| Job Description: |
The Sea Turtle Research, Rehabilitation and Education Program at the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience is seeking a Veterinary Care Technician I. Under the direction of the Veterinary Care Manager and Clinical Veterinarian, this position will perform both veterinary medical care and comprehensive husbandry duties for stranded and injured sea turtles. The candidate will be charged with working in all aspects of veterinary care, husbandry, and public outreach and education through “behind the seas tours” and other outreach events.
Responsibilities include activities pertaining to the day-to-day operation of the clinic and life support systems, interfacing with permitting agencies, executing protocols for clinic and husbandry staff, responding to and coordinating the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of stranded sea turtles, and communicating and reporting to the appropriate wildlife agencies. The position also supports clinical and surgical activities, collaborates with research teams, oversees medical record-keeping, and maintains medical equipment and supplies.
Sea Turtle Hospital Operations
Operations of the sea turtle hospital in the following capacities
1. Veterinary Support: Assist veterinarian with all aspects of veterinary care, including triage, diagnostics, sample collection, wound care, and administering treatment to sea turtles. Conduct regular assessments of patients and update medical records. Maintain medical equipment and supplies in clean, orderly, and working condition.
2. Surgical Assistance: Provide pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative support, including anesthesia monitoring, preparation of surgical sites, and post-operative care, ensuring compliance with best practices in veterinary medicine.
3. Husbandry Care: Perform activities related to husbandry care as directed, and in accordance with standard of care guidelines, including feeding and caring for all animals under the STH@WL care, medicating animals and maintaining quarantine protocols as directed, cleaning and maintaining tanks, life support systems, and husbandry record keeping.
4. Maintain hospital cleanliness, including such duties as sweeping, mopping, dusting, and disinfecting equipment and hospital areas.
5. Follows established protocols and ensures compliance with applicable federal and state laws, regulations and guidelines, animal stranding protocol regimes and medical records documentation in coordination with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
6. Facilitates the daily Sea Turtle Hospital at Whitney Lab operations including coordinating animal rescue response, administering veterinary care regimes as developed by the veterinarian, acquiring samples and technical aspects of applied and basic scientific research.
Medical Operations & Record Management
1. Medical Equipment & Supplies: Maintain medical equipment, ensuring that it is clean, orderly, and functional. Monitor and manage inventories of drugs, supplies, and equipment, including medications, consumables, and food, ensuring proper storage and expiration tracking.
2. Health Record Management: Document clinical assessments, treatment plans, and outcomes in an accurate and timely manner, following best practices for veterinary record-keeping and wildlife agency protocols.
Research & Protocol Development
1. Research Collaboration: Work closely with research teams to facilitate clinical sample collection for scientific studies. Ensure that all treatments align with Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) guidelines and research protocols. Stay abreast of the latest marine turtle rehabilitation techniques and practices.
2. Teaching & Training: Participate in the development and delivery of training sessions for veterinary students, technicians, and animal care staff, focusing on advanced medical techniques and sea turtle rehabilitation protocols.
Public Outreach
Creating and implementing outreach programs and initiatives to engage the public, build brand awareness, and support the organization’s goals and objectives through the following methods
1. Public Communication: Collaborate with the outreach team to provide medical expertise during public tours, educational events, and “behind the seas” tours. Share information about sea turtle health and rehabilitation efforts.
2. Active community engagement through local organizations and stakeholders.
3. Communication and messaging through email and social media outlets.
4. Event planning; organizing, and assist coordinating public events, workshops, and informational sessions
5. Work with Whitney’s education team for the development of sea turtle hospital-appropriate educational programs.
6. Agency Coordination: Work with local and state wildlife agencies to report case findings and adhere to legal reporting requirements.
Volunteer Supervising
1. Oversee a database of 30+ volunteers
2. Assist with hiring and training of new volunteers
3. Assigns weekly/monthly tasks of volunteer duties and responsibilities
4. Assist with annual volunteer orientation and training
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