Assistant Curator 2026

Lincoln Children’s Zoo • Associate General Curator

Assistant Curator

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Lincoln Children’s Zoo • Associate General Curator

The Opportunity The Assistant Curator provides direct supervision of Animal Department Supervisors and assists the General Curator with coordinating the day-to-day activities of the Lincoln Children’s Zoo’s animal population. The Assistant Curator is responsible for the daily decisions that affect the care of the animals, staffing and facilities management, and staffing resources to provide consistent world-class care to animals within the Lincoln Children’s Zoo. This position is also in charge of overseeing the Lincoln Children’s Zoo’s welfare and training programs.

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Lincoln Children’s Zoo • Associate General Curator

About the Zoo Founded in 1965, the Lincoln Children’s Zoo has been an important part of the Lincoln community for over 50 years. The Zoo is home to over 400 different animals who receive high-quality care from our trained team of Zoo professionals. The Zoo has been featured on NBC’s Today Show, Time Magazine, ABC News, USA Today, Buzzfeed, CNN, National Geographic, Forbes, Boston Globe and more.

Lincoln Children’s Zoo is one of the fastest growing zoos in the country according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. In 2019, the Zoo completed work on the largest expansion in its history. This expansion added 10 acres to the Zoo’s property and featured a year-round giraffe feeding experience, Sumatran tiger habitat, indoor play area situated next to the spider monkeys, and a play stream. In 2021, Lincoln Children’s Zoo expanded even further to add new residents: cheetahs and giant anteaters. This expansion included the addition of a 25-foot-tall play structure and the Cheetah Chase Theater, which allows guests to watch a cheetah run, reaching speeds of up to 70 mph.

Lincoln Children’s Zoo creates memorable, educational, and enriching experiences for children of all ages and provides families the opportunity to learn firsthand about the natural world. Along with creating fun and educational experiences, the Zoo is committed to animal conservation efforts and saving animals from extinction. Home to over 30 species categorized as vulnerable or near-extinction, the Zoo is devoted to preserving and protecting animals for future generations.

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Lincoln Children’s Zoo • Associate General Curator

2025 ZOO STATS

411,496 10,620 ZOO GUESTS

400 ANIMALS

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MEMBER HOUSEHOLDS

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ANIMAL BIRTHS

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OUR MISSION: To enrich lives through firsthand interaction with living things.

FASTEST GROWING ZOO IN THE U.S.

CORE VALUES

We are there for each other.

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SPECIES SURVIVAL PLANS

We generate enthusiasm.

We are humble.

We go above and beyond.

Lincoln Children’s Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums

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Lincoln Children’s Zoo • Associate General Curator

Financial Health Lincoln Children’s Zoo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Zoo operates from a healthy financial position and is poised for success and growth in the future. In the past seven years the Zoo has always generated a profit while reinvesting over $28 million back into the Zoo. In just over 12 years, the annual budget has grown from $1.8 million in 2011 to over $7 million in 2021.

Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln, Nebraska’s capital city, is ranked at the top as one of the happiest and healthiest cities in America. It’s a unique place with a small-town feel but big city amenities. Residents can experience the charm of Lincoln’s local art scene, flourishing restaurant industry, revitalized downtown, nice people, outdoor experiences including over 132 miles of trails, and an overall relaxed pace of life. Lincoln boasts an incredible public school system with a 13:1 student to teacher ratio and an 80.79% high school graduation rate. Additionally, Lincoln is home to the state’s largest university, the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

Would you like to compare your current salary to the cost of living in Lincoln, Nebraska? Click Here.

6.6%

ONE OF THE

MOST AFFORDABLE STATES TO RAISE A FAMILIY

18.5

BELOW NATIONAL AVERAGE COST OF LIVING IN LINCOLN

LOWER THAN NATIONAL AVERAGE

MINUTES

HOUSING, UTILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, & HEALTH COSTS IN NEBRASKA

AVERAGE LINCOLN COMMUTE

$52,177 $142,000 $800 MEDIAN LINCOLN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

MEDIAN NEBRASKA HOME VALUE

5

/MONTH MEDIAN NEBRASKA RENT

Lincoln Children’s Zoo • Associate General Curator

THINGS TO DO IN LINCOLN

130+

MILES

OF WALKING & BIKING TRAILS

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STATE RECREATION AREAS

WITH 25 MILES OF LINCOLN

MORE PARKLAND PER CAPITA THAN AUSTIN, PORTLAND AND MANY OTHER US CITIES!

MUSEUMS

Sheldon Museums of Art • Morrill Hall • Nebraska History Museum • Great Plains Art Museum • & More!

MUSIC & PERFORMING ARTS VENUES

Multiple music and theater venues featuring local performers and national touring groups, including Broadway tours!

ATHLETICS

Experience athletic events at the college and professional level with the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Lincoln Saltdogs, and Lincoln Stars.

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Lincoln Children’s Zoo • Associate General Curator

Job Duties/Responsibilities • Oversees animal husbandry, welfare, and exhibit of animals in assigned areas.

• Oversee welfare and training programs.

• Ensures that the Zoo meets AZA and relevant USDA standards.

• Oversees and schedules day to day staffing and personnel needs of the various animal care areas of the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, including supervisor coverage and animal care expectations and their animal care staffing needs.

• Coordinates and communicates with the veterinary staff to ensure the health of all animals in the collection.

• Oversees consistency in care of animals across taxonomic groups incorporating animal care sciences, welfare, behavioral training, enrichment, and other disciplines as they develop.

• Oversee in collaboration with the Safety Committee, all animal care safety initiatives, including coordination or assignments for performing zone inspections, safety drills, safety audits and ongoing review of best practices and modern zoological practices.

• Coordinates animal training and scheduling needs for stage demonstrations and ambassador encounters to ensure high-quality guest experiences and best animal welfare.

• Partners with other departments to meet animal care, guest experience, operational, media, and revenue goals.

• Prepares for, and initiates, human and animal-related emergency and safety procedures, including dangerous animal escape procedures.

• Represents the Lincoln Children’s Zoo as requested for media, public relations, and marketing events.

• Participates in recruitment, selection, and employee relations concerns in partnership with Human Resources and the General Curator.

• Delivers annual performance reviews for Zookeepers and provides work plan goals for the coming year.

• All other duties as assigned.

Preferred Talents • Excellent communication skills.

• Experience with Microsoft programs and spreadsheets.

• Exceptional guest experience skills.

• Ability to be flexible to change and provide solutions when problems arise.

• Ability to provide guest interactions in the form of speaking to large audiences as well as small groups.

• Ability to work independently with little supervision.

• Strong desire to support the Lincoln Children’s Zoo’s mission and vision.

• Animal training and/or Ambassador animal program experience.

• Experience with AZA welfare assessments

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Lincoln Children’s Zoo • Associate General Curator

Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Zoology, Animal Science or some related field strongly preferred. Advanced degree in a related field preferred.

• Must have a minimum of 3-5 years of full-time experience in a zoological park or wildlife setting.

• Must have 2 years of experience in a supervisory role.

• Candidates must possess a high level of emotional intelligence and demonstrate a proven history of building cooperative relationships across all organization functions and levels.

• Competitive applicants must be able to share a clear vison for attracting, developing, and retaining high functioning engaged team members.

• Familiarity with AZA animal population management programs (SAFE, SSP, TAG, PMC, etc.). Leadership service as a studbook keeper, SSP coordinator, or Taxon Advisory Groups.

• Must have a working knowledge of AZA Accreditation Standards and USDA Animal Welfare Standards.

• A working knowledge of animal diseases and methods of preventing the spread of contagious disease.

• Proficient in ZIMS software and experience maintaining records and preparing reports.

Physical Requirements The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel, reach with hands or arms, climb or balance, talk or hear. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The employee must be able to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds occasionally.

• Working Environment While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to both indoor and outdoor conditions. This position may also be exposed to extreme temperatures and inclement weather conditions; the environment may consist of wet, icy, or muddy conditions. Must be able to work some nights and weekends.

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Lincoln Children’s Zoo • Associate General Curator

Process Lincoln Children’s Zoo thoroughly reviews candidates through our recruiting and interviewing process. Our process incorporates hiring to our core values and mission; by doing so, we ensure our employees are just as dedicated to the team as we are to them.

Applications are currently being reviewed for this position. Interested individuals are encouraged to submit applications as soon as possible for consideration. Complete applications should be submitted via email to the contact below and should include a cover letter and current resume.

Benefits We care about your health – We offer 90% healthcare coverage for individual and 50% for family including employer provided dental and vision insurance, short and long-term disability, and paid maternity and paternity leave. Additional benefits include flexible holidays to use when you choose and a $500 lifestyle spending account.

We invest in your future – Life insurance paid for by the Zoo and a 401k with employer match are available.

We love our Zoo – Employees receive a free family membership, discount tickets to Zoo events and discounts on food and beverage inside of the Zoo. We value professional development – We offer opportunities for professional development and continuing education (Memberships in professional organizations, attendance at conferences and/or training courses) We are there for each other - At the Zoo we work as a team. No job is more important than another, no work is beneath us and we are focused on pitching in and helping each other when needed.

Contact Olivia Wells Courtney Thorson, Director of Human Resources cthorson@lincolnzoo.org

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