Wildlife Care Manager: Full-Time (Exempt)
Rate: $53,040.00 starting annual salary [$25.50 hourly] to $91,520.00 maximum annual salary [$44.00 hourly]
Pay Grade: F | Starting salary based on prior experience and education.
Location: Penitentiary Glen Reservation, Kirtland, OH 44094
Position Summary: Lake Metroparks is seeking a Wildlife Care Manager to plan, direct, and evaluate daily operations of the Lake Metroparks Wildlife Center. Under the direction of the Deputy Chief of Outdoor Connections, this position supports high-quality wildlife rehabilitation, humane animal care, regulatory compliance, staff and volunteer supervision, public education, and safe, efficient facility operations consistent with the mission of Lake Metroparks. This full-time position requires scheduling flexibility, including weekends, evenings, holidays, and emergency or seasonal coverage based on operational needs.
POSITION REQUIREMENTS
Education and/or Experience:
- Bachelor's degree in wildlife biology, zoology, animal science, veterinary technology, natural resources, wildlife management, or a closely related field preferred.
- Three (3) to five (5) years of progressively responsible hands-on wildlife rehabilitation, animal care, or veterinary technician experience required.
- Experience making or supporting humane treatment, release, transfer, and euthanasia recommendations in accordance with established protocols preferred.
- Two (2) or more years of supervisory, lead worker, volunteer coordination, or program management experience required.
- Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license and remain insurable under the Park District's vehicle insurance policy.
- Completion of introductory wildlife rehabilitation training through the Ohio Wildlife Rehabilitators Association, National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association, International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council, or a comparable provider is required or must be obtained within a timeframe established by the Park District.
- Must maintain all permits, certifications, or training required for assigned wildlife care responsibilities and regulated activities.
- Successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen and background check is required.
- Must be able to work a flexible schedule, including weekends, evenings, holidays, and varying hours during peak wildlife care seasons.
- Must be able to perform essential animal care, facility, and administrative duties in indoor and outdoor settings.
- Must be able to safely operate assigned Park District vehicles, equipment, and tools.
- Must work effectively both independently and as part of a team while maintaining professionalism with staff, volunteers, visitors, partners, and the public.
Required Training: All Park District employees shall complete and maintain all mandatory training, which may include safety, fraud prevention, ethics, sexual harassment prevention, and additional job-specific training.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Plans, directs, schedules, and evaluates wildlife intake, triage, rehabilitation, husbandry, release, and resident animal care operations.
- Coordinates with veterinarians and appropriate staff to implement medical care plans, treatment protocols, pain management, rehabilitation goals, and humane disposition recommendations.
- Develops, maintains, and evaluates species-specific protocols for wildlife rehabilitation and resident animal care, including nutrition, housing, sanitation, enrichment, medical treatment, quarantine, release criteria, and biosecurity practices.
- Supervises assigned staff, volunteers, and interns; participates in recruitment, training, scheduling, coaching, performance feedback, and day-to-day work direction.
- Develops and administers the Wildlife Center operating budget in coordination with the Deputy Chief of Outdoor Connections; monitors expenditures and recommends resource needs.
- Ensures staff and volunteers receive appropriate training before handling animals or using assigned equipment; reinforces safe animal handling, infection control, sanitation, sharps handling, and personal protective equipment practices.
- Makes or supports euthanasia decisions in accordance with approved protocols, veterinary direction, regulatory requirements, and humane care standards.
- Maintains compliance with applicable state and federal wildlife laws, permits, controlled substance requirements, animal care standards, recordkeeping obligations, and reporting timelines.
- Researches, recommends, and implements current wildlife rehabilitation practices; maintains professional affiliations and participates in continuing education.
- Oversees inventory, purchasing, storage, and appropriate use of medical supplies, food, cleaning products, personal protective equipment, controlled materials, and related resources.
- Supports public education, outreach, tours, special events, media requests, and visitor interactions related to wildlife rehabilitation and conservation, as assigned.
- Follows all applicable safety procedures, reports hazards or incidents promptly, and supports a safe environment for participants, visitors, volunteers, and staff.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
☒ This position supervises assigned full-time, part-time, seasonal, intern, and volunteer Wildlife Center personnel.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
To perform this job successfully, an employee must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable employees with barriers to employment to perform essential functions.
COMPUTER EXPERTISE REQUIRED / EQUIPMENT OPERATED:
- Proficient in computers, web-based programs, email, and Microsoft Office software.
- Must be able to safely operate medical equipment, small tools, and Park District vehicles.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This position requires the following observable knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.
Knowledge:
- Knowledge of native Ohio wildlife identification, natural history, behavior, husbandry needs, and release considerations.
- Knowledge of wildlife rehabilitation principles, triage, nutrition, basic medical care, disease prevention, quarantine, sanitation, and humane care standards.
- Knowledge of applicable state and federal wildlife regulations, permitting, controlled substance requirements, reporting, and recordkeeping.
- Knowledge of occupational safety practices related to animal handling, diseases that can spread between animals and people, sharps use, cleaning chemicals, biological waste, and personal protective equipment.
Skills:
- Strong written communication, verbal communication, presentation, documentation, and public communication skills.
- Skilled in safe animal handling, restraint, first aid, wildlife rehabilitation practices, and use of related medical or care equipment.
- Strong leadership, coaching, scheduling, delegation, conflict resolution, and staff development skills.
- Skilled in organization, time management, prioritization, problem solving, and decision-making in a fast-paced care environment.
- Skilled in research, data collection, recordkeeping, inventory management, and use of standard office technology.
Abilities:
- Ability to evaluate animal condition, follow approved care protocols, support examinations and treatments, administer fluids or medications as authorized, and monitor progress.
- Ability to prioritize competing operational needs, delegate effectively, maintain attention to detail, and adapt to changing animal care demands.
- Ability to interact professionally and respectfully with the public, volunteers, coworkers, supervisors, veterinarians, agencies, and partner organizations.
- Ability to supervise, motivate, and hold staff and volunteers accountable while maintaining a positive and safe work environment.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively with minimal supervision while exercising sound judgment and confidentiality.
- Ability to analyze problems, collect and interpret information, document findings, and recommend appropriate actions.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described below are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable employees with barriers to employment to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, talk, hear, use hands and fingers to handle animals, tools, medical supplies, records, and equipment, and reach with hands and arms. The employee frequently bends, kneels, crouches, lifts, carries, pushes, pulls, and moves throughout animal care, office, storage, and outdoor areas, including uneven or slippery surfaces. The employee must be able to lift or move up to 25 pounds regularly and up to 50 pounds occasionally with or without assistance; heavier or awkward loads should be moved using appropriate equipment or team lifting. Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus for animal assessment, documentation, driving, and equipment use.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The Wildlife Care Manager works in a combination of office, animal care, clinical, public-facing, storage, vehicle, and outdoor environments. Work is performed at the Wildlife Center and related Lake Metroparks facilities and may include outdoor areas in varying weather conditions, including heat, cold, humidity, rain, snow, and seasonal conditions. The employee may be exposed to animal odors, noise, allergens, cleaning products, disinfectants, biological materials, sharps, animal waste, and unpredictable animal behavior. The work environment requires consistent use of safe work practices, proper animal handling techniques, personal protective equipment, sanitation procedures, and professional judgment when interacting with staff, volunteers, visitors, partner agencies, and the public.
POTENTIAL HAZARDS
Potential hazards include bites, scratches, kicks, punctures, lifting injuries, slips, trips, falls, exposure to diseases that can spread between animals and people, allergens, disinfectants, cleaning chemicals, sharps, biological waste, controlled materials, vehicle or equipment operation, and stress associated with injured, ill, or deceased animals. The employee is expected to follow established protocols, use appropriate personal protective equipment, report unsafe conditions promptly, and take reasonable steps to reduce risk to animals, participants, visitors, volunteers, coworkers, and self.
GENERAL EXPECTATIONS
The employee must demonstrate commitment and sensitivity to the needs of Lake Metroparks and its constituents, support the mission of the Park District, maintain professional conduct, comply with applicable policies and procedures, and provide respectful service to participants, visitors, volunteers, coworkers, and community partners.
Benefits: Lake Metroparks offers a generous, comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees, including:
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) membership
- Employer-paid life insurance
- Mental health support and employee assistance programs (EAP)
- Paid leave policies: vacation, personal, sick, and holiday leave
- Optional benefits: additional life insurance, short-term disability, and deferred compensation
- Additional perks: Northeastern Ohio Inter-Museum Council membership, agency discounts, and tuition reimbursement
