Wildlife Rehabilitator

Job Title: Wildlife Rehabilitator
Reports to: Wildlife Rehabilitation Managers and Team Leaders
Supervises: Fellows, interns, and volunteers as directed by the Wildlife Rehabilitation Managers and Team Leaders

Classification: Full-time

WildCare Oklahoma is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that provides wildlife and conservation education, technical assistance in resolving conflicts between people and wildlife humanely, medical and rehabilitative care to ill, injured, and orphaned wildlife, and members of the public a place to bring native wildlife struggling to survive with the goal of releasing healthy individuals back to their natural environments. Additionally, WildCare advocates for changes that make the world a better place for wildlife, provides in-person education to over 7,000 people each year, participates in and leads research initiatives at its center, runs a robust volunteer program, and manages externship, internship, and fellowship programs for wildlife rehabilitation and wildlife medicine. WildCare Oklahoma is the largest wildlife rehabilitation and conservation education facility in Oklahoma and one of the largest in the U.S.
The Wildlife Rehabilitator is responsible for the daily care and rehabilitation of over 9,000 of Oklahoma’s injured, ill, and orphaned wildlife. Over 200 species are brought to WildCare Oklahoma annually comprising mostly bird and mammal species, with some reptiles and amphibians represented.

Job Purpose:
The Wildlife Rehabilitator at WildCare Oklahoma provides daily rehabilitative care to injured, ill, or orphaned wildlife. This is a paid, full-time position with an established, high-volume wildlife rehabilitation center. You will be responsible for the direct care of adult animals undergoing rehabilitation, as well as rearing native songbirds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and raptors.
This position offers opportunities for advancement based on performance and organizational need.

Duties and Responsibilities:
- Patient Care & Rehabilitation
- Provide all daily rehabilitative care for wildlife patients in assigned areas, including feeding and cleaning, treatment, and monitoring patients’ progress.
- Implement and follow species specific protocols to ensure the safety of animals and staff to prevent disease transmission.
- Observe patients’ condition and behavior while implementing solutions to issues that arise, in consultation with wildlife rehabilitation managers, director of wildlife rehabilitation, and members of the veterinary team.
- Maintain proper documentation of patient admissions, care, and disposition including daily weights and other observations.
- Conduct appropriate patient releases as directed by team leads or wildlife rehabilitation managers.
- Assist with training fellows, interns, volunteers, and new staff as directed.
- Interact professionally with members of the public.

Public Interaction & Education
- Use wildlife conflict resolution techniques to help educate members of the public that call WildCare Oklahoma for advice and guidance.
- Provide patient updates for members of the public.
- Represent WildCare Oklahoma at fundraising and other public events to raise awareness of and support for mission.
- Take photographs and videos for WildCare’s extensive public education, communication, fundraising, and social media efforts. Send these to the team via Group Me app or email. As time permits, write social media posts and memes, or produce video for submission to marketing personnel (executive director) for use in social media channels. (All media taken of WildCare patients while on property or during rescues/releases are the property of WildCare Oklahoma. WildCare Oklahoma gives permission to the individual taking said photos/videos to use these photos in future work with joint attribution to WildCare Oklahoma.)

Facility Support & Projects
- Participate in maintenance projects and other projects as assigned by senior staff.
- Participate in and contribute to staff meetings, protocol development, education and outreach events, and other projects that help advance WildCare Oklahoma’s standard of care and conservation education efforts more broadly.
- Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:
- Responsible, trustworthy, and motivated multi-tasker.
- Must have a positive attitude and ability to manage stress in a fast-paced work environment.
- Must be willing to learn and grow.
- Bachelor’s degree in biology, ecology, life sciences, or related field or RVT degree and licensure in the state of Oklahoma.
- Tetanus and rabies pre-exposure vaccinations are required in most circumstances.
- Reliable personal vehicle and valid driver’s license required.
- Completion of a wildlife rehabilitation or other animal care internship or a total of 18 months of animal handling experience required. Wildlife experience preferred.
- CWR (Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator) candidates preferred but not required.
- Experience and knowledge of animal husbandry and care required. Experience and knowledge of the natural history and behavior of native wildlife species is preferred.

General Competencies:

- Attendance and Dependability – Arrive at work consistently and on time. Receives and delivers instructions and responds to management direction. Provides consistent, timely, high-quality work. Follows through on commitments. Uses time efficiently. Takes responsibility for own actions.
- Customer Service – Treats customers (internal and external) with respect and courtesy. Shows interest in, anticipates, and responds timely to customer needs and concerns. Responds appropriately to and resolves difficult and emotional situations. Seeks ways to improve service delivery.
- Critical Thinking – Takes a critical thinking approach to the care of animal patients observing potential problems, identifying solutions to problems before they occur, and implementing these solutions.
- Diversity – Enthusiastically collaborates with all employees, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, culture, and age. Values contributions of people from diverse backgrounds. Demonstrates respect for opinions and ideas of others. Shows awareness of and sensitivity to cultural and individual values.
- Ethics – Tells truth and is honest in all dealings. Avoids situations and actions considered inappropriate or which present a conflict of interest. Upholds organizational values. Does not misrepresent self or use position or authority for personal gain.
- Teamwork – Listens and responds constructively to others' views. Gives and welcomes feedback. Helps others when they need it. Shares expertise. Acknowledges others' effort and contribution. Puts the success of the team above their own interests. Creates a positive work environment.

Essential Functions, Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The majority of WildCare’s facilities are outdoors. Therefore, candidates for this job must be able to:
- Work both indoors and outside in a wide range of environmental conditions.
- Participate in team lifting of animals weighing up to 300 pounds. Must be able to lift 50 pounds on their own.
- Safely restrain potentially dangerous animals using appropriate techniques.
- Walk, stand, kneel, and crouch indoors and outdoors on uneven terrain in a wide range of weather conditions.
- Physically exert themselves at times.
- Use all senses every day to evaluate patients—vision, hearing, and hand-eye coordination will be essential for examining and working with wildlife species.
- Understand there may be potential exposure to isoflurane, x-rays, hazardous chemicals, zoonotic and other contagious diseases, and medical drugs. Follow all policies and procedures to mitigate exposure to hazards.
- Use a computer to admit patients, update patient records, conduct research to help members of the public, and communicate with WildCare’s constituency.

To Apply:
Send cover letter, resume, completed application via link below to hiring@WildCareOklahoma.org. Put “Wildlife Rehabilitator Position” in the subject line.
Application link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScmptWKGYn16C_h9NuWieYRRFFg_ZkEDAf0txtgOQU4cTz5kQ/viewform?usp=header

Questions can be directed to: hiring@WildCareOklahoma.org.

WildCare Foundation is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All applicants will be considered without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.