Job Title: Director of Animal Care
Division: Animal Care/Marine Mammal
Reports To: Executive Director
FLSA Status: Exempt, Full Time
Prepared Date: January 2025
Summary: The Director of Animal Care is responsible for ensuring that all animals at CWC receive adequate and appropriate care, as set by CWC management.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Performs examinations, procedures, and creates treatment plans for incoming patients
- Performs intake exams, diagnostics, treatments for all species cared for at CWC
- Has the primary responsibility in assessing and caring for the more sensitive species while they are undergoing intensive care (fawns, coyotes, bobcats, badgers, black bears, etc.)
- Administers medical treatments according to CWC policies
- Performs surgical procedures according to CWC guidelines
- Oversees the continued care of patients and maintains and updates patient records
- Reviews patient care charts to assure that patients are receiving appropriate daily care
- Oversees all other staff veterinarians to assure that they are adhering to CWC’s medical policies, procedures, guidelines, and standards
- Oversees all animal care/marine mammal staff to assure that they are adhering to CWC’s medical policies, procedures, guidelines, and standards
- Supports the animal care/marine mammal staff in their duties as needed
- Supervises and trains staff, volunteers, interns, and externs; delegates and ensures satisfactory completion of tasks
- Ensures that the protocols to minimize risk of injury and contraction of zoonotic diseases are adhered to
- Provides advice in the construction and maintenance of animal enclosures, in the development of species protocols, and in rehabilitation research as needed
- Maintains inventory of controlled substances and works with the Hospital Manager to order all medical supplies for CWC
- Develops a regimen of care for patients that is clear and concise including post-surgical care, nutrition, and physical therapy as needed
- Maintains department equipment in good working order, and reports items for repair/replacement as needed to the Hospital Manager
- Determines when treatment is available and necessary and when euthanasia is required
- Operates diagnostic equipment such as digital radiograph equipment and interpret the resulting images
- Performs diagnostic tests including blood work, cytology and fecals
- Is familiar with common wildlife diseases for mammals and avians
- Works with the Volunteer Coordinator to create/maintain the externship program
- Provides training to externs in accordance with their scholastic requirements
- Communicates effectively with staff and members of the public
- Enhances CWC reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests, exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Supervisory Responsibilities
Supervises the activities of all other staff veterinarians, animal care staff, marine mammal staff, and up to 200 volunteers and interns to assure that all patients are being provided appropriate medical care. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws, which include interviewing, hiring, and training employees and volunteers; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
Other Requirements:
- Must be reliable, dependable, and on time to shifts
- Must have a current CA driver’s license with a clean driving record in order to be insured by the organization’s insurance.
- Must have or be willing to obtain the Rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis vaccination series or have a protective antibody titers
- Must be able to work cooperatively with co-workers, volunteers, interns, externs, and the public
- Must be able to provide a friendly, tolerant environment for staff, volunteers, interns, and externs
- Must be able to work quickly, efficiently, and calmly under stressful conditions
- Must be able to act decisively regarding constantly changing animal cases and situations
- Must be able to respond to after hour hospital emergencies
- Upon hire, must complete and pass background check
Qualifications:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience in epidemiology and veterinary public health assessments
- Experience in working with regulatory agencies in disease detection, research and surveillance
- Experience in public forums in topics related to wildlife (co-existence, transmissible/zoonotic diseases, etc.)
Skills:
- Ability to read and interpret various documents including safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedures manuals.
- Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
- Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Must be able to effectively present information in one-on-one and group situations
- Must be comfortable with public speaking and be able to represent CWC professionally when speaking to the media
- Must have basic knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite and Slack. Computer keyboarding skills and data entry are required.
- Must be proficient in using the WRMD.ORG database as well.
Education and Experience:
- D.V.M. and a minimum of three years’ experience with native wildlife including avian and mammal
- Must have a current valid California Veterinary Medical License
- Minimum three years’ experience in wildlife medicine
- Must have national license to practice veterinary medicine in the United States (NAVLE)
- Must be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the state of California (CVMB)
- Must have a DEA license for controlled substances
- Must have a USDA National Accreditation level 2
- Must have experience with marine mammal rehabilitation, particularly Northern Elephant Seal pups and California Sea Lion pups
- Must have extensive experience with avian orthopedics and soft tissue surgeries
- Must have extensive experience with small mammal/exotics orthopedics and soft tissue surgeries
- Must have extensive experience with native California wildlife, specifically coyotes, bobcats, mule deer but also with other species
- Must have experience with chemical immobilization (hand injections, blow darting and dart guns)
- Must have familiarity with lab work (CBC/Chem, fecals, cytology, and etc.), physical exams, stabilizing animals through emergency and critical care
Physical Demands & Work Environment:
- May require hiking, climbing, lifting, bending, stooping, pushing and other moderately strenuous activities.
- Prolonged period of standing, walking, sitting.
- Adapt to and perform job duties in various weather conditions, including extreme heat, cold, rain, wind, and snow.
- Regularly required to use hands and fingers to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms.
- Ability to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds at a time.
- Possess visual acuity to perform tasks requiring close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
- Work effectively in environments with loud noises.
- Potential availability 24 hours a day and 365 days per year as the position may require a response based on operational need at any time, regardless of the assigned daily schedule or day of the week.
- Regularly work in environments with potential hazards, including exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals, zoonotic diseases, aggressive or feral animals, moving mechanical parts, and radiation risks, while adhering to safety protocols and protective measures.
Compensation:
$120,000/year plus full benefits
To Apply:
Send cover letter and resume to Jenn Guess (jguess@cawildlife.org). No calls please.