability to variable schedules, on-call rotations, travel for conferences or field projects, and changing institutional priorities.
Public engagement and presentation skills to represent the veterinary program to donors, visitors, and the broader conservation community.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), BVSc, or equivalent from an accredited institution.
Active veterinary license in the jurisdiction of employment or clear pathway to licensure.

Preferred Education:

Post-graduate training such as a zoo/exotics internship, residency in zoological medicine, or board certification (ACZM or ECVIM/ACVIM specialty) is highly desirable.
Advanced coursework or certifications in anesthesia, conservation medicine, wildlife pathology, or public health (e.g., DVM + MPH).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Veterinary Medicine (DVM/BVSc)
Conservation Medicine / Wildlife Health
Epidemiology / Public Health
Animal Behavior and Welfare

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5–12+ years of clinical veterinary experience with at least 2–5 years providing care for exotic, wildlife, or zoo species; demonstrated supervisory experience preferred.

Preferred:

Direct experience supervising clinical teams in a zoo, aquarium, wildlife hospital, or wildlife rehabilitation setting.
Proven track record with AZA-accredited institutions, regulatory inspections, and inter-institutional transfer protocols.
Experience with surgical caseloads, anesthesia of a wide range of species, and emergency/critical care protocols.
Experience participating in or leading conservation medicine research projects, publications, or field-based health programs.