Lead of Ambassador Programs in Draper, Utah at The Living Planet Aquarium
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Job Description
Position: Lead of Ambassador Programs
Reports To: Curator of Ambassador Programs
Compensation: $27/hour
Why Utah?
Utah is home to five national parks, world-class skiing and snowboarding, hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails, and stunning deserts, mountains, and lakes, all within easy driving distance. Outdoor adventure is part of everyday life. The Salt Lake Valley consistently ranks high for safety, clean communities, short commute times, and family-friendly amenities. Draper offers a balance of suburban comfort and urban access, with downtown Salt Lake City just 15 minutes away. Enjoy all four seasons without extremes—sunny summers, colorful falls, snowy winters, and mild springs, perfect for both outdoor recreation and city living. Utah’s communities are known for being engaged, supportive, and service-oriented, making it easy for newcomers to feel at home.
About Loveland Living Planet Aquarium:
Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (LLPA) is a mission-driven institution dedicated to inspiring people to explore, discover, and learn about Earth’s diverse ecosystems. Founded in 1997, the Aquarium provides impactful educational experiences for guests of all ages and backgrounds.
Since opening its Draper, Utah facility in 2014, LLPA has welcomed more than 10 million visitors and delivered over 650,000 educational experiences to students. Home to over 4,000 animals representing 650 species, the Aquarium features immersive habitats from around the world, including coral reefs, kelp forests, the deep ocean, Antarctic waters, tropical rainforests, Asian cloud forests, and Utah’s freshwater ecosystems.
Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 2019, LLPA is in an exciting phase of growth. With the opening of the Sam and Aline Skaggs Science Learning Center, the Aquarium became the largest in the Mountain West and the fifth largest aquarium in the continental United States, offering expanded opportunities for education, research, and professional impact.
Position Summary:
The Lead of Ambassador Programs serves as the primary technical and "hands-on" supervisor for the Ambassador Animal (AA) team. The Lead manages the "People & Systems" in the field, ensuring daily team coordination and animal training excellence. This role is the taxonomic expert and mentor responsible for the physical implementation of animal care, presentation readiness, and team development.
Qualifications:
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Zoology, Biology, or a related field.
- Experience: Minimum of 6 years of professional experience in an aquarium or zoo environment with demonstrated supervisory success.
- Specialization: Proven record of animal husbandry, enrichment, and training, with specific experience in raptor care required.
Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:
Certifications: Valid Utah driver’s license and CPR/First Aid certification (or the ability to obtain it).
Critical Skills/Competencies:
- Technical Mastery: Advanced animal training knowledge and experience in an ambassador animal or bird show setting.
- Issue Resolution: Ability to identify and log animal health or system issues the same day they occur.
- Communication: Excellent communication skills with the ability to give and take direction both verbally and in writing.
- Compliance: Ensures all daily husbandry records and biosecurity protocols are met according to AZA standards.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Daily Tactical Leadership
- Team Coordination: Coordinates daily work schedules and task prioritization for all levels of ambassador staff.
- Field Supervision: Serves as the frontline supervisor for daily husbandry, cleaning, and feeding execution.
- Operational Readiness: Ensures all animals, transport equipment, and presentation spaces are "show-ready" before public guest engagement.
- Issue Resolution: Responsible for identifying and logging exhibit or animal issues the same day they occur to ensure rapid resolution.
Animal Husbandry & Training
- Technical Expertise: Acts as the taxonomic head for the ambassador collection. Facilitates enclosure design and executes appropriate environmental parameters for birds of prey and other diverse program animals.
- Advanced Training: Leads the implementation of operant conditioning, handling protocols, and training raptors for free-flight or public presentations.
- Safety & Welfare: Conducts animal welfare assessments and executes safety protocols during animal handling and transport to prevent harm.
- Medical Support: Leads complex medical treatments and assists with quarantine protocols for new animal arrivals.
Personnel & Project Management
- Staff Coaching: Provides direct coaching, mentorship, and tactical evaluations for junior staff advancement.
- Staff Development & Mentorship: Responsible for direct staff coaching, providing tactical mentorship, and conducting skill assessments for assigned team members.
- Professional Career Pathing: Acts as a mentor to Keeper I, II, and III identifying growth opportunities and working with individuals to ensure they are on track with professional goals for promotion to the next tier.
- Staff Training: Oversees the training of new staff members and coordinates the scheduling of education animal handling trainings/observations.
- Program Implementation: Leads the physical execution of animal transports and the setup of mobile education programs.
- Training Drills: Conducts safety drills to ensure 100% staff training compliance and risk mitigation.
Physical Demands of the Job:
Must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 lbs. and occasionally lift and/or move up to 75 pounds, stand for long periods of time and drive aquarium vehicles. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to use hands and fingers to handle, reach or feel and manipulate objects or controls. The employee is frequently required to sit, walk distances, climb, balance, stoop, bend, kneel, crouch and stand for long periods for time.
Benefits & Perks
- Comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees including:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus optional FSA/HSA accounts
- Paid time off & 12 paid holidays per year
- Paid bereavement leave and paid new child leave (birth, adoption, or placement)
- Employer-paid short-term disability; optional long-term disability coverage
- Convenient onsite childcare (employees pay approximately 20% of the cost)
- 401(k) with match up to 4% - fully vested from day 1 of contribution
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Free Aquarium membership
- Discounts on tickets, gift shop, and café purchases
- Free and discounted animal encounters
- Pet insurance and discounts
- Footwear discounts
- Entertainment, travel, and retail savings through Tickets at Work
While this job description attempts to describe the essential functions of the position, it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. It does not restrict management’s right to assign or reassign duties or responsibilities to this job at any time. The overall work environment while performing this job includes exposure to weather conditions and the noise level is usually moderate. The employee is expected to adhere to all policies and to act as a role model in the adherence to the policies.
The Living Planet Aquarium is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive environment for all. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or military status. The Living Planet Aquarium is committed to ensuring individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application and interview process. Should you require accommodations, please contact accommodation@livingplanetaquarium.org.