Responsibilities

In accordance with organizational policies and best practices, duties include those of the hospital volunteers and phone team volunteers (as needed), as well as, but not limited to:
 

General Raptor Care

​•    Assist the RRRC, Hospital Manager, and Clinic supervisors to ensure each raptor patient is advancing through the hospital in an appropriate manner, based on age and progress towards release.
•    Participation in at least one Raptor Health Check Day per week.
•    Assist with the daily care, feeding, and husbandry needs of all raptor species.
•    Capture, restrain, and weigh all raptor species safely.
•    Assist with creancing and flight evaluation of all raptor species.
•    Assist with feather imping procedures (training provided).
•    Identify appropriate food types and preparations for all raptor species and ages. 
•    Assist with the determination and assignment of appropriate housing and husbandry needs for each raptor patient based on species and age.
•    Assist in enclosure set-up, cleanliness, and/or daily maintenance. 
•    Assist with the construction and/or or acquisition of all necessary materials and equipment for housing raptor patients.
•    Assist the RRRC with performance of basic treatments, physical examinations, and rehabilitation assessments, as well as the coordination of veterinary visits, based on medical staff advice.
•    Assist medical staff and/or visiting veterinarian with raptor patient rounds, in-depth treatments, or surgical procedures.
•    Drive your own vehicle to assist in the rescue, transportation, and release of raptor patients.
 

Release Coordination and Rehabilitation Raptor Communications

​•    Help develop appropriate release plans for all raptor patients based on age, species, and nature of injury, including hard releases, soft releases (i.e., ‘hacks’), re-nests/re-unites, and wild fosters.
•    Assist with the assessment of appropriate release sites and perform nest reconnaissance.
•    Help coordinate raptor releases, and perform raptor releases, as needed.
•    Assist with clear and professional communication with raptor patient finders and/or property owners. 
•    Assist with the performance of nest-site networking with property owner(s), sister organizations, raptor rehabilitation groups, local falconers, and/or local birding communities. 
•    Assist in the coordination of raptor transfers and/or placement into educational programs.
•    Help establish and maintain ongoing professional liaisons with other facilities and raptor rehabilitation groups, local falconers, arborists, property owners, and/or local birding communities. 
 

Other Duties

​•    Assist the Hospital Manager and/or RRRC with raptor-related research, networking, and protocol development.
•    Assist the RRRC with delegated duties to Raptor Team volunteers, ensuring smooth daily operations and proper raptor patient care.
•    Participate in the development and/or teaching of raptor-related courses for volunteer continued education.
•    Attend staff meetings and communicate between staff and volunteers regarding raptor patients.
•    Assist with running analytics on program usage for internal and external audits, tracking, and grant writing.
•    Ensure data entry is accurate and timely.
•    Represent BRC as needed for events and activities, including while performing raptor releases.
•    Attend California, national, and/or other symposiums when feasible.
•    Assist the Executive Director or Hospital Manager with projects as requested or required. 
 

Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

​•    Having a working understanding of native California raptor species identification and natural history is essential to this position.
•    Ability to accurately identify species and age of all raptors in BRC’s region. 
•    Must be 18 years or older. 
•    Maintain current membership with BRC.
•    Maintain current tetanus shot(s) and health insurance. 
•    Minimum of one years’ experience in a wildlife hospital, veterinary clinic, raptor banding or monitoring program, or a related field desired.
•    Have excellent communication, interpersonal, and multi-tasking skills; and the ability to work under pressure.
•    Someone who loves nature, enjoys learning and teaching, and is flexible, detail-oriented, and organized.
•    Must be able to work individually, without supervision, as well as in a team.
•    Possess and maintain a current, valid California driver license as accepted by our insurance carrier; excellent driving record and must have reliable transportation to and from The Bird Rescue Center.
•    The ability to work flexible days and hours including on-call, nights, weekends, and holidays as well as be available to cover shifts left uncovered by volunteers due to holidays, weekends, or emergencies.
•    Competent computer skills and ability to learn various data systems.
 

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

The work environment and the physical requirements described are representative of those an employee will encounter and will need to meet to successfully perform the essential duties and key responsibilities of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
 

​•    Ability to work in a standard office setting, sitting at a standard office desk, and to use standard office equipment, including a computer.
•    Required to consistently lift 25-50 pounds, occasionally overhead.
•    Position requires extensive standing, walking, hiking, and considerable bending and lifting. 
•    Working conditions vary with season ranging from wet and cold to warm to hot.
•    Ability to lift and handle the variety of birds in our program.