Job: Wildlife Rehabilitation Technician

Status: Full-time, non-exempt, hourly

Location: San Francisco Bay-Delta Wildlife Center, Fairfield, CA

Reports to: Wildlife Center Manager

About the Position

We are currently looking for someone to join our team as a full-time wildlife rehabilitation technician (“rehab tech”) at our Fairfield wildlife center. Rehab techs are responsible for the husbandry and medical care of patients, supporting emergency response, as well as public outreach and education regarding wildlife issues. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are required for training/managing volunteers and for interacting with coworkers, veterinarians, and other local rehabilitation centers.

The Opportunity

• Assist with and administer medical treatments under the direct supervision of the manager and veterinarian (including radiographs, anesthesia, and humane euthanasia in accordance with Bird Rescue policies and local and federal laws).
• Maintain complete and accurate animal care records.
• Determine and provide appropriate triage/emergency care, housing/enclosures, and nutrition.
• Clean and disinfect all areas to maintain a safe and sanitary environment throughout the hospital and facility.
• Inventory and maintain clinic/medical supplies.
• Provide oversight, direction, and training of volunteers.
• Perform other duties, as assigned, to ensure a positive public image, enhance the operation of the organization, support special events, and improve the quality of life for the animals.
• Respond to inquiries from members of the public and other local rehabilitation centers.

Qualifications

• Ability to read, write, and comprehend detailed animal care protocols.
• Ability to understand basic medical terminology, avian physiology, and anatomy.
• Have excellent organizational skills and the ability to prioritize work.
• Effectively communicate information on both an individual basis and group situations and have excellent interpersonal skills for interactions with volunteers, other employees, governing agencies, outside members of the public, and other rehabilitation centers.
• Basic skills with Microsoft Office and data entry.
• Excellent basic mathematical skills and the ability to accurately work with units of weight, volume, and concentration.
• Capacity and interest to continuously work on improving animal care skills and developing emergency response capacities.
• This position requires a background check.

Preferred Qualifications

• Past work in a wildlife rehabilitation clinic.
• Experience capturing, handling, and restraining wild animals, preferably birds.
• Familiarity with the Incident Command System and Oiled Wildlife Care Network protocols.
• Registered veterinary technician (RVT) certified by the California Veterinary Medical Board.
• B.S. in Biology, Wildlife Management, or similar

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job:

• Ability to stand, speak, and listen for long periods of time (hours).
• Ability to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, and ability to use hands/arms to palpate, handle, feel, reach, and lift/move up to 40lbs.
• Must be able to palpate and auscultate during animal exams.
• Must be able to move about the center for hours, ascend/descend stairs, transport equipment and supplies weighing up to 40 pounds, and position oneself into tight spaces, low areas, or on the ground to perform facility maintenance and animal care/husbandry.
• Must be able to handle and restrain various sized avian species.
• Must have good near, distance, color, and peripheral vision, as well as good depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
• Indoor and outdoor conditions include temperatures of ~30-110oF, rain, strong wind, high heat and humidity, dry air, and allergens.
• Employees are exposed to moving parts, zoonotic diseases, aggressive/feral animals, toxic/caustic chemicals, and radiography equipment.

Work Environment

This is a position in an animal care facility. While performing the duties of this position the employee will be exposed to odors, noise, and in the vicinity of a variety of wild birds and hazardous material (such as petroleum products during an oil spill). Employees may also be exposed to moving parts, radiography equipment, and there is a risk of potential exposure to zoonotic diseases.

Additional Provisions

In the event of an oil spill, this position may be asked to take on oil spill-related duties outside of general business. In CA oil spills, this position may be put on the OWCN payroll and paid in accordance with OWCN approved rates. This will be done only with prior agreement with the CEO and the OWCN and you will be informed of those rates at the time of the spill.

Location

This position is on-site at our San Francisco Bay-Delta wildlife center located in Fairfield, but has some flexibility for telecommuting with the understanding that facility needs always supersede work-from-home privileges.

Compensation, Benefits, and Start Date

This full-time position offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience (starting at $17.00 for candidates new to this work), a variable schedule, a collaborative work environment, and a benefits package that includes generous vacation, health insurance, and other benefits. The position is open immediately. Please note that Bird Rescue has a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy and all new employees will be required to provide proof of vaccination. This position requires a background check.

About International Bird Rescue — www.birdrescue.org

Bird Rescue’s Mission: To mitigate the human impact on sea and water birds. This is achieved through emergency response and planning, wildlife rehabilitation, research and education.

Founded in 1971, International Bird Rescue is an experienced not-for-profit organization dedicated to mitigating the human impact on sea and water birds, worldwide. We do this through emergency response and planning, wildlife rehabilitation, research, and education. Whether our patients are oiled during a spill (e.g., Deepwater Horizon in 2010), orphaned by human encroachment on habitat, injured from fishing line, or struck by a car, we’re here to help!

Our core work is the rescue and rehabilitation of oiled, sick, injured, and orphaned sea and water birds, supported by a corps of impassioned volunteers. We manage two year-round aquatic bird rehab centers in California (Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay), as well as a wildlife response center in Alaska. Between our two wildlife centers in San Pedro and Fairfield, CA, we treat approximately 3,500 patients per year.

To Apply

Please submit your cover letter and resume to kelly.beffa@birdrescue.org.

Please DO NOT call the clinic in reference to this job.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, due to the high number of applicants, only candidates under consideration will be contacted.