Wildlife Education & Ambassador Curator

Wildlife Education & Ambassador Curator
Schedule: This is a full-time, year-round position that follows a non-traditional work week of Tuesday - Saturday, including frequent work required on evenings and weekends.
Compensation: Hourly, non-exempt position starting at $20-$23/hr, depending on experience, with 80 hours of paid time off, 5 days of sick time, and holiday pay.

POSITION SUMMARY:
Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care (LTWC) is seeking a Wildlife Education & Ambassador Curator to lead our animal ambassador program, focusing on health, care, and training. In this role, you'll develop a targeted curriculum highlighting Lake Tahoe's wildlife and environment for various age groups. Additionally, you'll coordinate a team of volunteers to handle and train live ambassadors for educational outreach expertly. Join us in inspiring a connection between the community and Lake Tahoe's unique ecosystem while contributing to vital wildlife conservation efforts. This position reports directly to the Wildlife Care Manager and collaborates closely with the Executive Director.

WHO WE ARE:
Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, Inc. (LTWC) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization whose mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and release orphaned and injured wild birds and mammals. LTWC operates under permits issued by California Fish & Wildlife and the United States Department of the Interior Fish & Wildlife Service. Our 27-acre location includes multiple wildlife enclosures and a new multi-purpose administration and animal care hospital building.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Animal Training
Provide day-to-day care for ambassador birds and mammals, including, but not limited to, cleaning, feeding, watering, medicating, observing, and record-keeping
Oversee animal diets and adjust as necessary.
Facilitate training and enrichment programs for all ambassador animals
Collaborate with Wildlife Care Manager to create health evaluations for animal ambassadors
Monitor animal health and well-being, and report suspected or observed animal illness or injury to appropriate staff
Assist as needed with administering medications, providing treatment and restraining, including maintenance of beaks, talons/claws, and feathers
Develop and evolve policies to ensure safety and security of ambassador animals
Maintain and promote safety of staff, volunteers and guests
Education Program Delivery
Provide outreach and education for a variety of audiences during tours, programs, and presentations both in-person and virtually
Develop detailed educational program outlines and guidelines for both on-site and off-site guests, ensuring alignment with LTWC's permits and mission statement.
Work with local school districts, partner organizations, and other educational providers to develop and deliver personalized educational programs
Correspond with interested parties to develop and schedule educational programs
Promote and maintain competitive pricing for programs
Act as an ambassador and spokesperson for LTWC and its mission as directed by the Executive Director or other organizational leadership

Volunteer Coordination
Oversee the training and development of volunteers and interns within the education and ambassador program
Help create and maintain a Wildlife Education Intern Program & Policy Packet
Supervise volunteers while on shift and provide constructive feedback on an ongoing basis
Collaborate in developing Ambassador Volunteer Handbook & Guidelines

General Administration
Maintain timely and professional correspondence with LTWC’s staff and volunteers, partners, and the public via phone, email, and in-person interactions
Assist in creating and refunding invoices for educational programs and events
Oversee record keeping and preparation of all applications, renewals, and annual reports for agencies related to permits for education

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES:
Bachelor’s degree in animal science, animal husbandry, biology, zoology, fisheries & wildlife science, or a related area
At least three years of experience handling and training birds of prey, mammals and reptiles
Working knowledge of approved animal handling/training techniques, focusing on positive reinforcement/choice-based training.
Proven commitment to veterinary standards for quality of life, including responsible euthanasia when necessary.
Alignment with LTWC’s philosophy on animal husbandry and training, including position statements from IAATE and the ABMA.
Experience with curriculum development
Strong verbal and public speaking skills.
Excellent time management skills, detail-oriented, professional, and dependable.
Successful applicants will be required to pass a background check, including motor vehicle records.

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. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to:
Must be able to occasionally lift up to 50 lbs
Must be able to hold a 5-10 lb. bird on the glove for 30 minutes
Must be able to stand for long periods of time
LTWC will make reasonable accommodations for known disabilities as required by applicable law.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES:
Training and/or certification from the ABMA, IATCB, or a similar organization
Familiarity or experience working in wildlife education and/or rehabilitation
Bilingual
Proficiency in Canva, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft PowerPoint.

HOW TO APPLY:
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with priority given to those submitted by April 13th, 2025. Please apply via our online application form. (https://form.jotform.com/240115246516145) Contact info@ltwc.org with any questions.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of our qualifications described.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.