Part Time Veterinary Technician

Part-Time Veterinary Technician

Reports To: Director of Clinical Medicine

Position Managed: Veterinary Technician Students and Volunteers

Department: Zoological Health Program

Location: Primarily Bronx Zoo; Occasional multi-site at other WCS Parks

Employment Type: Part-Time

Pay Range: $26.00 - $28.00/hour

About Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): WCS stands for wildlife and wild places. As the world's premier wildlife conservation organization, WCS has a long track record of achieving innovative, impactful results at scale. We run field programs spanning 60 countries and the entire ocean. We build on a unique foundation: Our reach is global; we discover through best-in-class science; we protect through work on the ground with local and indigenous people; we inspire through our world-class zoos, aquarium, and education programs; and we leverage our resources through partnerships and powerful policy influence. Our more than 4,000 diverse, passionately committed team members in New York City and around the world work collectively to achieve our conservation mission.

Position Summary: Based at the Bronx Zoo's Wildlife Health Center, this position assists veterinarians and full-time veterinary technicians in providing healthcare to animals in the WCS collection at all 5 Parks and assists in training professionals, students and volunteers, as part of the health care team. This position contributes to, enlarges, and upholds the WCS policies toward the Equal Employment Opportunities for women, minorities, veterans, the handicapped and other designated groups.

Principal Responsibilities:

• Perform treatments on and monitor animals in the hospital or on-grounds, which includes preparation and administration of daily medications; setting up, maintaining, and troubleshooting intravenous catheters, fluids, and constant rate infusions; and record keeping.
• Also, it includes feeding and cleaning enclosures of hospitalized animals when necessary.
• Prepare for, assist during, and clean up after any clinical procedures (including surgical procedures) on collection animals and occasional wildlife animals in the hospital and on zoo grounds.
• This includes providing and monitoring anesthesia, intubating, and recovery of animals as part of the routine medical management of the WCS collection.
• Operate and maintain veterinary diagnostic imaging equipment, including digital-based radiology (portable and stationary equipment), CT equipment, endoscopy, and ultrasound systems.
• Position animals for imaging; accurately configure, label, and archive radiographs and other diagnostic images.
• Assist with the maintenance of the inventory of hospital medicines and supplies.
• Assist with ordering and re-stocking of medications and stock supplies in all clinical areas of the center.
• Assist with record keeping of controlled substances.
• Maintain cleanliness and overall organization of the WHC.
• Maintain the Preventative Medicine Program via coordination of dispensing monthly preventative medications and administration of routine vaccines to collection animals within guidelines provided by Veterinarians.
• Perform clinical pathology testing as needed in absence of Laboratory Supervising Veterinary Technician including manual and automated Complete Blood Count, urinalysis, fecal exams, cytology, point of care biochemical tests, STAT biochemical tests, water coliform testing, and other lab diagnostics as required in a zoo laboratory setting.
• Must prepare and ship laboratory samples in accordance with current IATA shipment regulations.
• Assist Laboratory Supervising Veterinary Technician with testing as needed.
• Assist with maintenance and be able to operate veterinary hospital equipment.
• Assist in training the hospital volunteers, students, and new employees as required.
• Perform related tasks and duties as required.
• Ability to work in a complex healthcare environment with animals of diverse taxa and with multiple veterinarians and veterinary technicians.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a collaborative team that interacts closely with other departments, including Animal Care and Facilities teams.
• Ability to provide daily oversight of technical support team.
• Ability to represent WCS in a professional manner in all activities and to provide a positive example to all staff.
• Must understand and be able to comply with DEA regulations pertaining to controlled substances in veterinary practice.
• Assures safety of self, staff, animals, and guests through regular participation in safety training and activities; compliance with standard operating procedures; and proper operation and maintenance of equipment.