Job Title: Wildlife Rehabilitation Zone Leader
Status: Permanent, Full time
Location: Downsview Park, with an eventual move to the Rouge National Urban Park
Start Date: November 1, 2024
Compensation: $18 per hour, commensurate with experience
About Toronto Wildlife Centre
Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC) is a registered charity that provides rescue, medical care and rehabilitation to sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife as well as public education about wildlife issues. TWC is the busiest wildlife centre in Canada, admitting approximately 6,000 patients annually, with more than 300 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians represented. For more information, please visit our website: www.torontowildlifecentre.com
Job Summary
Wildlife Rehabilitation Zone Leaders are involved in all aspects of the care of wild animals at Toronto Wildlife Centre – ranging from the basics of cleaning and prepping enclosures to preparing highly specialized diets, handling and restraining patients for various procedures, hand feeding of weak, sick or orphaned wild patients, assisting with medical treatments, documenting care on charts, and assisting with the training of rehabilitation personnel. Zone Leaders are responsible for overseeing the personnel in their zone, coordinating the day and ensuring that animal care is performed in a timely and effective manner.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Maintains a positive, professional, and safe working environment at all times.
- Trains, coordinates and supervises a diverse team of wildlife rehabilitation personnel, including staff, volunteers, interns and co-op students.
- Provides feedback to Senior Wildlife Rehabilitators regarding personnel in their zones.
- Provides daily care to wildlife patients, including but not limited to cleaning, weighing, nutritional, caging, enrichment and any other needs.
- Adheres to cleaning and feeding schedules and other schedules as they arise.
- Ensures satisfactory completion of all daily tasks.
- Administers prescribed treatments and medications according to schedules and policies.
- Maintains wildlife care charts.
- Monitoring inventory and assisting with ordering supplies accordingly
- Assists Senior Wildlife Rehabilitators in moving wildlife through the rehabilitation process in a timely and successful manner.
- Takes a leadership role in providing a professional working example at all times.
- Meets all other wildlife care needs as they arise.
- Handles wildlife in a manner that maximizes human and wildlife safety while minimizing stress to wildlife.
- Cleans and maintains facilities daily.
- Keep the Senior Wildlife Rehabilitators appraised of any concerns about patient health and safety.
Qualifications
Position Requirements:
- Previous experience working with wildlife preferred.
- Must be able and willing to work weekends and holidays.
- Pre-exposure Rabies vaccine with copy of current titre or a willingness to obtain vaccination highly preferred.
Skills and Abilities:
- Strong interpersonal skills.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to work well with a large and varied team.
- Strong attention to detail and organization skills.
- Ability to follow instructions and protocols well.
- Must be skilled in organization and delegation and able to work effectively with a range of personalities.
- Able to work with minimal supervision.
Physical Requirements
- Must be able to lift, carry or otherwise move a minimum of 25 kilos (55 lbs.).
- Must be able to regularly stand, sit, walk, stoop, crouch, kneel, and twist.
Working Conditions
- Fast-paced office/hospital environment, with noise and the possibility of frequent interruptions.
- This position requires working near materials and animals that may trigger allergic reactions.