Animal Care Manager / Lead Keeper (Multiple Openings)

Family Fun Group — Houston Interactive Aquarium & Animal Preserve (Houston, TX) · San Antonio Aquarium (San Antonio, TX) · Austin Aquarium (Austin, TX)

Pay: $25–$35 per hour, based on experience jobshiringnearme.org Full-time jobshiringnearme.org Manager-level role from day one

About the role

We’re building a team of experienced animal care professionals across our three Texas parks, and every person we hire comes in at manager level. If you’ve earned your skills at an accredited or established zoo or aquarium and you take personal ownership of animal welfare, we want to talk with you. You’ll lead daily husbandry for your section, set the standard for records and protocols, and help shape how our parks care for hundreds of animals, including mammals, reptiles, birds, and fish.

Specialties we’re hiring

• Mammal Keeper (indoor and outdoor mammals)
• Reptile Keeper (Herpetology)
• Bird Keeper (including walk-through aviaries)
• Aquarist (fish and aquatic invertebrates; life support systems)

What you’ll do

• Lead daily husbandry for your section: diet prep and feeding, habitat cleaning, health observations, and animal welfare checks.
• Own the records: keep accurate daily husbandry logs, animal checkout/check-in logs, medical and behavior notes, and enrichment records. Then hold your team to the same standard.
• Design, schedule, and document enrichment and training programs.
• Follow and improve written protocols for animal handling, transport, safety, biosecurity, and guest interactions.
• Supervise, train, and mentor keepers and animal care staff. Assign tasks and verify they get done.
• Work with veterinary staff on preventive care, treatments, and quarantine.
• Report problems early and clearly, and own the fix.
• Help with guest-facing education and interactive animal experiences.

What we require

• At least 1 year of paid animal care experience at an accredited (AZA, ZAA, or equivalent) or established, USDA-licensed zoo, aquarium, or wildlife park.
• A professional reference from that facility (supervisor, curator, or manager) whom we may contact.
• A track record of following protocols and keeping accurate husbandry records.
• Reliability and a long-term commitment. We’re hiring for the long haul.
• Able to work weekends, holidays, and occasional on-call shifts, since animal care runs 365 days a year.
• Able to lift 50 lbs, work on your feet, and work outdoors in Texas heat and humidity.
• Authorized to work in the United States.
• Valid driver’s license, and able to pass a background check and drug screen.

Nice to have

• Lead keeper or supervisory experience
• Degree in zoology, biology, animal science, marine science, or a related field, or a vet tech credential
• Operant conditioning and training experience
• Experience with ZIMS, Tracks, or another animal records system
• Scientific diver certification (aquarist roles)
• Bilingual English/Spanish

Why join us

• Manager-level title and pay of $25–$35/hr from day one
• Real ownership of your section and your team
• A diverse animal collection across three Texas parks
• A team that holds animal welfare standards high and backs the people who keep them

Family Fun Group is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.