Zoo Keeper Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Associate Veterinarian (Veterinarian)

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Associate Veterinarian (Veterinarian)

Salary

$97,066.69 - $162,620.57 Annually

Location

3500 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA

Job Type

Unclassified

Job Number

13142

Department

Zoo

Opening Date

06/04/2026

Closing Date

Continuous

• Description

• Benefits

• Questions

Description

The Virginia Zoo is seeking a skilled and compassionate Associate Zoo Veterinarian to join our expanding animal health team. The growing department includes a Senior Director of Animal Health (diplomate of ACZM and ECZM), two associate veterinarians, an office manager/veterinary technician, two veterinary technicians, a Lead Animal Health Keeper, and two Animal Health Keepers.

This is an exceptional opportunity to become part of a dynamic team at a rapidly growing facility. You will play a key role in the care and welfare of a diverse animal collection while contributing to meaningful conservation efforts. At the Virginia Zoo, you will be valued as an integral member of a collaborative veterinary team committed to excellence and dedicated to innovative, progressive animal health practices.

Located just steps from the Chesapeake Bay—with kayak access right outside our fence—and only 30 minutes from the oceanfront and three hours from the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Virginia Zoo offers both a meaningful career and an exceptional quality of life.

This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is selected. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We are aiming for this candidate to start on or after October 4th.

For over 100 years The Virginia Zoological Park has been committed to saving and protecting the world's wildlife by inspiring a passion for nature and taking conservation action at home and around the world. Come live by the beautiful Chesapeake Bay; kayak launch sites are just outside our perimeter fence. We are situated 30 minutes from the ocean front and 3 hours from the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Department Starting Salary Range: $97,066.69 - $111,386.26

Essential Functions

Essential functions include but are not limited to:

• Foster a positive, professional work environment and maintain collaborative relationships with zoo staff, volunteers, the public, City of Norfolk employees, board members, and vendors.

• Work closely with curators, keepers, and the veterinary team on clinical case management and daily operations.

• Stay current with veterinary literature to support evidence-based medical decisions and maintain compliance with industry standards.

• Deliver preventative and emergency care for a wide variety of taxa including mega vertebrates, great apes, large carnivores, hoofstock, small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates.

• Perform surgical and anesthetic procedures, including those conducted in guest-viewing areas.

• Conduct gross necropsies, submit appropriate diagnostic samples, determine suitable preventive actions for surviving group members, and communicate findings to the animal care team promptly.

• Provide emergency care and euthanasia for wildlife found on zoo grounds when appropriate.

• Maintain a USDA Category II Accreditation and support the veterinary component of animal acquisitions and dispositions.

• Ensure accurate and timely recordkeeping in ZIMS.

• Participate in zoo-wide initiatives such as animal welfare assessments, behavior training programs, and enrichment planning.

• Ensure compliance with AVMA, USDA, AZA, and other regulatory standards relevant to zoo veterinary practices.

• Share in after-hours emergency on-call rotation.

• Respond to animal-related emergencies within the zoo.

• Handle high concentrated anesthetic drugs and respond to human exposure to these drugs.

• Provide training to zoo staff and volunteers on relevant topics such as zoonotic diseases.

• Mentor visiting students, technicians, and interns.

• Represent the zoo professionally to the public, media, and external partners.

• Participate in tours, educational events, and guest engagement activities as needed.

• Collaborate with colleagues on clinical cases as needed.

• Contribute to the zoo’s conservation and research initiatives through sample collection, data submission, and participation in research studies.

• Present findings through peer-reviewed publications or at professional conferences to advance the fields of zoo medicine, animal welfare, husbandry, and conservation.

• Carry out additional duties assigned by the Senior Director of Animal Health to ensure high standards of care and departmental functionality .

• Must be available to work weekends, holidays, and overtime as needed. May be required to stay overnight at the Zoo in cases of animal illness, severe weather, or other emergencies that impact regular travel.

• Must be able to respond to the Zoo within 45 minutes under normal traffic conditions in the event of an emergency when on-call.

Education/Experience

Graduation from an AVMA accredited veterinary school with a degree in veterinary medicine (DMV) or equivalent.

Requires adequate zoo experience to ensure a level of professional skill vital to the provision of veterinary medicine.

Preferred Education/Experience:

• DVM or equivalent from an AVMA-accredited veterinary school.

• Valid license (or eligibility) to practice veterinary medicine in Virginia required prior to employment start date.

• Minimum of 2 years full-time postgraduate experience in veterinary medicine, including at least 1 year at a zoo veterinary internship in an AZA-accredited (or equivalent) institution or at least 2 years at an AZA-accredited (or equivalent) institution.

• Must have post-graduate experience anesthetizing large carnivores, great apes, hoofstock, and mega vertebrates.

• Completion of a zoological internship or residency preferred.

• ACZM or ECZM board eligibility or certification highly desirable.

• USDA Category II Accreditation for Virginia required within 3 months of hire.

• Strong communication, interpersonal, and collaboration skills with the ability to engage diverse audiences.

• Proficient in modern zoo veterinary practices, including anesthesia, diagnostics, recordkeeping, and the safe use of controlled substances.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in team-based, interdisciplinary environments.

• Knowledge of state and federal laws and regulations pertaining to zoo veterinary medicine.

• High emotional intelligence, professionalism, self-awareness, and situational awareness.

• Must possess or obtain a valid Virginia driver’s license.

• Negative TB test and current rabies vaccination required.

Preferred License(s) and/or Certification(s):

• Must obtain a Virginia State Driver’s License within 6 months of hire.

• Must become CPR certified within 6 months of hire

Additional Information & Requirements

Work Location: Virginia Zoological Park, 3500 Granby St., Norfolk, VA 23504

Work Hours: Sunday through Thursday 7:30 – 4:30. Shared after-hours on-call. Additional days and times as needed. Schedule is subject to change depending on departmental needs. Potential to shift to a ten-hour, four-day work week in the future.

• Regular full-time and permanent part-time employees may receive paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, employer paid pension plan, basic life insurance, voluntary participation in medical and dental, Section 457 deferred compensation, long-term disability, optional life insurance for self, spouse and children, medical and dependent care reimbursement plans, access to membership in credit union and employer provided parking.

• Special project/grant employees are generally eligible for the same benefits of regular full-time employees; however, retirement, life insurance and participation in health plans vary depending upon funding and authorization.

• Temporary/seasonal and part-time employees are generally only eligible for employer provided parking and access to membership in credit union.

• Retirement

If you are hired October 5, 2010, or after to a position with City of Norfolk Retirement System benefits, you will be required to contribute five percent (5%) of your salary toward your retirement benefit. This will be a pre-tax payroll deduction.

If you are hired January 1, 2022, or after to a position with Virginia Retirement System (VRS) benefits, you will be required to contribute five percent (5%) of your salary toward your retirement benefit. This will be a pre-tax payroll deduction.

• The Tuition Assistance Program is established to encourage employees toward continued self-development and education. Permanent full-time and permanent part-time classified, unclassified permanent, full-time special projects, and constitutional employees who have completed six months continuous service will be eligible to apply. The applicant’s school of enrollment must be an accredited institution.

NOTE:

The benefits described above are broad generalizations. The specific benefits that an employee may be eligible for are governed by City regulations, as applicable to job type.

Non-City

Positions listed with a job type designation of "Non-City" are not subject to the benefits descriptions above. Refer to the content of the job posting for information regarding these positions.

01

The following Supplemental Questions are specific to the position for which you have applied to assist the hiring manager in screening applications for specific experience being sought. Please be specific in answering these questions as they will be used to evaluate which applications will be given further consideration in the process. Do not answer "see resume" or "see application" as these are not valid answers. Please note that if you are invited to be interviewed by the department, your responses to the following questions may be subject to verification.

• I understand and will answer the following supplemental questions completely and thoroughly.

02

Please select each level of education you have completed

• High School Diploma/GED

• Technical/Vocational Degree

• Bachelor's Degree

• Master's Degree

• PhD

• Professional Doctorate (DVM or equivalent)

• Board Certification

03

If selected in the previous question, please list which technical/vocational degree or board certification held.

04

Did you complete an internship and/or residency in Zoological Medicine?

• Yes

• No

05

If yes, please specify which program(s) completed.

06

Will you be eligible to sit for the ACZM or ECZM exam in the next 3 years?

• Yes

• No

07

If yes, what year do you anticipate being eligible?

08

Do you hold an active veterinary license in the state of Virginia?

• Yes

• No, but I will be able to obtain one prior to the start of employment

• No, and I will be unable to obtain one

09

Please select the number of postgraduate anesthetic procedures you have performed in mega vertebrates

• Less than 5

• 5 or more

• None

10

Please select the number of postgraduate anesthetic procedures you have performed in large carnivores

• Less than 5

• More than 5

• None

11

Please select the number of postgraduate anesthetic procedures you have performed in great apes

• Less than 5

• More than 5

• None

12

Please select the number of postgraduate anesthetic procedures you have performed in hoofstock

• Less than 5

• More than 5

• None

13

Please list other taxa you have anesthetized (postgraduate experience only) and whether it was less than 5 times or 5 or more times.

14

Do you have postgraduate experience performing soft tissue surgeries?

• No

• Yes

15

If yes, list taxa, types of surgery, and approximate numbers of surgeries performed.

16

Do you have experience performing hoof trims?

• Yes

• No

17

If yes, list taxa and approximate number of times you have performed hoof trims (less than 5 versus 5 or more in number of animals, not number of hooves).

18

Check the boxes below for each diagnostic tool you have experience using and the appropriate experience level.

• Digital radiography - beginner

• Digital radiography - intermediate

• Digital radiography - expert

• Ultrasonography - beginner

• Ultrasonography - intermediate

• Ultrasonography - expert

• Flexible endoscopy - beginner

• Flexible endoscopy - intermediate

• Flexible endoscopy - expert

• Rigid endoscopy - beginner

• Rigid endoscopy - intermediate

• Rigid endoscopy - expert

19

Please indicate your veteran status. (A copy of your long form DD-214 may be required)

• I am not a Veteran

• I am a Veteran

• I am a Disabled Veteran

20

Are you a current or previous City of Norfolk e