Animal Care Supervisor - Children's Aquarium Dallas

Responsible for

• Manage, support, and actively supervise the Animal Care Team
• Foster a positive, collaborative team culture
• Represent and promote the Children’s Aquarium Dallas
• Work closely and effectively with other departments
• Oversee all medical treatments and monitor animal health
• Review and monitor all animal necropsy and veterinarian site visit reports
• Serve as the Children’s Aquarium Dallas representative to professional agencies
• Coordinate with support departments for maintenance and operation of life support systems
• Ensure compliance with all health, safety, and regulatory standards
• Organize and evaluate exhibit effectiveness
• Maintain operational readiness and ensure all Animal Care Team members adhere to company standards
• Manage emergency situations to minimize risk to guests, team members, animals, and facility property
• Assist in developing policies and procedures for animal operations
• Ensure all required records are accurate and maintained
• Develop, implement, and oversee comprehensive training programs
• Conduct performance appraisals in a timely, fair, and constructive manner
• Provide ongoing coaching, mentorship, and corrective guidance

Duties & Responsibilities

• Manage, support, and actively supervise the Animal Care Team through a hands-on leadership approach
• Foster a positive, collaborative team culture by modeling professionalism, approachability, respect, and strong communication
• Display a friendly, engaging, and guest-focused attitude at all times
• Represent and promote the Children’s Aquarium Dallas in a positive manner
• Work closely and effectively with other departments to support operational success
• Supervise and coordinate schedules and activities of staff engaged in the inventory, care, feeding, enrichment, and delivery of animals
• Oversee all medical treatments as required
• Review and monitor all animal necropsy and veterinarian site visit reports
• Represent the Children’s Aquarium Dallas to professional agencies, institutions, and committees
• Continuously strive to improve animal exhibits, welfare practices, enrichment programs, and educational value
• Coordinate with support departments for maintenance and operation of life support systems and technical infrastructure
• Proactively assist in implementing new exhibits, interactive opportunities, and educational experiences
• Ensure compliance with all health, safety, and regulatory standards
• Organize and evaluate exhibit effectiveness and support ongoing improvements
• Manage emergency situations to minimize risk to guests, team members, animals, and facility property
• Assist in developing policies and procedures for animal operations, life support systems, and exhibits
• Ensure all required records (inventory, medical records, mortalities, dispositions) are accurate and maintained
• Develop, implement, and oversee comprehensive training programs that emphasize both technical skills and guest engagement competencies
• Conduct performance appraisals in a timely, fair, and constructive manner
• Provide ongoing coaching, mentorship, and corrective guidance in a consistent and professional manner
• Support on-the-job training programs to ensure staff are confident, knowledgeable, and aligned with the organization’s standards for animal care and guest experience
• Collaborate with facilities and technical staff to support preventative maintenance and system reliability

Requirements

• Three years in a similar management role required
• Degree in wildlife/marine biology or relevant work experience
• Experience managing teams required
• Exceptional leadership skills and proven experience
• Experienced animal biologist with a strong background in fresh and saltwater aquariums
• Experience in the care of flora and fauna present in a public aquarium setting
• Excellent time management as well as written and oral communication skills
• Strong listening, presentation, and decision-making skills
• Tech proficient in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word
• Creative problem solver who thrives when presented with a challenge
• Energetic and eager to tackle new projects and ideas