Company: New England Aquarium
Job description: The Manager of Penguins coordinates and implements effective daily operations of the Penguin Team in a manner that adheres to the protocol established by the Curator and the Assistant Curator to ensure the highest standards of animal care, training, enrichment, and wellbeing. The primary role of the Manager is to focus on supporting the Assistant Curator in providing a supportive, positive team environment that fosters staff growth and development in the advancement of animal husbandry, breeding, and welfare initiatives for New England Aquarium's (NEAQ) African penguins and southern rockhopper penguins. As a member of the leadership team, the Manager has a shared responsibility to provide clear and precise coaching of staff for completing routine duties and projects, conditioning animal behavior, and conducting public presentations or guest programs. This includes proactive coordination and scheduling of daily activities to achieve department goals for staff development, animal care, and maintenance of exhibits and support areas (including off-site facilities). Through teaching, coaching, and demonstrating the best industry practices and professional behavior, the Manager of Penguins must be a role model and a well-rounded animal care professional.
This is a full-time regular position offering a comprehensive benefits package. The typical schedule will be Sunday - Thursday and will occasionally require some coverage on weekends and holidays, as well as some early morning and night coverage.
ESSENTIAL LEADERSHIP FUNCTIONS
- Leads daily operations for penguin team and provides direct management of penguin trainers, volunteers, interns, and co-ops through hands-on supervision, training, and coaching.
- Helps to set and communicate clear goals and expectations for performance. Empowers employees and leads them to overcome barriers to their success.
- Assists in improving and implementing the coaching system for the staff on the penguin team to encourage accountability, prioritization, high levels of performance, and timely goal completion.
- Assists with performance evaluations and hiring interviews in collaboration with the Assistant Curator and Curator.
- Provides motivational support to the penguin team and cultivates a positive, professional, and forward-thinking culture.
- Through proactive planning, delegates appropriate projects, responsibilities, and assignments. Follows through with penguin staff to ensure completion.
- Provides backup leadership support for the Pinnipeds team.
- Coordinates, manages, and participates in daily operations and protocol that ensures a safe, healthy, and positive work environment for the staff, guests, and animals. Ensure these practices meet USDA, AZA, and NEAQ standards.
- Co-leads the development and implementation of a comprehensive proactive behavior management plan for the highest industry standards of husbandry training, enrichment, and welfare for the penguin collection. Leads appropriate animal welfare action responses.
- Maintains a proactive approach to animal and staff safety in setting up habitat and systems maintenance, construction projects, and exhibit enhancements.
- Coordinates with the Animal Health Department on animal health matters and develops schedule for training and maintenance of husbandry behaviors for physical examination and medical treatment.
- Coordinates with Facilities department and Environmental Quality department to ensure proper maintenance of life support systems, water quality, and environmental parameters within all assigned exhibits and support areas.
- In coordination with the Curator and Assistant Curator, assists in strategic planning for breeding, transports, and acclimation to support the penguin collection plan. Leads penguin team implementation of those plans.
- Develops, enhances, and participates in guest-centered programs and special events, and coordinates public relations and media opportunities for penguin team with the Marketing and Communications department.
- Learns the fundamentals of pinniped husbandry, training and enrichment for cross training purposes.
- Coordinates requests for donor and VIP tours
- Communicates regularly with the Reservations department and Events department regarding guest interaction programs and guest opportunities.
- Performs all duties of a penguin trainer and other position-related duties as needed.
Minimum Training and Experience
- Requires a Bachelor's degree, concentration in science preferred.
- 6 years of related experience and 2 years of leadership experience on an animal training team.
- Experience with penguin husbandry, training and behavior management, and penguin breeding/chick rearing is required.
- Must have experience with TRACKS, Species 360, OERCA or a comparable animal training, husbandry, and enrichment tracking software.
- Ability to see all colors due to how we identify animals.
- Ability and willingness to work in cold water environments for long periods of time.
- Possession of or willingness to acquire an internationally recognized SCUBA diving certification.
- Ability to obtain Medical Examiner's authorization to SCUBA dive in accordance with NEAQ Diving Program.
- Valid Driver's License and the willingness to drive a 24' Box Truck.
- Ability to obtain Medical Examiner's Certificate in accordance with Motor Carrier Safety Regulation (49 CFR 391.41-391.49).
- Must demonstrate interests and skills required for organizing projects/programs, high level of animal training capability, ability to communicate well with staff and follow through on projects.
- Must have the ability to multi-task effectively throughout the day while continuing to advance animal welfare and enrichment practices.
- Demonstrates advanced knowledge of natural histories for assigned animals and has strong understanding of the biological and chemical processes that occur in filtration systems within assigned areas.
- Must have advanced knowledge of behavior modification and operant conditioning techniques that are in line with modern zoological practices.
- Demonstrates strong initiative, project management skills, and superior ability to set own priorities. Performs excellent work independently as well as collaboratively.
- Demonstrates excellent leadership skills and serves as mentor and coach for all penguin staff, volunteers, interns, and co-ops.
- Willingness to work flexible schedule - will be required to work weekends, holidays and some evenings.
New England Aquarium is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer as defined by the EEOC. Here we foster a culture of respect, diversity, and inclusion. We strive to engage and inspire a broad audience with our efforts to protect the blue planet, and we believe a diverse workforce provides experiences, skills, and perspectives that enrich our programs, strengthen problem-solving, add creativity, and enhance our work environment.
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Location: Boston, MA Apply Now