Hi folks,
I work at a zoo; I am Curator of Herpetology at Zoo Atlanta. Indeed, there are many opportunities and benefits as a herpetologist at a zoo. The positions range from keeper to curator, with the definition (and responsibilities) of the latter being somewhat variable across institutions. Keeper positions are almost entirely devoted to animal care, though many zoos also include keepers in various research and conservation projects, field work, etc... as possible. I think the most competitive aspect of actually GETTING a keeper position at a major zoo is the pesky (but understandable) tendency to hire keepers that already have extensive professional keeper experience. This can be a frustrating Catch-22 for people trying to "break into the business." But that is a tendency, certainly not a policy. If anyone reading this post would like to discuss herpetological careers at zoos, feel free to contact me personally:
jmendelson@zooatlanta.org 
