Director of Disease Investigations - San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is a nonprofit international conservation leader, committed to inspiring a passion for nature and creating a world where all life thrives. Empowering people from around the globe to support our mission to conserve wildlife through innovation and partnerships, we support cutting-edge conservation, and bring the stories of our work back to our two world-famous front doors - the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park - giving millions of guests, in person and virtually, the opportunity to experience conservation in action. The deep and extensive knowledge gained from more than a century of experience in wildlife care, health, veterinary services, nutrition and conservation makes us invaluable in the global effort to save species. Our team members play a crucial role in driving our conservation efforts forward and bringing us closer to a world where all life thrives.

HOW YOU WILL IMPACT OUR MISSION The Director of Disease Investigations is a leadership position with the responsibility to oversee a team of diagnostic, scientific, and technical support staff, and laboratories. The Director works collaboratively with San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance departments to identify and address wildlife health issues and disease threats, including zoonoses. The Director is responsible for leading, managing and collaborating in diagnostic and research programs that conduct disease surveillance, disease risk assessments, and hypothesis driven research for application to wildlife health and conservation. The Director serves as a subject matter expert, and provides strategic, operational, diagnostic, and scientific leadership. This position has both supervisory and budgetary responsibility. The Director of Disease Investigations reports to the Vice President of Wildlife Health.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Develop and oversee a broad-scale and integrative diagnostic and scientific research program for the Disease Investigations team that is aligned with the organizational strategic conservation goals, internally and globally.
• Lead in providing veterinary pathology expertise for collection health, national and international field conservation initiatives, and in-situ and ex-situ research.
• Responsible for supervision of the Disease Investigations teams (Pathology, Epidemiology, Molecular Diagnostics, Research) including, but not limited to mentorship, engagement, training, succession planning, performance management, hiring, and termination.
• Oversee veterinary pathology service focusing on routine diagnostic pathology and post mortem case management, and contribute to disease outbreak investigations and regulatory (reportable disease) functions. Includes expertise in light microscopy, microbiology, parasitology, toxicology, electron microscopy, and molecular diagnostics.
• Lead the budgeting process for the Disease Investigations team, maintain five-year budgeting plan, and oversee departmental efforts to meet budgetary expectations, including extramural funding.
• Represent and report for the department and organization to leadership stakeholders, partners, and professional organizations, showcasing the overall diagnostic and research productivity of the team including publication of peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The Director of Disease Investigations will work at both the San Diego Zoo in San Diego, CA and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, CA.

JOB EXPERIENCE

• Must have 10 or more years of experience in veterinary diagnostic pathology in non-domestic species required
• Must have expertise in conducting and directing research in a specialize field and conducting and directing diagnostic investigations in wildlife required
• Must have a noteworthy publication record in peer-reviewed scientific journals required

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS

• Ph.D. or DVM in a specialized area of biological science and/or a equivalent specialized training required
• Diplomate in American or European College of Veterinary Pathology - Anatomic (ACVP/ECVP) required
• Ph.D. in a specialized area of biological science and/or a equivalent education strongly preferred
• Special certification and/or licensure is required for some assignments

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

• Expertise in the current standards in diagnostic veterinary pathology.
• Familiar with management practices in zoologic species.
• Knowledge of diagnostic resources for non-domestic and domestic species.
• Knowledge of regulatory reporting requirements in veterinary medicine (State, Federal, International).
• Independent ability to use veterinary necropsy equipment, including light microscope, dissecting scope, BSL2 hood, bandsaw, stryker saw, reciprocating saw.
• Ability to apply critical thinking in problem solving and quality decision making.
• Ability to lead through direction and development of others.
• Ability to develop peer relationships and manage conflict.
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbal and written.
• Ability to anticipate needs, identify downstream consequences, employ proactive measures.
• Ability to build and work with effective, diverse teams.

SOME OF THE PERKS YOU WILL ENJOY AS A TEAM MEMBER

• Free admission to the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park
• Family Passes
• Complimentary Tickets
• Local and In-House Discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellness Program

IMPORTANT DETAILS

• Location: San Diego, CA
• Position Type: Salaried Full-Time Exempt Position
• Salary Rate: $173,982.40

About The Salary Ranges
Please note that the salary range mentioned in this job posting should serve simply as a guide. The final compensation offered may vary based on a variety of factors, including bonuses and/or incentives, or a candidate's experience and skills. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is committed to providing a fair, equitable, and competitive package that reflects the value an individual brings to the organization.

Fraudulent Recruiting
Beware of fraudulent recruiting. Legitimate San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance contacts will use an @sdzwa.org email address. We do not request money, checks, equipment orders, or sensitive personal data during the recruitment process. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance only conducts interviews via phone, Zoom, Teams or in-person.

If you have been asked for any of the above, or believe you have been contacted by someone posing as a San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance employee, please e-mail sdzwacareers@sdzwa.org. If you feel that you have been the victim of fraud, please contact your financial institution(s) immediately.

Be an ally for wildlife by joining our team!

At San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, we thrive on celebrating our differences. Diversity is vital for the benefit of our team members, our guests, our community, and our wildlife.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.

If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete an application, please email your request to sdzwacareers@sdzwa.org and provide the job title and location to which you are applying.

As a Federal Contractor, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is required to participate in the E-Verify Program to confirm eligibility to work in the United States. We are not offering sponsorship for this position at this time.

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is a drug free workplace.