Wildlife Keeper - Animal Care

What We Do

The Busch Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) is a non-profit organization with over 40 years of dedication to the protection and conservation of Florida’s wildlife and natural resources. To accomplish this goal the Sanctuary has a twofold mission of wildlife rehabilitationand environmental education. Rehabilitation: We rescue sick, injured, or orphaned native Florida wildlife in Palm Beach County. Last year we had over 5,200 patients come into our hospital. After rehab, our goal is to release our healthy animals back into the wild. Education: 90% of the patients admitted each year to the Sanctuary’s wildlife rehabilitation center have suffered from some type of human-related injury. Collisions with automobiles, fishing line entanglement, illegal gunshots, poisonings, and electrocutions, are only a small example of the types of injuries that are regularly treated and why education of the public is so important.

Position

Under the direction of the Animal Care Director, this position is responsible for cleaning, feeding, training, and maintaining the overall health of the sanctuary animals.

Benefits, Schedule, and Location

· Benefits for Full Time Employees: Paid time off, medical insurance covered at 100%, vision, dental, life insurance, and 401(K) Plan with employer matching up to 4% of salary.

· Schedule: Regular work hours are generally 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Weekends are required.

· Location: This position requires the Keeper to work from the Sanctuary in Jupiter, FL.

Responsibilities

• Observe animals to assess overall health, which includes monitoring for illnesses or injuries; notify the animal care director of findings.
• Clean and disinfect animal quarters, including night houses, yards, furniture, and water bowls.
• Safely transfer animals from one enclosure to another for cleaning, exhibiting, or rearrangement of habitats.
• Administer diets, vitamins, and medications daily, as prescribed by hospital staff.
• Prepare diets in accordance with written diet handbook including raw meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, dry, and/or liquid feeds.
• Train for desired behaviors and provide enrichment for the animals daily for positive mental health.
• Assist maintenance staff in maintaining sanctuary facilities.
• Answer visitor questions concerning animals’ habits, behavior, and environmental needs, and/or sanctuary operations.
• Assist with animal drop offs for rehab or release, when needed.
• Answer phone calls to help address wildlife questions from the public, when needed.
• Educate guests on the proper treatment of wildlife and environmental protection and conservation.
• Assist in daily programs and tours, as needed.
• Lead animal painting experiences for visitors.
• Properly train and work with volunteers and interns on a daily basis.
• Perform daily cleaning duties including but not limited to laundry, dishes, refrigerator and freezer cleaning, sweeping, mopping, and trash.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below 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.

Language Ability:

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

Math Ability:

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

Computer Skills:

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of word processing software, spreadsheet software, and internet software.

Education/Experience:

High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or one year related experience and/or training.

Certificates and Licenses:

Valid driver's license

Knowledge, Skills and Other Abilities:

· Time management

· Problem solving

· Oral and written communication

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, use hands, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, talk or hear, and taste or smell. The employee must regularly lift and/or move 10 pounds, must frequently lift and/or move 30 pounds, and must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to see color.

Work Environment:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to extreme outdoor weather conditions including heat, cold, stormy weather. The employee is frequently exposed to the risk of animal bites or zoonotic diseases. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet or humid conditions, and caustic chemicals.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

BWS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic or status.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person