Wildlife Care Center Intern

Minimum commitment: Four (4) months

Dates: May 1, 2024 – August 31, 2024

Hours: 40 hrs/week (1.0 FTE)

Schedule: Five(5) 8-hour shifts per week. Expect to work one (1) weekend day per week.

Stipend: $300 Stipend / week

Housing: we do not have dedicated intern housing, but will assist interns with 

finding housing options

# of Positions: 3

Application Deadline: March 1, 2024

About Portland Audubon

Portland Audubon has been a leading voice in conservation for over a century. Through conservation advocacy, environmental education, and wildlife rehabilitation, we promote the understanding, enjoyment, and protection of native birds, other wildlife, and their habitats. We are located in a 172-acre wildlife sanctuary next to Forest Park, just minutes from downtown Portland. 

The Portland Audubon Wildlife Care Center is Oregon’s oldest and busiest wildlife rehabilitation facility, treating 4,000+ animals and responding to approximately 10,000 wildlife related inquiries annually. The Wildlife Care Center is supported by permanent and seasonal staff, interns, and about 200 volunteers.

Position Summary

Wildlife Care Center Interns will have the opportunity to learn and experience the roles and responsibilities of care center staff by observing and assisting with a wide variety of daily operations, including treatment and care of injured and recovering wildlife, public outreach, record keeping and facility maintenance. During the spring and summer season, interns will participate in two focus areas: avian husbandry (caring for & cleaning up after baby birds of many species) and wildlife coexistence outreach (providing education on wildlife topics through a variety of media and tending to the needs of callers, visitors, and community members). Interns at the Portland Audubon Wildlife Care Center are provided both guided and self-paced training, as well as hands-on experience, and can expect to develop understanding of the wildlife rehabilitation process and practice related skills. Topics include:

• Urban wildlife stewardship & advocacy
• Wildlife worker health and safety
• Basic animal handling
• Managing stress in captive wild animals
• Captive wild animal husbandry
• Administration of medications & fluids
• Medical and animal care recordkeeping
• Natural history of Pacific Northwest species

Qualifications

• Minimum age of 18
• Current tetanus vaccination, full COVID vaccination series & bivalent booster
• Ability to commit to full internship period, and reliably attend assigned shifts
• Team-oriented; well-developed communication & interpersonal skills
• Able to learn and follow complex procedures accurately
• Basic computer literacy; ability to learn our medical recordkeeping system
• Calm & efficient approach to working in busy, high-intensity situations
• Respect for and commitment to preserving the wildness of our patients

Working Conditions

The ability to perform tasks in conditions as  described below is essential to successfully perform the functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the necessary functions.

• Occasional flexibility of schedule
• Work is performed both inside and outside in all weather
• Work requires standing and walking for a full 8-hour shift, carrying & lifting up to 25 lbs, crouching, kneeling, bending, and pulling.
• Work involves significant fine motor control and repetitive hand motions.

Wildlife rehabilitation involves exposure to injured and dying animals, and the humane euthanasia of suffering animals is a necessary component of the work. Interns are not expected to make euthanasia decisions or perform euthanasia, but will be exposed to these things in the course of their work.

Application

Portland Audubon does not discriminate on the basis of race; creed; sex; sexual orientation; gender identity; age; religion; marital status; national origin or ancestry; political affiliation; citizenship; lawful immigration status; or mental, physical or medical disability; Veteran status; or liability for service in the United States Armed Forces. 

Applicants of color, immigrants, and other underserved persons are encouraged to apply. 

Diversity Statement:

Portland Audubon believes that inspiring all people to love and protect nature is best achieved when we embrace diversity as a value and practice. In the same way an ecosystem needs many types of plants and wildlife, an organization thrives when it includes a diversity of people and perspectives. We recognize that inequities are widespread and create gaps between our present reality and our aspirations. Audubon is committed to:

• Reflecting the diversity of the community in our board, staff, volunteers, and members.
• Ensuring our internal culture, business practices, and programs are welcoming and advance our diversity goals.
• Empowering people to make positive changes in their community and environment.

In the coming years, under the leadership of our new Executive Director Stuart Wells, Portland Audubon is deepening our commitment to environmental justice and equitable access to the outdoors. In service to this mission, we’re expanding our development team to grow the organization’s capacity to address critical conservation throughout the state, deepen relationship-building with frontline communities, strengthen equity-focused environmental education programs, and complete our Wildlife Care Center.