Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Zoology Worker

🎯 Role Definition

A Zoology Worker (also called Zookeeper, Wildlife Technician, or Animal Care Specialist) is responsible for the daily care, welfare, monitoring, and husbandry of captive and/or wild animals; contributes to conservation and research programs; enforces safety and regulatory compliance; and supports public education and outreach. This role combines hands-on animal handling, behavioral observation, clinical support, enclosure maintenance, data collection, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure healthy animals and high-quality visitor and stakeholder experiences.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Wildlife rehabilitation volunteer or internship
Animal care technician / kennel attendant
Field research assistant or laboratory animal technician

Advancement To:

Senior Zookeeper / Lead Animal Care Specialist
Curator of Husbandry / Collection Manager
Wildlife Biologist or Conservation Program Manager
Veterinary Technician or Clinical Coordinator

Lateral Moves:

Conservation Educator / Outreach Coordinator
Research Technician / Data Specialist
Animal Training and Behavior Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Provide daily husbandry for assigned species by preparing and delivering species-specific diets, performing feeding routines, monitoring consumption, and adjusting nutrition plans under veterinary or senior staff guidance to maintain optimal health and welfare.
Execute safe, species-appropriate animal handling during transfers, restraint, behavioral training, routine health checks, and transportation, following established protocols and using approved equipment to minimize stress for animals and risk to staff.
Administer medications, topical treatments, and supplements accurately under veterinary direction, including preparing doses, recording administration times, watching for adverse reactions, and updating medical records in ZIMS or organizational databases.
Conduct detailed behavioral observations and systematic welfare assessments, document activity budgets, social interactions, and abnormal behaviors, and report findings to supervisors and researchers to support ongoing care and enrichment planning.
Design, implement, and evaluate environmental enrichment programs tailored to species-specific behavioral and cognitive needs, measuring effectiveness and adjusting enrichment schedules to promote natural behaviors and psychological well-being.
Maintain clean, safe, and biosecure enclosures and workspaces by performing daily cleaning, disinfection, substrate changes, water quality checks, and routine maintenance of fences, locks, and habitat fixtures to prevent disease and escape.
Assist with capture, immobilization, anesthetic monitoring, and post-procedure recovery under veterinary supervision during medical exams, minor surgeries, or diagnostic procedures, adhering to safety and animal welfare protocols.
Participate in breeding and population management programs including monitoring reproductive cycles, conducting nest and den checks, facilitating assisted breeding when required, and maintaining accurate pedigree and reproductive records.
Conduct fieldwork and applied research support activities such as radio/GPS collaring, transect surveys, wildlife population counts, habitat assessments, and sample collection (blood, fecal, tissue) following ethical and permit requirements for conservation projects.
Prepare and process biological samples for laboratory analysis, including labeling, chain-of-custody documentation, basic centrifugation, and freezer storage, and coordinate shipment of samples to external labs when necessary.
Maintain comprehensive and accurate animal records, medical charts, feeding logs, enrichment logs, and incident reports using digital record systems (e.g., ZIMS, Excel, or custom databases) to ensure traceability and regulatory compliance.
Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations, permits, and internal policies regarding animal welfare, transport, hazardous materials, and occupational safety, including maintaining up-to-date knowledge of permit conditions and reporting obligations.
Facilitate and lead educational demonstrations, keeper talks, school group programs, and public engagement activities to raise awareness of species biology, conservation issues, and animal care practices while ensuring safety and animal welfare during interactions.
Supervise and train junior staff, interns, and volunteers in safe animal handling, species-specific husbandry techniques, enrichment preparation, and data recording standards to build team capacity and ensure consistency of care.
Coordinate and execute animal transfers and transports, including preparing animals for travel, constructing appropriate crates, performing pre-transport health checks, completing transport paperwork, and ensuring compliance with IATA, USDA, and institutional transport policies.
Respond to animal welfare emergencies and medical crises with rapid assessment, triage, and coordination with veterinary staff, performing emergency first aid, stabilization, and implementing contingency plans to minimize morbidity and mortality.
Participate in quarantine and isolation procedures for new or ill animals by enforcing strict biosecurity measures, monitoring clinical signs, collecting diagnostic samples, and maintaining quarantine logs to prevent disease spread.
Implement and document integrated pest management, waste disposal, and water treatment processes applicable to animal holding areas and exhibit systems to uphold sanitation and environmental health standards.
Support exhibit design, habitat modification, and enrichment fabrication by providing species-specific behavioral input, testing prototype elements, and assisting trades staff with safe installation and maintenance of habitat features.
Collect, synthesize, and present animal and programmatic data to internal teams, external partners, and grant agencies to support research publications, grant proposals, and conservation program reporting.
Maintain and operate specialized husbandry and utility equipment (power washers, filtration systems, vehicles, forklifts where certified) and coordinate preventative maintenance and repairs to minimize downtime and safety hazards.
Participate in interdisciplinary project teams with veterinarians, researchers, educators, and curators to develop protocols, research plans, and conservation strategies that align husbandry practices with long-term species management goals.
Uphold and promote high standards of occupational health and safety by participating in training (hazardous materials, confined space, PPE), completing risk assessments, and enforcing safe work practices in all animal care and fieldwork activities.

Secondary Functions

Provide backup support for public-facing functions such as admissions, gift shop support, or reception during peak periods or staff shortages when qualified.
Assist with grant writing, data compilation, and the creation of supporting documentation for conservation and research funding proposals.
Help coordinate volunteer schedules, onboarding, and continuing education to optimize volunteer contributions to animal care and visitor education.
Support collaborative community outreach events, school visits, and citizen science projects through content preparation, presentations, and hands-on demonstrations.
Participate in continuous improvement efforts by contributing to SOP updates, protocol revisions, and post-incident debriefs to elevate organizational standards and animal welfare.
Conduct routine inventory management for feed, medical supplies, PPE, and enrichment materials; place orders and track supplier relationships to maintain uninterrupted husbandry operations.
Contribute to social media, website content, and interpretive materials with factual, engaging updates about animal care, conservation outcomes, and research highlights.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Animal handling and restraint techniques for mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, or invertebrates appropriate to the position, including low-stress capture methods and safe transfer procedures.
Species identification, life history knowledge, and natural history interpretation to inform husbandry, enrichment, and disease prevention strategies.
Clinical support skills including medication administration, wound care, anesthesia assistance, and basic diagnostic sampling (blood draws, swabs, fecal collections).
Experience with animal management software (e.g., ZIMS, Arks, VetStar) and strong data entry skills in Excel/Google Sheets for maintaining accurate records and generating reports.
Behavioral observation, ethogram development, and welfare assessment methodologies for systematic tracking of animal health and welfare trends.
Environmental enrichment design and implementation using species-appropriate materials and welfare science principles to promote physical and mental stimulation.
Sample collection, labeling, preservation, and chain-of-custody procedures for laboratory and diagnostic work, plus familiarity with basic lab safety and biosafety levels.
Knowledge of regulatory frameworks and permits (USDA, CITES, state wildlife agencies) and the ability to maintain compliance documentation and reporting.
Familiarity with field equipment and methods such as GPS/GIS mapping, radio/GPS telemetry, mist-netting, camera traps, and remote sensing tools for wildlife monitoring.
Technical maintenance skills for habitat systems including water filtration, heating/cooling systems, electrical fixtures, fence and enclosure repairs, and operation of power tools with appropriate certification.

Soft Skills

Strong written and verbal communication to accurately document animal health, explain husbandry decisions, and deliver educational talks to diverse audiences.
Teamwork and collaboration skills to work effectively with veterinarians, researchers, educators, maintenance, and volunteer teams.
Attention to detail and strong observational skills to detect subtle changes in animal condition, behavior, or habitat that could indicate welfare or health issues.
Problem-solving and critical thinking to respond to emergencies, troubleshoot husbandry systems, and adapt protocols when conditions change.
Time management and organizational skills to prioritize daily care tasks, medical treatments, and project deadlines across multiple animals and responsibilities.
Empathy, patience, and ethical judgment in handling animals, interacting with the public, and participating in conservation decision-making.
Adaptability and resilience to work in variable conditions (outdoors, inclement weather, evenings/weekends) and to handle physically demanding tasks.
Instructional and mentoring ability to train junior staff, interns, and volunteers while ensuring safety and consistency of care.
Cultural sensitivity and public-facing diplomacy when representing the organization in outreach, stakeholder meetings, or partner collaborations.
Conflict resolution and de-escalation skills for handling stressful visitor interactions, inter-team disagreements, or live animal incidents calmly and professionally.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate degree or certificate in Zoology, Wildlife Biology, Animal Science, Biology, Animal Technology, or related field, or equivalent hands-on experience.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's degree (B.S.) in Zoology, Wildlife Biology, Animal Behavior, Ecology, or a closely related biological science; advanced degree (M.S.) preferred for research-focused positions.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Zoology or Animal Biology
Wildlife Conservation and Management
Animal Behavior / Ethology
Veterinary Technology / Animal Health
Ecology and Environmental Science

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–5 years of progressive animal care experience in zoos, aquariums, wildlife rehabilitation centers, field research projects, or laboratory animal facilities.

Preferred: 3+ years of direct husbandry experience with target taxa, demonstrated experience with enrichment programs, clinical support experience, and documented participation in conservation or research initiatives.