Clinical Veterinarian

Position: Clinical Veterinarian

Reports To: Vice President of Zoological Operations

Compensation: $90,000 per year

The Clinical Veterinarian is a full-time clinical position whose role in providing animal care and welfare supports the Aquarium’s mission to inspire people to explore, discover, and learn about Earth’s diverse ecosystems. Using modern zoological best practices, the clinical veterinarian coordinates with the Vice President of Zoological Operations to meet the living collection’s needs for preventative, emergency, and surgical care on a 24/7 basis.

Staff support for this position includes a second veterinarian, a licensed veterinary technician, and a large team of experienced animal care professionals. Loveland Living Planet Aquarium has an extremely diverse collection that includes fish and large elasmobranchs, big cats, penguins, otters, and multiple bird, herp, and invertebrate species.

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium provides learning opportunities for all levels, interests, and ages, with the mission to inspire people to explore, discover, and learn about Earth’s diverse ecosystems since 1997. Since opening its new facility in Draper in March 2014, the Aquarium has welcomed over eight million visitors and provided more than 650,000 educational experiences to students. Home to more than 4,000 animals representing 650 species, the Aquarium showcases ecosystems from around the planet including kelp forests, coral reefs, the deep ocean, Antarctic waters, Asian cloud forests, South American rain forests, and the waterways of our home state of Utah.

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 2019. With a new expansion currently under construction and slated for completion in late 2025, LLPA will soon be the largest aquarium in the Mountain West, and 5th largest aquarium overall in the continental United States.

• Supports LLPA’s Veterinary Services Department and Zoological Operations Team through primary clinical case management utilizing best practices in medical, surgical, and diagnostic techniques.
• Provides routine and emergency veterinary medical care during regular work hours and shares on-call and weekend coverage responsibilities.
• Provides guidance and input for animal care initiative such as welfare, nutrition, enrichment, training, habitat design, and other areas of subject matter expertise.
• Supports diagnostic necropsy, sample collection, and interpretation of results.
• Meets standards and regulations for DEA, AZA, AAZV, USDA, OSHA, and other local, state, and federal regulatory agencies and associations as they apply to zoological institutions and veterinary programs/facilities (i.e. animal care, transport, treatment, and the handling of controlled substances).
• Maintains animal medical records using ZIMS (electronic, cloud-based program) and communicates with staff regarding planned and provided care.
• Contributes to and participates in on-going training for veterinary and animal husbandry staff, as well as mentorship of veterinary and veterinary technician student externs.
• Participates in internal meetings to support clinical case review, animal transactions, animal welfare, and scientific research.
• Fosters good relations with visitors, volunteers, community leaders, contractors, and fellow staff by promoting positive attitudes, good will, cooperation, and providing high standards of service.
• Complies with all Loveland Living Planet Aquarium policies, procedures, and programs.

• Minimum of 2 years post-graduate clinical experience.
• Minimum 1 year of zoological or exotic animal experience or specialty internship/residency training.
• Knowledge of the husbandry and veterinary needs of a wide range of mammalian, avian, reptilian, and aquatic species.
• Experience utilizing digital radiography, ultrasound, and rigid and flexible endoscopy for collection of minimally invasive diagnostic information.
• Experience with sedation and anesthesia of a wide range of species, including aquatic immersion and remote immobilization.

• DVM…