Are you a passionate zoo veterinarian looking for a unique opportunity to work with a diverse range of animals in a stunning natural setting? Join our team as an Associate Veterinarian at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, located in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where you'll enjoy easy access to both the mountains and the water. Our park is located within Point Defiance Park, an old-growth forest overlooking the Puget Sound, providing an exceptional backdrop for your daily work. In this role, you’ll provide care for traditional zoo animals as well as an exciting variety of aquatic species, including fish, elasmobranchs, and marine invertebrates. Our well-equipped veterinary hospital, coupled with strong partnerships with regional veterinary specialists, ensures you have the resources and support you need to provide exceptional animal care. If you’re eager to make an impact in a fun and collaborative environment, we’d love to hear from you!
Work where you play!
Join our team at Parks Tacoma to put your skills to use serving your community and making Tacoma a vibrant, healthy, and welcoming place to live.
Who We Are
Parks Tacoma is a CAPRA-accredited and AZA-accredited, independent park district that leads efforts to build a healthy, sustainable community. Located in Tacoma, Washington, Tacoma Parks’ mission is to create healthy opportunities to play, learn, and grow. The independent park district spans the city providing a wide range of life-enriching destinations and services, including 70+ parks, 80+ miles of trails, 1,000+ acres of urban forest, 66 playgrounds, four community centers, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Point Defiance Park, and much more. Our work is guided by eight core values that are the foundation of our actions and goals: innovation, excellence, equity, inclusiveness, sustainability, accountability, safety, and fun.
Why You’ll Love it Here
Come work where you play! You will contribute to the overall vitality and well-being of your community when you work for Parks Tacoma, and you’ll do so as part of a supportive team of committed, passionate, and mission-driven professionals. The people of Parks Tacoma are the key to its success, and you just might be the next great addition to our team. You’ll receive a competitive wage, along with an attractive benefits package, including medical, dental, retirement, vacation, holidays, and much more. On top of that, you’ll wake each day knowing that you’re helping make Tacoma a great place to call home.
Position Information
Under the direction of the Head Veterinarian at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (PDZA), the Associate Veterinarian will have shared responsibility for providing comprehensive medical care for all animals at PDZA, including fish, elasmobranchs, and invertebrates.
General responsibilities include providing routine preventive medical care, surgery, emergency medical care, diagnostics, and post-mortem examinations to ensure the health and welfare of the animals at PDZA.
In the performance of their respective tasks and duties, all employees are expected to:
- Perform quality work within deadlines with or without direct supervision.
- Interact professionally with other employees, customers and suppliers.
- Work effectively as a team contributor on all assignments.
- Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other employees and organizations.
- Observe applicable safety requirements, use safety equipment provided, implement appropriate safety practices at all times and report immediately any unsafe working conditions or hazards.
