Animal Education and Ambassador Manager

Mission Alignment:
At NorCal Aquarium and Wildlife Adventures, our mission is to spark meaningful connections between our animals and every guest through immersive, educational experiences that inspire care, wonder, and lifelong learning. This role exists to bring that mission to life every single day.

Position Summary:
The Animal Education & Ambassador Manager is a leadership role responsible for designing and delivering impactful animal education experiences that inspire empathy, curiosity, and conservation-minded action. This position oversees the Animal Ambassador Team and leads the development of educational programs, live animal presentations, enrichment-based training, and guest interactions that prioritize animal welfare while creating unforgettable learning moments for guests of all ages.

Working in close collaboration with Husbandry Curators, Veterinary teams, and Guest Experience leadership, this role bridges animal behavior science and public education, ensuring every program, show, and encounter reflects best practices in animal welfare, enrichment, and positive reinforcement training—while advancing the organization’s educational vision.

Key Responsibilities:

Guest Engagement & Educational Programming:

• Lead and participate in live animal presentations, ambassador shows, demonstrations, and encounters that educate guests on animal behavior, conservation, and human–animal connections.
• Develop and refine interactive educational experiences that align with the organization’s mission and inspire guests to care about wildlife beyond their visit.
• Train staff on effective educational messaging, safe animal interactions, and age-appropriate guest engagement techniques.
• Ensure all guest-facing animal programs balance education impact, animal welfare, and safety.
• Serve as a visible ambassador of the organization’s mission, modeling curiosity, empathy, and professionalism in all guest interactions.

Animal Education, Training & Enrichment:

• Design, implement, and evaluate education-driven enrichment and training programs that support animal welfare, natural behaviors, and learning opportunities for guests.
• Develop and maintain positive reinforcement training plans, under Husbandry Curator guidance, to support animal care, veterinary behaviors, and educational demonstrations.
• Integrate behavioral science into public-facing programs, translating complex animal behavior concepts into engaging, guest-friendly storytelling.
• Maintain detailed records of training progress, enrichment outcomes, and behavioral observations to support welfare assessments and program improvement.
• Collaborate with veterinary, husbandry, and national animal care teams to adapt training or enrichment strategies based on health and welfare needs.

Leadership & Team Development:

• Lead, mentor, and support the Animal Ambassador Team, fostering a culture of learning, collaboration, and welfare-first decision-making.
• Provide hands-on training and professional development in:
  • Animal behavior observation.
  • Enrichment planning.
  • Training fundamentals.
  • Educational storytelling and guest engagement.
• Coordinate daily schedules for educational programming, shows, enrichment sessions, and training activities in partnership with Husbandry leadership.
• Support performance feedback and coaching focused on educational quality, animal welfare, and guest connection.

Program Development & Collaboration:

• Partner with Husbandry Curators and national teams to ensure all education programs support long-term animal welfare goals.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Guest Services to promote educational programs, special events, and conservation messaging.
• Assist in developing long-term education initiatives, including:
  • Animal encounter programs.
  • Seasonal or themed educational events.
  • Conservation awareness campaigns.
• Regularly assess program success using guest feedback, participation metrics, and animal welfare indicators, adjusting programming as needed.

Compliance, Safety & Welfare Standards:

• Ensure all animal handling, presentations, and guest interactions comply with USDA, Fish & Wildlife, and internal welfare standards.
• Enforce safety protocols for staff and guests during animal programs and encounters.
• Monitor educational programming to ensure it aligns with ethical wildlife education practices and organizational values.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience working with animals, with a strong emphasis on training, enrichment, and behavior management.
• Demonstrated experience delivering animal education programs, public presentations, or live animal demonstrations.
• Strong foundation in animal behavior, welfare principles, and positive reinforcement training.
• Proven leadership experience, including staff training, mentorship, and schedule coordination.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences (children, families, adults).

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Zoology, Animal Science, Biology, Animal Behavior, Wildlife Education, or a closely related field (required).

Preferred:

• Professional certifications in animal behavior or training (e.g., IAABC, CPAT-KA, AZA Behavior Management).
• Experience developing or managing education-focused programs in a zoo, aquarium, wildlife park, or science education setting.
• Background in conservation education or informal learning environments.

Working Conditions:

• Physically active role requiring standing, walking, lifting, and animal handling.
• Work conducted in indoor and outdoor environments with varying weather conditions.
• Weekend, holiday, or after-hours work may be required for special events, programs, or peak guest periods.