Chicago Zoological Society

Brookfield Zoo is open 365 days a year.  The Chicago Zoological Society employs over 475 full-time employees and, during the busy summer season, hires over 1,000 additional seasonal workers.  A highly diverse staff and wide variety of skills are required to operate the zoo.  Positions at the zoo include animal care staff, as well as professional, administrative, scientific, and executive positions, and technical, trades, clerical, and service positions, to name just a few. 

 

The Society receives thousands of applications each year for hundreds of positions. The busiest recruitment period is during the spring and summer for seasonal positions.

 

The following is a list of just some of the business functions where we may have job opportunities. If you would like to see a complete list of current job opportunities, please visit the Society’s Available Positions web page.

 

·         Administration

·         Accounting

·         Animal Nutrition

·         Catered Events

·         Custodial Services

·         Education 

·         Facilities

·         Food Services

·         Fundraising

·         Graphic Arts

·         Grounds Maintenance

·         Information Systems

·         Marketing

·         Membership

·         Park Safety

·         Publications

·         Retail Operations

·         Security

·         Warehouse

 

 

The Chicago Zoological Society is an affirmative/action equal opportunity employer and considers all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability that does not preclude performance of essential job duties, or any other status protected by law. The Society supports and promotes workforce diversity and strives to foster a work environment of respect and inclusiveness where the contributions of all workers are valued and recognized.

 

The Chicago Zoological Society has been a leader in shaping the way zoos around the world have changed.  Recognizing the need for people to develop sustainable relationships with nature, Brookfield Zoo has continued to evolve into a conservation center. The Society has embarked on a Capital Development Plan to launch a series of new exhibits and redesign existing displays to convey important conservation messages throughout the zoo. The evolution of the zoo can be seen through dramatic changes in exhibits, animal care resources, educational programs, and research. The institution serves an ethnically and financially diverse audience and is committed to responding to the needs of its guests and providing them with tools and information to encourage more environmentally friendly actions and lifestyles. 

 

Each employee, member, docent, volunteer, and professional participant affiliated with the organization is viewed as a partner and ambassador and is expected to promote and live out the values of the organization. Through our commitment to these values and the creative utilization of resources, the Society is establishing a leadership role as a conservation center with a demonstrably superior quality of service for the community it serves.

 

The Chicago Zoological Society promotes a participative management approach and is a highly team-oriented organization. A high degree of cooperation is evident, and employees from all levels and departments of the organization are involved.

 

With over $50 million in gross revenue, the Society receives a portion of its funding from the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, with the balance from gate admissions, in-park merchandising, ticket sales, food services, memberships, and from corporate and private donations.