Hospital Technician I or II

Hospital Technician I Or II

Under general direction from the Rehabilitation Program Manager and Director of Veterinary Services and utilizing well-defined objectives and guidelines, the Hospital Technician provides "hands-on" leadership through knowledge of the disciplines of veterinary medical primary technical care and a general understanding of sea turtle rehabilitation and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the veterinary hospital facilities including the diagnostic laboratory, pharmacy, surgery, and radiology suite. Responsibilities include providing technical and medical assistance in the care and daily treatment of all animals maintained by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

The Hospital Technician assists in anesthesia, and surgical procedures, maintains all diagnostic equipment in good order and orders and maintains an inventory of medical drugs, equipment, and supplies.

Responsibilities include:

• Providing technical and medical assistance in the care and treatment of all animals maintained by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.
• Responsible for husbandry and care of a wide variety of wild birds and reptiles in a rehabilitation setting, as well as the medical, surgical, and rehabilitation procedures and tasks.
• Creating weekly treatment schedule to ensure all animals in care are evaluated by the veterinarian.
• Managing the daily flow and prioritizing treatments, examinations, and procedures to maximize resources.
• Operating diagnostic equipment (endoscopy, radiology, clinical pathology, parasitology, etc.), assisting in surgical procedures and familiarity with protocols for handling scheduled narcotics and controlled substances; performs data entry of medical records in electronic record-keeping systems, including ZIMS. Ensures that all Georgia Sea Turtle Center animal medical records are maintained in accordance with Georgia State Veterinary Medical Association rules and guidelines.
• Developing and maintaining maintenance logs for all hospital equipment.
• Developing and implementing training for the operation and maintenance of all hospital equipment.
• Assisting the veterinarian in anesthesia, surgery, and medical care of the animals.
• Maintaining medical equipment and supplies in clean, orderly, and working condition.
• Ordering, stocking, and organizing pharmacy inventory, monitoring outdated and recalled drugs, and managing donations of equipment and supplies when necessary.
• Developing teaching itineraries for husbandry AmeriCorps members and veterinary externs about rehabilitation/caretaking protocols in the hospital.
• Duties include feeding and caring for all animals under the Georgia Sea Turtle Center's care, medicating animals and maintaining quarantine protocols as directed, cleaning and maintaining exhibits, tanks, life support systems, and husbandry record keeping.
• Maintaining hospital cleanliness, including such duties as sweeping, mopping, dusting, and disinfecting equipment and lab areas. Disposes of garbage and sterilizes containers and instruments.
• When appropriate, enthusiastically participates in public outreach and educational programming, including special tours, public and private education programs, and daily visitor interactions/educational interpretation.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Rehabilitation Program Manager.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a directly related field (environmental biology, veterinary technical care, conservation, education, etc.) is required for Hospital Technician II.
• IWRC's Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator (CWR) must maintain continuing education units (CEUs) biennially to maintain certification.
• Must be able to obtain Georgia DNR Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit within 4 months.
• Requires a minimum of four years of experience working with exotic animals; prefers work experience in the zoo, aquarium, or rehabilitation field.
• Must be a skilled and effective communicator committed to advancing sea turtle and wildlife conservation through rehabilitation, research, and education.
• Direct experience in wild animal rescue, rehabilitation, veterinary technical experience, research, and public education preferred.
• Work hours may include evenings and weekends for emergency care.
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule, including weekends, holidays, and overtime, and be on-call for emergencies.
• Performs "on-call" duties for rescue response, essential medical treatments, and animal health emergencies when necessary.

Physical Requirements/Working Conditions:

• Exert up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds frequently, and/or up-to 20 pounds constantly to move objects.
• More than 50% of the typical workday will be spent reaching, lifting, and repetitive use of wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
• Between 25 and 50% of the day will be spent stooping, kneeling, crouching, and pulling.
• Less than 25% of the day will be spent climbing, standing, sitting, walking, and feeling.
• Sensory abilities require vision, hearing, and touching, with more than 50% of the day spent communicating, talking, and hearing.
• Must have visual clarity to determine accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of work assigned or to make general observations of facilities or structures.
• Work will be performed both inside and outside.
• Work is subject to extreme cold and extreme heat, and high humidity.
• Work includes exposure to vibrations, hazards, infectious diseases, and required to wear a respirator.
• The noise level is considered normal to loud and may require shouting.