Manager, Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center

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Full Time
- Exempt Fr/Md-Lvl Off & Mgrs Tampa, FL, US

Position
Summary

The Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center (STRC) Manager provides leadership and oversight for the daily operations of The Florida Aquarium’s (TFA) Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center, located at the Center for Conservation (CFC) in Apollo Beach, Florida. This position leads the STRC team and is responsible for the husbandry, rehabilitation, welfare, and operational management of rescued and rehabilitating sea turtles in the Aquarium’s care.

This position ensures that STRC operations meet or exceed all applicable regulatory, accreditation, animal welfare, and professional standards, including requirements established by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Working in collaboration with the Animal Health team, the position coordinates rehabilitation and husbandry activities to support optimal animal health, welfare, and successful return to the wild.

Program Leadership & Regulatory Compliance

• Provides leadership and operational oversight for all activities of the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center.
• Leads, supervises, develops, and evaluates STRC staff and promotes a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team culture.
• Oversees the recruitment, training, scheduling, supervision, and development of STRC staff, volunteers, and interns.
• Establishes appropriate staffing and on-call coverage to support animal care, emergency response, and program operations.
• Works with the Director of CFC Facility Operations to coordinate facility maintenance, repairs, life-support needs, and improvement projects affecting STRC operations.
• Helps develop and manages the approved STRC annual operating budget and maintains appropriate financial and accounting records.
• Oversees procurement of STRC supplies and equipment and ensures accurate purchasing, invoicing, inventory, and processing practices.
• Ensures compliance with all federal, state, and other applicable regulatory requirements governing the rescue, rehabilitation, management, transport, and release of sea turtles.
• Serves as a primary STRC liaison with the FWC and maintains a collaborative and professional working relationship with FWC’s Imperiled Species Management program and other relevant agency representatives.
• Ensures compliance with applicable accreditation and certification standards, including those of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and American Humane, and maintains STRC facilities, records, procedures, and operations in a state of continual inspection readiness.
• Works with TFA’s Animal Registrar to maintain accurate animal records and ensure timely completion of required regulatory and institutional reporting.
• Develops, maintains, evaluates, and continuously improves STRC standard operating procedures, records, data management, and reporting processes.

Animal Care & Rehabilitation

• Leads husbandry and rehabilitation operations for sea turtles in the STRC’s care, ensuring high standards of animal welfare and appropriate environmental conditions.
• Works collaboratively with the Animal Health team to implement veterinary treatment plans and coordinate examinations, treatments, diagnostics, and other activities supporting the health and well-being of rehabilitating sea turtles.
• Ensures appropriate husbandry, nutrition, water quality, environmental conditions, behavioral monitoring, and daily care throughout the rehabilitation process.
• Coordinates pre-release assessments, including deep-dive testing for sea turtles from The Florida Aquarium and…