At Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, the Supervisor of Stingray Beach is responsible for leading the daily care and training of the Zoo’s cownose, Southern, and Atlantic stingrays at this interactive exhibit. This role ensures the highest standards of animal welfare while overseeing exhibit operations, maintaining life support systems in partnership with the Aquarium team, and supporting an exceptional guest experience.
- Collaboration is central to the success of this position.
- The Supervisor of Stingray Beach works closely with Interactive Animal Programs (IAP) and Guest Services to deliver a safe, memorable, and impactful experience for every visitor.
- As both a leader and role model, the Supervisor fosters a culture of professionalism, excellence in animal care, and meaningful guest engagement.
Duties and Responsibilities/Essential Functions (include but not limited to):
- Animal Husbandry and Welfare
- Implement and oversee husbandry protocols in line with Zoo standards, Living Exhibits SOPs, and AZA guidelines.
- Monitor stingray health, behavior, and body condition; complete welfare assessments and maintain proactive communication with Animal Health staff.
- Supervise and participate in animal handling, including barb trimming and other routine procedures.
- Oversee health management, diet preparation, supplemental feeding, and inventory tracking.
- Maintain complete animal, environmental, and life support records in ZIMS.
- Support and expand enrichment practices to encourage natural behaviors and positive animal welfare.
- Life Support Systems (LSS) and Facility Operations
- Maintain a thorough understanding of life support system functions and mechanics.
- Collaborate with the LSS team on daily operation, monitoring, and routine maintenance of all LSS associated with Stingray Beach.
- Coordinate with Facilities, LSS staff, and senior management on repairs, optimization, and upgrades.
- Assist with monitoring, repair, and modifications of systems that support buildings and animal spaces.
- Ensure all public and behind-the-scenes spaces are clean, well-maintained, and guest-ready.
Staff Supervision and Training
- Lead and supervise the Stingray Beach animal care team.
- Develop staffing schedules, ensure accurate timekeeping, and manage labor resources effectively.
- Train, mentor, and cross-train staff in husbandry, LSS, and safety protocols.
- Provide constructive feedback, coaching, and corrective action when necessary.
- Cultivate leadership in the Stingray Beach Lead to serve as a reliable backup.
- Promote a safe, professional, and collaborative work environment for staff and volunteers.
Guest Experience and Collaboration
- Partner closely with Interpretive Animal Programs (IAP) and Guest Services to ensure a safe, memorable, and impactful guest experience.
- Serve as a knowledge resource for interpreters and other staff working with or near the stingray exhibit.
- Support cross-departmental functions including marketing, PR, special events, and education programming as needed.
- Act as an ambassador for the Zoo by modeling professionalism and engaging meaningfully with guests.
Safety and Risk Management
- Maintain a culture of safety for both animals and people, ensuring staff are trained to work around stingrays and potentially dangerous systems.
- Regularly assess animal containment and staff/guest safety procedures.
- Reinforce safe practices with all staff and respond promptly to safety concerns.
Other Responsibilities
- Manage department planning, daily records and reports, interdepartmental communication, and staff meetings.
- Contribute to operational improvements and provide input on guest experience, animal welfare, and staff support initiatives.
- Assist with horticultural upkeep within the exhibit, including plants and landscaping.
- Travel to other Living Exhibits or Zoo locations as needed for training or coverage.
- Support general Zoo operations and contribute toward the Zoo’s conservation and education mission.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Demonstrated ability to work independently once familiar with established procedures, while also thriving in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
- Strong interpersonal and leadership skills with proven success in supervising, training, and mentoring staff.
- Thorough understanding of animal training principles and techniques with the ability to teach and coach staff in their application.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills including confidence in public speaking for educational presentations, tours, and media engagements.
- Proficiency in operational and administrative tools, including husbandry equipment, life support systems, and office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and email).
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities, particularly in assessing animal behavior, staff performance, and guest safety
Supervisory Responsibilities:
- Supervise 1 full-time staff
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Zoology, Biology, Wildlife Management, or related field (preferred).
- Four years of professional experience in exotic animal care, husbandry, and behavior.
- Supervisory experience with demonstrated leadership, staff development, and performance management skills.
- Must be at least 18 years old with a valid driver’s license and clean driving record.
- Willingness to travel as needed for training, coverage, or professional development.
All leaders are expected to:
- Foster connection, trust and transparency by leading with honesty, consistency, and inclusion. Leaders who embody these principles build a sense of community – creating an environment where team members feel seen, valued and united in purpose. This foundation enables teams to thrive and share in the joy of working together toward common goals.
- Maintain two-way communication by regularly connecting with team members and encouraging dialogue. Open communication fuels innovation by ensuring all voices are heard and ideas are shared, driving our collective impact.
- Create space for feedback—both giving and receiving—and follow up meaningfully. By valuing feedback, we promote an environment of care, where growth and improvement are supported, leading to impactful outcomes for both individuals and teams.
- Model accountability and responsiveness by owning outcomes and addressing issues timely. This demonstrates care for the team’s well-being and ensures that our actions have a meaningful, positive impact on the organization.
- Promote psychological safety by supporting open expression without fear of retaliation or judgment. A psychologically safe environment is fundamental to fostering joy in the workplace and enables everyone to contribute to our collective success with confidence.
Work Environment/Physical Demands:
- Ability to lift up to 60 pounds, climb ladders, work in elevated areas, and perform physically demanding husbandry tasks.
- Comfortable working indoors and outdoors in variable weather conditions.
- Position requires regular contact with stingrays and potentially dangerous animals; adherence to established safety protocols and risk management procedures is essential.
Remote Work:
- This is to be determined in conjunction with the Department Head and Zoo policy.
DISCLAIMER
- The information presented indicates the general nature and level of work expected of employees in this classification.
- It is not designed to contain, nor is it to be interpreted as, a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and objectives required of employees assigned to this job.
- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer as defined by the EEOC.
