Job Title: Seasonal Wildlife Care Center Assistant (2 positions to fill)

Department: Wildlife Care Center

Reports to: Wildlife Care Center Manager

Supervises: None

Classification: Non-exempt (hourly), Full-time (1.0 FTE), 40 hours per week

Employment Dates: Seasonal Term April 1st, 2024 - September 30th, 2024

Salary range: $18.00-20.00 per hour, commensurate with experience 

Benefits Include:

• Ability to attend free or subsidized courses at Bird Alliance of Oregon
• Substantial discount at our Nature Store, including optics
• Opportunity to work in one of the most beautiful forests in Oregon

About Bird Alliance of Oregon

Bird Alliance of Oregon has been a leading voice in conservation for over a century. Through conservation advocacy, environmental education, and wildlife rehabilitation, we promote the understanding, enjoyment, and protection of native birds, other wildlife and their habitats. We are located in a 172-acre wildlife sanctuary in Forest Park, just minutes from downtown Portland. With over 15,000 members and 450 regular volunteers, we are the largest independent chapter of the National Audubon Society in the United States. Additional background regarding our extensive education, advocacy, wildlife rehabilitation, and habitat programs can be found at https://birdallianceoregon.org/.

Bird Alliance of Oregon’s Wildlife Care Center is the largest and busiest rehabilitation facility in the region, treating from 4,000-6,000 injured and orphaned native wild animals each year and is home to a small collection of non-releasable educational animals. Through education and advocacy, the Wildlife Care Center serves as a resource to help our community live more harmoniously with wildlife. The center is operated by 6 year-round staff plus seasonal staff, interns, and approximately 200 volunteers.

A core priority is to infuse equity, inclusion, and diversity (EID) into all of the goals and work of the organization. We recognize that in order to serve diverse communities we must also have diversity represented in our staff. Applicants of color, immigrants, and other underserved persons are encouraged to apply.

Job Summary

The Wildlife Care Center Seasonal Assistant is responsible for assisting the Wildlife Care Center staff with all aspects of daily operations, including treatment and care of injured and recovering wildlife, supervision and training of volunteers, public outreach, record keeping and facility maintenance. Applicants should possess excellent team building skills. The Care Center Assistant must be able to juggle a multitude of tasks with professionalism, flexibility, and a sense of humor. This role will work with volunteers, stakeholders, membership groups, resource agencies, and the general public in office and field settings. A passion for wildlife conservation and engaging diverse groups of people are essential elements of this job.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assists with the rehabilitation of injured and orphaned wildlife, including cleaning, diet preparation, habitat set-up and maintenance, enrichment, baby bird feeding, and medical care.
• Provides consultation in person and over the phone on urban wildlife issues
• Assists in the training & supervision of the Wildlife Care Center’s volunteers and interns
• Maintains cleanliness & organization of the facility
• Participates in occasional off-site wildlife pick-up, rescue, and releases
• Coordinates after-hours patient care & completes closing duties nightly
• Other duties as assigned

Preferred Qualifications:

• At least 1 year of experience working for or volunteering in a wildlife rehabilitation facility, or
• comparable experience in other wildlife-related work or study
• Basic wildlife rehabilitation skills including animal handling, feeding, examination, injections, basic
• wound management, and medication dosing
• Experience working with and/or supervising volunteer efforts, preferably in an animal care setting
• Knowledge of natural history, particularly of the fauna of the Pacific Northwest
• Excellent communication skills, on the phone and in person
• Computer literacy & ability to learn our medical database system and volunteer software
• Experience and enthusiasm for working with diverse communities
• Able to work calmly and efficiently in busy, high-intensity situations
• Strong organizational and time management skills

Working Conditions:

The ability to perform tasks in conditions as described below is essential to successfully perform the functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the necessary functions of the role.

• Occasional flexibility of schedule
• Work is performed both inside and outside in all weather
• Work requires standing and walking for long periods of times, carrying & lifting up to 25 lbs, crouching, kneeling, bending, and pulling
• Work involves significant fine motor control and repetitive hand motions

Wildlife rehabilitation involves exposure to injured and dying animals, and the humane euthanasia of suffering animals is a necessary component of the work. Seasonal assistants are not expected to make euthanasia decisions or perform euthanasia, but will be exposed to these things in the course of their work.

Bird Alliance of Oregon does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital status, national origin, political affiliation or mental or physical handicap. Candidates of color are strongly encouraged to apply.  Bird Alliance of Oregon is committed to building a diverse and inclusive environment, reflecting the diversity of our community in its board, staff, volunteers, and members; ensuring its internal culture, business practices, and programs are welcoming and advancing its diversity goals; and empowering people to make positive changes in their community and environment. More background on our diversity efforts can be found at https://birdallianceoregon.org/about-us/