Facility
Wildlife Center of Virginia
Closing Date
[jobclosingdate]
Description
The Wildlife Center of Virginia is a non-profit teaching and referral hospital for native wildlife. The Center is a professionally staffed, fully equipped, 5,700-square foot hospital, research, and environmental education center located in Waynesboro, Virginia. Our mission and passion is to teach the world to care about and to care for wildlife and the environment. Founded in 1982, the Wildlife Center of Virginia has provided care for more than 65,000 sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals representing over 200 species. Each year the center admits approximately 2,300 patients with the goal to release healthy animals back into their natural habitats.
The Wildlife Center of Virginia is seeking a responsible, mature, and creative individual that can fulfill the duties of a general wildlife rehabilitator but whose focus will be on the rehabilitation of black bears and their captive management.
Duties
I. Wildlife Rehabilitator
A Animal Care
o Provide excellent rehabilitative care to all animals at the facility
o Daily cleaning and feeding of all animals housed at the facility.
o Evaluate patients for release. Monitor animal’s health, attitude, appetite, etc., and maintain written records of each animal’s progress. Report evaluations to veterinarians and participate in daily clinical rounds with veterinary staff to discuss medical cases.
o Must be able to handle emotional aspects of euthanasia; may need to euthanize animals under supervision of veterinarians.
o Exercise all flighted raptors daily and record progress in patient record.
o Assist with restraint, examination, diagnostic procedures and treatment of animals, as needed.
o Admit patients and complete associated records. May also examine and initiate first-aid to patients or new arrivals in the absence of the veterinarian or technician, within constraints of training and experience.
o Work with Assistant Director of Veterinary Services to transfer healthy juvenile animals out of the hospital. Arrange for transportation to release site as needed.
o On a regular basis and in conjunction with Assistant Director of Veterinary Services, develop and improve rehabilitation protocols for birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. Give input on procedures and strive for consistency.
o Maintain high standards of cleanliness in hospital, kitchen and animal housing areas.
B Hands-on Training
o Train, supervise, and mentor rehabilitation interns, rehabilitation externs and animal care volunteers.
o Train and mentor rehabilitation apprentices as needed.
o Assist in teaching veterinary and veterinary technician students about rehabilitation/caretaking protocols.
B Permitting / Certification
o Obtain a personal Virginia Wildlife Rehabilitator Permit (Category 4) within one month of start date. Acquire six hours of continuing education yearly to maintain permit. Renew permit annually
o Obtain IWRC’s Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator (CWR) designation within one year of start date. Acquire two continuing education units (CEUs) biennially to maintain permit. Renew permit every two years.
C Other Duties
o Respond to rehabilitation related questions from rehabilitators and the public when needed
o Daily and seasonal maintenance of cages, grounds, perches, etc. Recognize and correct any maintenance or safety hazards when possible. Report other problems to Assistant Director of Veterinary Services.
o Maintain inventory of animal food, paper products and cleaning supplies. Order supplies as necessary and budgeted.
o As a team, coordinate with other rehabilitation staff to ensure daily coverage of hospital [weekdays, weekends, holidays and snow days].
Other duties, responsibilities, and special projects as requested. This is an evolving position in a growing department.
II. Black Bear Rehabilitation Coordinator
As part of the rehabilitation team, the Black Bear Rehabilitation Coordinator is responsible for our behavior-based black bear cub rehabilitation and release program.
I. Animal Care
o Provide excellent rehabilitative care as the primary caretaker to raise orphaned black bear cubs from birth until release at natural dispersal age.
o Bottle feed and physically nurture infant bear cubs according to their genetic expectations.
o Recognize common stages of behavioral development and provide mothering needs appropriate for that stage.
o Provide a complex environment to allow for healthy physical and mental growth.
o Clean and disinfect bear enclosures as needed.
o Provide daily environmental enrichment (example: scattered food items to encourage food-seeking behavior), cage furniture (example: nesting material such as leaves, branches, and soil to build day beds and nests), and social interactions (example: roughhousing/play with other cubs) so that cubs have the ability to learn and perform normal behaviors.
o Monitor weight, attitude, appetite, behavior, etc., and maintain written records of each bear’ progress.
o Evaluate patients for release.
o Evaluate bear care program and record successes and areas where improvement is needed.
III. Outreach
o Document cub development through photographs and videos
o Work closely with the Outreach Department to create regular updates on cub development
o When required, give presentations to the public and answer questions from the media on black bear rehabilitation
Education and Pre-requisites
Requirements
Bachelor’s degree preferred.
At least one year of prior wildlife handling experience.
Demonstrated experience in the care and rehabilitation of wildlife.
Bear rehabilitation experience preferred.
Demonstrated ability to handle diverse, competing tasks independently, efficiently, and accurately; flexibility is a must.
Teaching experience required
IWRC Certified Wildlife Rehabilitation (CWR) designation preferred.
Pre-exposure rabies vaccination is required. Provide proof of vaccination or adequate titer within the previous two years of start date.
Demonstrated reliability and dependability; willingness to work weekends and holidays as necessary.
Must be even-tempered and diplomatic.
Ability to organize, set goals, and meet deadlines; attention to detail.
Team player with strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Professional appearance and demeanor; ability to interact and communicate with the public, law enforcement, regulators, veterinarians and others.
Strong commitment to protection of wildlife and the environment.
Ability to lift/carry equipment and animals up to 50 pounds.
Demonstrated experience in effective public speaking and writing skills
Demonstration supervisory and managerial experience.
Compensation and benefits
Hourly position, $12.00/hr + overtime.
One week paid vacation during the first year of employment
Paid sick and personal leave
Group medical benefits available
Cost of VA Permit and Certified Wildlife Rehabilitation designation paid by employer
Application instructions
Please email cover letter, résumé, writing sample, and two letters of recommendation to:
Kelli Knight, DVM, CWR
Assistant Director of Veterinary Services
rehab@wildlifecenter.org