Description: Through the von Arx Wildlife Hospital (vAWH) internship program at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Participants gain valuable and practical entry-level experience in wildlife rehabilitation. The program intern will assist and support professional Wildlife Rehabilitators in the daily care of wildlife patients (birds, mammals, and reptiles). The Intern  is introduced to basic husbandry and activity pertinent to wildlife rehabilitation. Experienced wildlife rehabilitators and the Conservancy veterinarian directly supervise interns in this program. The intern receives hands-on training in basic wildlife rehabilitation, such as species identification, natural history, proper wildlife husbandry techniques, correct animal handling, meticulous hand feeding of infant mammals, and basic lab work collection. This foundational and challenging entry-level position requires participants to be enthusiastic, self-motivated, and hardworking, collaborators dedicated to animal welfare. As the cornerstone focus of this program is wildlife husbandry, the intern will receive in-depth, experience driven hands-on training in wildlife husbandry rehabilitation and conservation. 

Essential Duties

• Focus on wildlife husbandry, nutrition, capture and restraint.
• Set up and clean animal enclosures.
• Laundry, dishes and general cleaning tasks.
• Maintain accurate wildlife medical records.
• Learn and comply with all vAWH health and safety policies and procedures.
• Learn and understand the natural history of native Florida Wildlife.
• Interact with the general public, volunteers, staff, managers and other internship participants in a professional manner.
• Be knowledgeable about and clearly communicate the Conservancy’s mission.
• Perform other tasks as required that align with the Intern Program training and educational goals. 

Related Duties

• Other duties assigned may include collaboration and interaction with the Conservancy Marketing department to create  promotional videos or engaging  with Conservancy donors promoting  endowment projects.

Qualifications

Applicant must be a college graduate with a science-based degree and be able to commit to a minimum of six months.

Skills and Abilities: 

Interns must be self-motivated, have effective time management skills, and be willing to work long hours, including weekends and holidays, as needed. Interns must be able to work independently as well as part of a team and have a sincere interest in working with wildlife. Attention to detail, initiative, and a strong desire to learn are required. Interns must record patient information accurately, have an average knowledge of mathematics, perform multi-stage tasks efficiently, and listen to and retain shared information in a fast-paced environment. A strong work ethic and positive attitude are essential for success in the program. needed. Ability to read and interpret medical setting documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to speak effectively before the public or employees of the organization. Perform physically demanding tasks such as carrying animals of varied weights and crates and rigorous outdoor tasks such as thoroughly cleaning large outdoor enclosures in varied Florida climates. 

Basic Skills:  Ability to understand basic math to complete necessary duties and tasks (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and percentages) Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, visual diagram, or schedule form. Ability to work outside, in Florida climate up to four hours during fluctuating temperatures including  hot, humid, rainyand  high bug activity, weather-related conditions.  

Physical Demands and Work Environment: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an Intern to successfully perform the essential functions as described.. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands:  While performing the duties of this training program, the Intern is required to see without obstruction, distances both near and far, The intern is occasionally required to reach with hands, arms, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, bend, crouch and crawl.  The Intern is regularly required to stand, walk, sit and use hands to grip, finger, handle or feel.  The Intern is frequently required to talk or hear.  The Intern must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift up to 50 pounds.  Special vision abilities required by this job include close, distance, and depth perception. 

Work Environment: The intern is regularly exposed to hot, humid, and wet Florida weather conditions, often facing high bug activity  weather. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. There are occasional long work hours during the busy season, holidays and weekends.

The Conservancy is a drug free and smoke free, equal opportunity workplace.

$300 bi-weekly cost of living stipend and dorm accommodation, including laundry, provided.