Sr. Veterinarian

The Senior Veterinarian plays a vital role in achieving the Shedd Aquarium’s impeccable standards of animal care. This position is given the extraordinary opportunity to shape and implement a comprehensive medical program for Shedd’s resident animals, manage clinical medical cases, support a medical records system, and provide reports on the health of the animals. The Senior Veterinarian is a significant member of the clinical team with primary responsibility in direct patient care, leadership within the Animal Health team, and collaboration with the Animal Care and Conservation Research teams. This position represents the department on aquarium teams and professional associations and plays a key role in the teaching of veterinary students, technicians, and residents. The Senior Veterinarian also supports and conducts ex-situ and in-situ research aligned with Shedd’s strategic priorities.

• The next Senior Veterinarian will benefit from joining an ideal work environment primed for immediate success.
• The newly built Animal Hospital and Aquatic Lab offers state-of-the-art hospital and research laboratory facilities, and the off-site Center for Animal Care and Sustainability provides a beautiful housing location for one-third of Shedd’s collection, while other new exhibit spaces and facilities will be completed soon.
• The Animal Health team is composed of exceptionally competent, dedicated, friendly, and relentlessly optimistic individuals.
• The culture of Shedd is highly collaborative, supportive, and centered on progressive values driven by science and prioritization of animal care. Shedd is home to a broad range of taxa, including cetaceans.
• Few aquariums can compare to the elite legacy and reputation of Shedd.
• Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following.
• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
• The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
• Demonstrate commitment to Shedd’s vision, mission, and values.
• Establish and implement a comprehensive preventative medical program for the care of the aquarium’s animal collection, both on-site and at the Center for Animal Care and Sustainability.
• Coordinate the management of clinical medical cases including diagnoses, treatments, and post-mortem examinations, both on-site and at the Center for Animal Care and Sustainability.
• Support the execution of an accessible and organized medical records system.
• Provide timely reports reflecting the health status of collection animals to Animal Care teams and other appropriate staff.
• Manage activities to ensure good communication and responsible management of resources while providing a high level of service which includes strategic planning and financial management.
• Oversee and execute goals of the Centennial Commitment relating to the treatment of animals and transport between Shedd Aquarium and the Center for Animal Care and Sustainability.
• Provide strategic support, and appropriate leadership, to the veterinary technicians.
• Provide clinical mentorship to veterinary residents, veterinary students, and any other trainees who rotate through the department.
• Provide program management of clinical training programs as requested.
• Represent the department on aquarium teams, and in professional associations.
• Represent the department in public communication, as assigned. E.g., social media.
• Contribute to or oversee research projects in the Animal Health, Animal Care, or Conservation Research departments.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Extensive travel is occasionally required.

Qualifications

• The ideal candidate will be a deeply experienced veterinarian with a demonstrated track record of increasing responsibility and verified success managing clinical caseloads of similar scale, scope, and complexity.
• This person must be a team player, eager and willing to support their colleagues, and driven by a shared goal of superlative care for the animal collection and conservation science.
• This person should be generous in spirit, happily sharing their knowledge and insights with others on the team and taking on a mentorship role, as needed.
• Intellectually curious, this person will ideally have their board certification already, or be actively interested in earning board certification, and will steadfastly contribute to the research, writing, and publication of scientific advancements.
• The individual must espouse the values of Shedd and work effectively with a diverse workforce.

Education:

• Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine required
• Post-doctoral training in an internship and/or residency program focused on zoological medicine is strongly preferred

Experience:

• Minimum of five years of experience in aquatic animal medicine; additional years of experience strongly preferred
• Clinical experience specifically with marine mammals (including pinnipeds, cetaceans, and sea otters) highly desired
• Minimum of two years of experience in the supervision of staff and development of veterinary medical programs required 

Designations/Certifications:

• USDA Category II accreditation required
• Illinois state veterinary license and Illinois state Controlled Substance license required
• DEA license required
• ACZM board certification is strongly preferred
• SCUBA certification preferred

Personal / Professional Attributes:

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills
• Team-oriented
• Relentlessly optimistic
• Calm under pressure
• Impeccable work ethic and high standards of performance
• Superior reasoning and problem-solving ability

BENEFITS WORKING AT SHEDD:

• We offer competitive compensation packages and opportunities for professional growth within our organization.
• Medical Insurance
• Vision and Dental Insurance
• Accrued Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays
• Life Insurance
• Parental Leave
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee discounts

Reasonable Accommodations:

• Shedd Aquarium is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities.
• If you need reasonable accommodations for any part of the employment process, please email us at
• humanresources@sheddaquarium.org.
• We strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ community, veterans and active duty military, parents, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from all cultural backgrounds to apply.
• Shedd Aquarium is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone to our team.