Animal Health Center – Clinical Veterinarian
Collaborate with a passionate Zoo Crew in San Antonio
Choosing where to grow your career has a major impact on your professional and personal life, so it’s equally important you know that the place you choose to work at will support and guide you. With a diversity of passionate people, San Antonio Zoo is a place where you can collaborate with others securing a future for wildlife.
The Impact You’ll Make in this Role
The Clinical Veterinarian provides medical and surgical care for the zoo animal collection. The Clinical Veterinarian implements and monitors the preventative medical health program and collaborates with management and frontline staff across the zoo in the Animal Care, Conservation, and Education Departments. The Clinical Veterinarian must work cooperatively with the Health Center and Commissary staff. The Clinical Veterinarian reports to the Senior Director of Veterinary Care.
As a Clinical Veterinarian, you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative and diverse people in San Antonio. Here, you will make an impact by:
- Constantly exhibit a customer service attitude, a smile, and an obvious interest in visitor comfort and service.
- Communicate courteously and tactfully with visitors. Assist visitors with questions and directions to various areas of the zoo. Anticipate the visitor - do not wait to be asked.
- Remove trash and debris from public areas whenever you see it.
- Establish and maintain professional, positive, cooperative, collaborative, and effective working relations with all fellow zoo employees.
- Job duties are predominantly clinical.
- Provide medical and surgical treatment for the zoo animal collection as needed.
- Conduct post-mortem examinations on all deceased animals and interpret the findings.
- Implement the preventive medicine program and assist in managing animal acquisitions and dispositions, parasite control, vaccination programs, tuberculin testing, dental prophylaxis, and periodic reviews of diets and husbandry techniques.
- Advise animal department Directors, Managers, and Animal Care Specialists concerning care, nutrition, breeding, and housing of zoo animals.
- Support the professional development of animal health center staff.
- Participate in well-being assessments of the collection of animals as their health needs change.
- Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal laws and regulations relating to animal care and treatment.
- Review health-related research requests from outside agencies or individuals.
- Ensure adherence to the Animal Health Center and Commissary budgets.
- Keep abreast of new developments, procedures, and policies in the zoo field by maintaining good lines of communications with other zoo veterinary professionals and by participating in American Association of Zoo Veterinarians or other related veterinary continuing education seminars.
- Maintain accurate and professional medical records for all animals, ensuring compliance with industry standards.
- Monitor the progress of emerging infectious diseases and their impact on the zoo collection and staff. Educate the staff as new developments occur concerning zoonoses.
- Support AZA conservation and captive propagation research by collecting samples, gathering and submitting data, and serving as veterinary advisors to SSPs.
Your Skills and Expertise
To set you up for success in this role from day one, the San Antonio Zoo recommends the following skills/qualifications:
- Ability to perform minor and major surgical procedures.
- Proficient with all forms of chemical immobilization.
- Understand and mitigate risks of human and animal exposure to lethal narcotic drugs.
- Computer literate and ability to become proficient with Microsoft 365, ZIMS, and other applicable software.
- Able to communicate with veterinarians, hospital manager, and veterinary support team clearly and concisely about any updates to animal treatment plans.
- High degree of confidence working with a variety of zoo and wildlife species.
- Strong oral and written skills with the ability to educate and advise diverse teams.
- Ability to work weekends, holidays and after-hour assignments.
- DVM, VMD, or equivalent veterinary degree from an accredited institution.
- Ability to become licensed to practice veterinary medicine in Texas before hire date.
- Must possess Texas Department of Public Safety and Federal Drug Enforcement Agency clearance to handle Class 2 narcotics.
- Must possess USDA Category II Accreditation to certify health for interstate and international transport in Texas.
- Minimum four (4) years’ experience as a veterinarian with a primary focus on zoo or wildlife medicine.
- Possess or have the ability to obtain a Texas driver’s license within 45 days.
- Board certification or eligibility in the American College of Zoological Medicine, American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, or equivalent board certification is preferred.
- Commitment to conservation and the ethical treatment of animals.
The San Antonio Zoo is an equal opportunity employer. San Antonio Zoo will not discriminate against any applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.
