Veterinary Care: Veterinarian - Full Time

ZooMontana is currently seeking a visionary leader to serve as our veterinarian. This role marks a significant milestone for the institution as it establishes its first employed veterinary staff, moving away from a contracted clinic model. As a cornerstone of ZooMontana’s leadership team, the veterinarian provides comprehensive health management and strategic oversight for our diverse animal collection. This pivotal role ensures the highest standards of animal welfare through modern zoological best practices, delivering elite preventative, emergency, and surgical care.

Beyond clinical excellence, the Veterinarian will serve as the administrative architect of our brand-new Animal Health Center, currently in the early stages of construction and slated for completion in Spring 2027. Set on a beautiful 70‑acre campus, ZooMontana is a private, AZA‑accredited institution where this role will directly advance our core missions of conservation and education.

Clinical & Medical Management

Comprehensive Care: Provide routine and emergency medical care, including efficient diagnosis, treatment, surgery, and immobilization for a diverse range of taxa.

Preventative Medicine: Design and implement programs for quarantine, parasite control, vaccinations, dental care, and infectious disease testing.

Diagnostic Services: Perform and interpret diagnostic imaging (radiography, ultrasound) and laboratory work.

Pathology: Conduct gross necropsies, collect samples for histopathology, and prepare reports to establish causes of death and monitor population health.

Anesthesia: Manage sedation and anesthesia, including the use of remote immobilization and the handling of ultrapotent opioids.

Operations & Compliance

Records Management: Maintain accurate, timely, and thorough electronic medical records using ZIMS, following the SOAP format.

Regulatory Compliance: Ensure the veterinary program meets or exceeds standards set by the AZA, AAZV, USDA, and OSHA.

Oversee pre‑shipment health exams and manage the quarantine process for all incoming and outgoing animals.

Supervise the hospital and foster a collaborative, constructive team environment.

Partner with Curators and animal care staff on nutrition, enrichment, habitat design, and training for medical behaviors.

Education & Mentorship: Manage the veterinary student externship program; mentor and train interns, technicians, and staff on medical protocols.

Environmental Exposure: Work occurs in both indoor and outdoor settings, including exposure to extreme weather (heat, cold, rain, snow).

Safety: Must be comfortable working around wild animals and understand the risks of zoonotic diseases. Schedule: Full‑time (40 hours/week) with a requirement to share on‑call duties for after‑hours emergencies, weekends, and holidays.

Experience: Minimum of 2 years post‑graduate clinical experience. Minimum 1 year of zoological or exotic animal experience (internship/residency preferred).

Licensure: Must be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State of Montana (or able to obtain within 3 months).