Rehabilitation Program Manager
Apply by August 22nd, 2023
Position Description:
Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary (RWS) is seeking a thoughtful, experienced wildlife rehabilitator who is passionate about wildlife and its importance to the environment. RWS has a three-part mission:
1. Rescue and rehabilitate injured and orphaned native wildlife in Central Virginia and release them back into the wild.
2. Inform the community about what to do when an injured or orphaned wild animal is found and who to contact for help with the animal.
3. Educate the residents of Central Virginia about the habitats and needs of native wildlife and how to best support wildlife conservation.
The Rehabilitation Program Manager (RPM) is responsible for directing the first part of this mission while supporting the Executive Director in achieving the second and third parts. The RPM will lead our wildlife rehabilitation program, overseeing the care of nearly 900 patients and 10 ambassador animals annually while supervising a small team of rehab staff and interns. RWS does not have a veterinarian on staff and thus most patients are clinically healthy orphaned patients, though knowledge of veterinary first aid is important. There is still ample opportunity to administer first aid, fluid therapy, and prescription medications as necessary. We take a strict approach to biosecurity and are committed to abiding by One Health best practices at our facility. The RPM will be ultimately responsible for all decision-making related to wildlife care and developing rehabilitation protocols that reflect the highest standards of care in the field.
The Sanctuary operates from 7 AM - 7 PM during our busy spring and summer seasons, and rehabilitation shifts are typically either 7AM-3PM or 11AM-7 PM. The Rehabilitation Program Manager will primarily be working the opening shift. There may be an option for 4x10 hour shifts per week depending on employee interest and staffing needs. Weekend work may be required, but each employee has two consecutive days off per week. Due to the nature of wildlife rehabilitation, remote or hybrid work is not an option for this position.
Job Duties and Responsibilities:
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Rehabilitation Program Manager will have overall operational responsibility for ensuring excellent, safe care to all RWS patients and non-releasable education ambassadors.
Rehabilitation (Animal Care): 80%
• Manage daily rehabilitation operations at the Sanctuary, directing and carrying out treatment for patients while supervising staff and volunteers; ensure exemplary husbandry for all patients and non-releasable ambassador animals.
• Oversee training and enrichment of education ambassador animals, including scale/target-training, handling, and glove-training raptors as needed.
• Develop and improve rehabilitation protocols and make final rehabilitation decisions; perform humane euthanasia when necessary.
• Develop biosecurity protocols and maintain high standards of cleanliness in nurseries, kitchen, laundry room and outdoor enclosures.
• Monitor each animal’s health, attitude, weight, appetite, etc., and maintain written records of each animal’s progress.
• Admit new patients and complete associated paper and digital records in WILD-One; examine and initiate first aid to patients and new arrivals.
• Perform restraints, examination, diagnostic procedures and treatment of animals.
• Maintain inventory of supplies, including bulk animal feeds and PPE; order supplies as necessary while maintaining a firm commitment to appropriate budgeting.
• Arrange transport of incoming animals to RWS and transport severely injured animals to the Wildlife Center of Virginia.
• Coordinate transfer of conspecifics to and from RWS to other permitted rehabilitators in Virginia; determine patient capacities by species as needed.
• Answer hotline phone and respond to rehabilitation-related questions from the public via email; train staff and interns in appropriate responses to questions.
• Prepare specialized meals for a variety of species; update patient meal protocols and nutritional profiles as needed.
• Evaluate patients for release and perform releases as needed.
• Coordinate maintenance and repair of animal enclosures with carpentry volunteers or staff.
Administrative (Human Resources and Permits) – 20%
• Manage wildlife rehabilitation volunteer program, serving as point of contact for interested new volunteers and organizing volunteer shifts.
• Maintain RWS’s state and federal rehabilitation, exhibition, and salvage permits and submit annual reports at the state and federal level; ensure compliance with state and federal wildlife handling regulations.
• Maintain personal state rehabilitation permit including at least 6 hours of continuing education annually.
• Make next month’s shift schedules for staff and interns by the end of each month.
• Assist Executive Director in hiring processes for staff and interns by reviewing applications and interviewing applicants.
• Onboard new rehabilitation employees by assisting with their rehab permitting process, rabies vaccination series, and new hire paperwork.
• Train, supervise and mentor staff and interns.
• Monitor all staff and volunteer rabies titer statuses, maintaining a schedule and reminding personnel about titer appointment needs.
• With the support of the Executive Director, conduct annual reviews for rehabilitation staff.
• Plan and implement effective community education and outreach programming with the Executive Director.
• Attend fundraising events and serve as a public representative for RWS at various engagements, as needed.
Applicant Requirements:
• At least 3 years of direct experience in wildlife rehabilitation, preferably having worked with species native to Virginia, Appalachia, and/or the East Coast.
• At least 1 year of supervisory experience in wildlife rehabilitation or management.
• An up-to-date Tetanus shot and rabies-vaccine series. If you do not have a current rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis series, RWS will cover the cost of these important immunizations.
• Current COVID-19 vaccine series and a willingness to abide by all organizational COVID restrictions.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to work outdoors in a variety of conditions performing manual labor, such as cleaning enclosures or collecting natural browse for patients.
• A valid Driver’s License for operating vehicles in Virginia.
• A working knowledge of team management and leadership and a demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with both staff and members of the public.
• Enthusiasm for the work and a strong understanding of time-efficiency.
• A firm understanding of animal welfare best practices and how to reduce patient stress.
• A deep commitment to diversity, inclusion, and accountability. RWS strives to be an anti-racist workplace and welcomes individuals of all lived experiences and identities.
Preferred Qualifications:
• A Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, Environmental Science, Zoology, or related field is preferred but not required for this role. Experience in wildlife rehabilitation and team management is most important to being successful in this role.
• Experience developing scientifically-informed biosecurity protocols and a firm commitment to providing the highest standard of cleanliness for the Sanctuary’s patients and staff.
• Knowledge of state and federal regulations related to the handling and care of wildlife.
• Experience working with online wildlife patient databases, like WildONe or WRMD.
• Experience training wildlife using positive reinforcement methods, and ideally experience working with glove-trained raptors.
Benefits:
The anticipated salary range for the Rehabilitation Program Manager position is $40,000-$45,000. This is a full-time exempt position.
RWS offers 20 days of PTO per year, with up to 5 unused days rolling over to the next year. PTO can be used for sick leave, vacation time, or personal days. Full-time permanent employees also receive a $300 stipend per month for health insurance.
Our staff participates in regional and national wildlife rehabilitation conferences, and our employees receive cross-training days at our partner wildlife centers.
To Apply:
Please provide a cover letter, resume, and contact information for at least three professional references to sarah@rockfishwildlifesanctuary.org by August 22, 2023. Please write "Rehabilitation Program Manager Application" as the subject line.
Staff Wildlife Rehabilitator
Apply by August 22nd, 2023
Position Description:
Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary (RWS) is seeking a thoughtful animal care professional to join our growing team of wildlife rehabilitators. This position will report to the Rehabilitation Program Manager and help execute all aspects of daily care for injured and orphaned native wildlife.
The Sanctuary operates from 7 AM - 7 PM during our busy spring and summer seasons, and rehabilitation shifts are typically either 7AM-3PM or 11AM-7 PM. There may be an option for 4x10 hour shifts per week depending on employee interest and staffing needs. Weekend work may be required, but each employee has two consecutive days off per week. Due to the nature of wildlife rehabilitation, remote or hybrid work is not an option for this position.
We are especially interested in applicants who would like to assist with wildlife education programming, ambassador raptor training, and communications/social media. These are not required skills but they are an area we would love to grow at RWS.
Job Duties and Responsibilities:
Rehabilitation (Animal Care): 80%
• Provide excellent rehabilitative care to all animals at the Sanctuary.
• Perform daily cleaning and feeding of all animals housed at the Sanctuary, including our rehabilitation patients and our education ambassador animals. We have two indoor nurseries and over fifty outdoor enclosures, so we are quite busy during baby season!
• Monitor each animal’s health, attitude, weight, appetite, etc., and maintain written records of each animal’s progress.
• Assist with restraint, examination, diagnostic procedures and treatment of animals, as needed.
• Admit patients and complete associated records. Examine and initiate first aid to patients and new arrivals.
• Arrange transport of incoming animals to the Sanctuary and the transport of severely injured animals to the Wildlife Center of Virginia.
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness in our nurseries, kitchen, laundry room, and outdoor enclosures.
• Prepare specialized meals for a variety of species, including making “bird batter” for feeding baby birds; baby birds are fed every thirty minutes, sunrise to sunset!
• Assist with observations of patients to provide information for release considerations.
• Set a positive example of clear communication and good attitude for interns, volunteers, and general public.
Training/Education: 10%
• Train, supervise, and mentor rehabilitation interns and animal care volunteers.
• Assist with training education ambassador birds and mammals for public programming, as needed and desired.
• Assist with and/or conduct outreach programs as needed.
Office/Administrative: 10%
• Enter patients into WILD-One, our online patient database, and disposition patients from WILD-ONe as appropriate.
• Assist with data collection, as needed.
• Answer the phone and respond to rehabilitation-related questions from the public. Help manage general inquiry email account and provide information to the public.
• Assist in collecting of photographs of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds for the website, Facebook, Instagram, newsletter, and presentations. Help create social media posts as needed and desired.
• Help with fundraising events, such as Wild About Art, when possible.
• Other duties, responsibilities, and special projects, as requested.
What We’re Looking For:
• Time-efficiency. Our days are fast paced from sunrise to sunset. In order to feed, clean, and take care of all of our patients, it’s important that our rehabilitators move quickly without sacrificing thoroughness or their attention to detail.
• Accountability. Our seasonal rehabilitator will often be working long hours by themselves, so it’s important that they can work independently while maintaining our high standards for animal care.
• An appreciation for teamwork. Our team is small, with just four staff rehabilitators and three summer interns. While many of the day-to-day tasks are done individually, maintaining a good attitude and a commitment to a positive team dynamic is important at RWS.
• Enthusiasm! Our seasonal rehabilitators must be able to take on the more physically and emotionally challenging aspects of the job, whether it’s cleaning out and scrubbing enclosures in the hot sun, dealing with a stressful phone call from the public, or making the difficult decision to euthanize a patient. A good attitude can go a long way in achieving our mission of rescuing,
rehabilitating, and releasing as many patients as we can.
rehabilitating, and releasing as many patients as we can.
Applicant Requirements:
• Applicants must be 18 years or older.
• Applicants must be up to date on the tetanus vaccination.
• Applicants must complete the rabies vaccination sequence prior to the start of the position. Funding is available for this important vaccination if your health insurance will not cover it.
• Applicants must be fully-vaccinated against COVID-19.
• Applicants must obtain a Category IV Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. This requires completing six hours of approved continuing education related to wildlife rehabilitation.
• As housing is not provided for this position, applicants must secure their own housing.
• Applicants must have access to a car for transporting animals (and themselves) to the sanctuary.
• Applicants should be able to lift 50 pounds and be enthusiastic about working long days in
challenging outdoor conditions. Wildlife rehabilitation can be a dirty job!
challenging outdoor conditions. Wildlife rehabilitation can be a dirty job!
• Applicants must be willing to work five days a week including weekends, with two consecutive days off during the week. Some overnight feedings of neonatal mammals may also be required, as permitted.
• Applicants should have at least one year of prior wildlife rehabilitation or two years of domestic animal handling experience.
Preferred Qualifications:
• A Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, Environmental Science, Zoology, or related field is preferred but not required for this role. Experience in wildlife rehabilitation and team management is most important to being successful in this role.
• Experience developing scientifically-informed biosecurity protocols and a firm commitment to providing the highest standard of cleanliness for the Sanctuary’s patients and staff.
• Knowledge of state and federal regulations related to the handling and care of wildlife.
• Experience working with online wildlife patient databases, like WildONe or WRMD.
• Experience training wildlife using positive reinforcement methods, and ideally experience working with glove-trained raptors.
Benefits:
This position is paid at $16.50/hour for 40 hours/week. Overtime pay is 1.5 base wage ($24.75/hour).
RWS offers 20 days of PTO per year, with up to 5 unused days rolling over to the next year. PTO can be used for sick leave, vacation time, or personal days. Full-time permanent employees also receive a $300 stipend per month for health insurance.
Our staff participates in regional and national wildlife rehabilitation conferences, and our employees receive cross-training days at our partner wildlife centers.
To Apply:
Please provide a cover letter, resume, and contact information for at least three professional references to info@rockfishwildlifesanctuary.org by August 22, 2023. Please write "Staff Rehabilitator Application" as the subject line.
Summer 2023 Internship
Application Period Closed February 17th, 2023
The Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary (RWS) internship program is an eight-week, paid position. These internships provide an incredible introduction to animal care and nonprofit work: our interns are key members of our summer team, participating in critical elements of the Sanctuary’s mission. We seek dedicated individuals who are passionate about wildlife, comfortable with animals, and ready to work hard for a good cause.
There are three internships available for Summer 2023. Internships are typically 8 hours per day, 5 days per week (including weekends) for 8 weeks. Compensation is $10/hour, with maximum pay of $3,200 for the 8-week time period. Housing is provided at no cost. Approximate internship dates for Summer 2023 will be May 15 - July 10, May 29 - July 24, and June 12 - August 7. Please let us know in your application if any of these internship periods would not work for you.
Applicant Requirements:
- Applicants must be 18 years or older.
- Applicants must be up to date on their tetanus vaccination.
- Applicants must complete the rabies vaccination sequence prior to the start of the position. Funding is available for this important vaccination if your health insurance will not cover it.
- Applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including a booster shot, and be willing to wear a mask when required. We mask and wear PPE when handling all patients.
- Applicants must have access to a car for transporting animals (and yourself) to the Sanctuary.
What does an internship at a wildlife rehabilitation facility entail?
Animal Care
- Provide excellent rehabilitative care to all animals at the facility.
- Daily cleaning and feeding of all animals housed at the facility, including our rehabilitation patients and our education ambassador animals.
- Monitor patient health, attitude, weight, appetite, etc., and maintain written records of each animal’s progress.
- Assist with restraint, examination, diagnostic procedures and treatment of animals, as needed.
- Admit patients and complete associated records. Examine and initiate first aid to patients or new arrivals.
- Arrange transport of incoming animals to the Sanctuary and transport of severely injured animals to the Wildlife Center of Virginia.
- Clean and prep outdoor enclosures in a variety of conditions, including designing fresh enrichment for different species in care.
- Maintain high standards of cleanliness in nurseries, kitchen, laundry room, and animal housing areas.
- Prepare specialized meals for a variety of species.
Other Duties
- Answer the phone and respond to rehabilitation related questions from the public when needed.
- Assist in collecting photographs of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds for our website, social media accounts, newsletter, and presentations.
- Help with fundraising and/or outreach events, when necessary.
- Other duties, responsibilities, and special projects, as requested.
What should I expect to gain from my internship at RWS?
- Hands-on learning and experience with wildlife, with species ranging from field mice to foxes and songbirds to large raptors (and don’t forget reptiles!).
- A greater appreciation for the natural history of Virginian wildlife and their role in the environment.
- Time management and multitasking skills. You will learn how to efficiently approach a large workload that is time-sensitive in a fun and interesting environment.
- Experience with humans! You will be working with a small team of rehabilitators as well as working frequently with the public by intaking animals and answering phone calls throughout your internship.
- How to handle hard situations, like the death of a patient or difficult public relations.
- Appreciation for the value of teamwork and the importance of curiosity.
- An opportunity to learn whether or not you want to pursue wildlife rehabilitation or any other animal care/conservation field.
What shouldn't I expect from my internship at RWS?
- Making copies, filing paperwork, or other administrative tasks.
- A sedentary job. Our rehabbers, volunteers, and interns average 20K steps daily!
- Staying clean. We work largely outdoors in hot, humid conditions, and a lot of the most important tasks (like cleaning outdoor enclosures) can get pretty messy. We leave work every day pretty seriously ready for a shower!
Benefits:
Compensation: In an attempt to broaden the scope of individuals who may participate in our internships, we are happy to offer a paid internship program thanks to grant funding. Compensation is $10/hour with no overtime pay available, although interns do need to work some overtime occasionally.
Housing: We provide housing, but the housing is not on the property of the sanctuary. Thus, it will be necessary for you to have access to a car for the duration of your internship.
Please let us know in your application if you have an up-to-date rabies vaccination. If not, we pay for our summer interns to receive rabies vaccinations prior to their internship.
To Apply:
If you're interested in joining the RWS team this summer, please send your resume and a cover letter (focusing on your experience and/or passion for wildlife or nature) to info@rockfishwildlifesanctuary.org by February 17th, 2023. We can't wait to hear from you!
What Past RWS Interns Have to Say:
“Being an intern at RWS was exactly what I wanted for an entry into wildlife rehab. At no point did I feel like just ‘the intern.’ This staff is amazing at making everyone feel equal and part of the team. My experience was very hands-on, and I am forever thankful for my time spent there. “ - Kris, 2022 intern
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time working at Rockfish. It was a perfect amount of time for an internship right out of college to figure out what I am interested in for my career. I learned so much about wildlife rehab. I also acquired communication skills as well as lots of problem solving skills. This is a really hands-on position, and the staff wants you to learn as much as possible during this time. They are always willing to let you get your hands in on a project. This job is really fulfilling, and you can feel good about the work you are doing everyday! A huge plus for me was the accepting and fun work environment fostered by the staff there! Overall, such a great learning experience for my future career.” - Maddie, 2022 intern
“Rockfish is amazing. This organization, and the wonderful staff, have taught me so much about wildlife care and the functions of a non-profit organization. RWS has ultimately shaped my educational and professional life into what it is today, and for that, I am forever grateful.” - Jamie, 2018 and 2019 intern, staff in 2021
VOLUNTEERING
A PhD Candidate in literature. A photographer. A landscaper. What do these diverse people have in common? All of them volunteer their time and expertise for Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary. Without their incredible generosity–and that of dozens of others–Rockfish would be unable to function.
Here are some of the things that volunteers do at the Sanctuary:
• Build enclosures
• Feed baby animals
• Transport animals to and from the Sanctuary
• Go shopping for the Sanctuary’s food needs
• Fund raise
• Design educational presentations
• Provide marketing expertise
• And so much more!
Our volunteers are the reason we can offer quality educational programming and animal care in our area. If you choose to join us, we can promise a deeply rewarding experience. We’d love to find out how we can make the most of your skills and contributions, and how you would best fit with Rockfish’s needs. Please call (434-263-4954) or e-mail (info@rockfishwildlifesanctuary.org) to find out how you can help!
Note: animal care volunteers are required to obtain a state permit to rehabilitate wildlife. Our rehabbers will be happy to guide you through this process, but no non-permitted person will be able to handle wildlife.
OTHER WAYS TO HELP
There are lots of ways that you can help the Sanctuary’s work, even if you don’t have the money to donate today, or the time to be a volunteer or an intern. Here are a few things that keep us going!
Serve as a Board Member
Interested in guiding RWS further by being on our board?
Email your resume to info@rockfishwildlifesanctuary.org.
Donate Supplies
Our animals always need supplies to keep them healthy, fed, and warm. We need:
• LOTS of paper towels and plain tissues
• Fleece blankets and bath towels in good condition (used is fine!)
• Bales of hay
• Blue pads (aka, “pee pee” pads, available at pet stores and other retailers)
• Dawn Dish Soap and sponges
• Gas cards for transporters
• Handwarmers to provide warmth to animals in transport
• Gift cards to grocery stores for fresh veggies and fruits for RWS patients
• Gift cards to area pet stores and wild bird seed suppliers
• Gift cards to Southern States
Shop or Donate an Item at the Greene House Antique Shops
The Sanctuary’s super volunteer, Candace Goodyear, has created a special space at the Greene House Antique Shops in Ruckersville to help support the sanctuary. You can help the Sanctuary by buying an item or donating one to the Rockfish shop. All proceeds benefit the Sanctuary!