Job Description

Department: Zoo  

Pay:   $82,782 annually

Work Schedule:

Sedgwick County offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees that includes health coverages, paid leave, regular compensation reviews, retirement plans, and professional development opportunities. For more detailed information, please visit our benefits page at SCBenefits .

Provides routine preventative, diagnostic, and emergency medical care for all Zoo animals. Observes and monitors the health of the animal populations. Prescribes medications, provides advice on and approves diets and enrichment activities and care protocols. Provides advice on animal husbandry matters. Supervises quarantine facilities and veterinary technicians. This position participates in a mandatory on-call rotation.

Preventative Treatment of Collection

• Perform comprehensive preventative medicine, nutrition, contraception, and pathology review for the entire animal collection.
• Schedule and perform routine physical exams for animals in collection as described by SCZ’s preventative health plan.
• Confer with curators and other staff regarding health and preventative medicine programs for animals in collection.
• Recommend and approve animal diets, as necessary. Maintain updated knowledge of animal nutrition.
• Work with departments to actively participate in review and approval of enrichment protocols. Maintain current knowledge of enrichment practices within AZA Accredited Facilities.
• Complete pre-shipment transfer exams and provide information to other institutions for incoming animal transactions in order to maintain good welfare of animal collection.
• Provide contraception for Zoo animals as needed, including medications, hormonal implants, and surgical procedures.
• Determine appropriate quarantine procedures for in-coming transfers using a risk assessment analysis.
• Fully participate in emergency response preparedness; including animal escape, venomous bite, active shooter, fire, and weather emergencies.

Diagnosis & Treatment of Collection

• Ability to diagnose, treat, prescribe for, and medicate Zoo animals.
• Perform veterinary medical procedures on Zoo animals and supervise others in the performance of these procedures; perform surgery and prescribe medication; administer or supervise the administration of medications and treatments; perform or supervise the performance of diagnostic tests and procedures; perform necropsies.
• Analyze results of medical testing for treatment of animals within the collection.
• Maintain knowledge of acceptable protocols and standards for veterinary techniques, practices, procedures, and equipment, including a complete understanding of AZA accreditation standards and USDA standards and requirements.

Records

• Participate in the maintenance of animal health records; participate in national computerized record-keeping systems; make report to zoo staff and other zoos as needed. Review daily animal reports from the entire zoo.
• Complete clinical notes on cases and follows through with the input of such notes into current operating systems or provides instructions for clerical staff support of input. Ability to prepare, maintain and recall accurate veterinary records.

Minimum Qualifications: Doctorate in Veterinarian Medicine (VMD or DVM). Two years post-graduate veterinarian experience with at least one year of experience with non-domestic species. Must obtain a State of Kansas Veterinary license and USDA accreditation within 6 months of employment. Must be able to obtain a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) practitioner license within 45 days of employment. Per Sedgwick County policy, this is a driving level position that requires a valid US driver’s license without restrictions and current proof of automobile insurance.

Preferred Qualifications: Two years of full-time employment as a veterinarian in a zoological or aquarium institution.

It is the policy of Sedgwick County not to discriminate in its programs or services, including employment, on the basis of race, color, sex, including pregnancy, gender identity and sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry or citizenship, marital status, religious or political affiliation, genetic information, disability, status as a member of the uniformed services or any other similarly protected status.

Sedgwick County is committed to making the application, interview, and pre-employment testing process accessible to qualified persons with disabilities as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you wish to volunteer information regarding any special assistance you may need, please contact the Sedgwick County ADA Coordinator at (316) 660-7050, TDD (Kansas Relay at 711 or 800-766-3777). Please do not use this phone number for employment questions.  Applicants are contacted only if they are determined to be qualified candidates. 

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