Join our raptor team! Explore our current open positions:

Clinic Support Tasks and General Patient Care - 45%

• Assist veterinarians and support senior veterinary technicians with the medical care of wild raptor patients. 
• Perform patient restraint for examinations, diagnostics, treatments, and procedures. 
• Conduct treatments, medication administration, daily patient assessments, feeding, cleaning, and husbandry. 
• Assist with diagnostics, sample preparation, laboratory procedures, radiographs, bloodwork, and anesthesia according to training and qualifications. 
• Participate in treatment planning discussions with veterinarians, SVTs, and CVT(s). 
• Complete medical records and patient documentation accurately and promptly. 
• Participate in and assist with end-of-life services, including the euthanasia of patients.
• Assist with clinic maintenance tasks, including inventory, restocking, and cleaning; preparing treatment areas; and preparing medications.

Rehabilitation Duties - 35%

• Participate in the rehabilitative care of all raptor patients who have completed medical care. Tasks include but are not limited to: creating physical reconditioning schedules, evaluating flight mechanics, performing live prey training, pre-release examinations and diagnostics with a staff veterinarian, coordination of releases, imping (feather replacement), beak/talon coping, and participation in developing and updating in-house protocols and documentation of rehabilitation process for use in teaching and consultations. 
• Participate in the care for juvenile raptors during baby season. Tasks include, but are not limited to: providing care to juvenile raptors in the hospital who have completed medical treatment; training volunteers in basic care for juveniles; performing and coordinating renesting and fostering; and following up with the general public on reunites or fosters. 
• Assist in managing the mouse colony.

Volunteer training and engagement - 5%

• Assist with training and supervising volunteers involved in patient care and rehabilitation activities. 
• Support volunteer engagement efforts and educational opportunities.
• Contribute to educational programming and training initiatives. 

Teaching and outreach - 10% 

• Assist with training and supervising students involved in patient care and rehabilitation activities. 
• Provide guidance and support to student employees, interns, and visiting professionals. 
• Communicate professionally with members of the public regarding injured birds, patient updates, transport arrangements, and rehabilitation activities. 
• Contribute to educational programming and training initiatives. 
• Represent TRC professionally in public-facing activities. 

Other duties as assigned (5%)

Minimum:

• BA/BS degree in an animal-related field, biology, wildlife ecology/conservation, OR certified veterinary technician training plus two years’ experience, OR equivalent combination of education and experience in veterinary technology, animal science, biology, wildlife rehabilitation, or related field to equal 4 years
• Ability to maintain composure in high-stress, emotionally charged environments, including through the euthanasia process
• Ability to communicate respectfully, clearly, and effectively through speaking, listening, writing, and responding to a variety of audiences, including volunteers, colleagues, and members of the public.
• Ability to provide excellent customer service – in person, online, and on the telephone
• Strong observational skills
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and effectively with others
• Comfort in speaking in front of audiences
• Basic competency in the Microsoft suite: Word, Excel, Gmail, PowerPoint
• Ability to project a positive attitude towards co-workers, supervisor, volunteers, and the public
• Ability to use time efficiently and take initiative to respond to departmental needs
• Ability to work as a team member in a highly dynamic, busy environment
• Ability to adapt to a changing work environment and work effectively in an emergency room-type environment
• Problem-solving skills and strong interpersonal skills
• Flexibility in schedule that includes the ability to work during all seasons, weekends, evenings, and holidays, and the ability to fill some shifts on short notice

Preferred:

• Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) or eligibility for certification in Minnesota.
• Two years of professional experience in wildlife rehabilitation, veterinary medicine, zoological medicine, or a related animal care field.
• Experience with avian hematology and manual complete blood cell counts
• Knowledge of veterinary medicine terminology
• Knowledge of proper restraint and handling of large and small animals
• Basic raptor knowledge
• Experience working with raptors in a wildlife rehabilitation setting
• Experience working with volunteers
• Experience teaching and working with students

Applications must be submitted online. 

To submit an application, click here

Search for the job by its title or Job ID #374665. At the bottom of the posting, click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a required cover letter and resume. Applications will be reviewed until a candidate has been selected 

Additional documents may be attached after the application is completed by accessing your "My Activities" page and uploading documents there.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail [email protected] or call (612) 624-UOHR (8647).

50% - Clinical Care 

• Triage and Intake: Perform complete admission examinations and triage newly admitted wildlife patients according to TRC’s standards of care and institutional ethics. 
• Medical and Surgical Management: Provide primary case management for injured and ill wild raptors, including soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries, ophthalmic examinations, and physiotherapy. 
• Patient Oversight: Develop and adjust treatment plans for hospitalized patients, including medications, therapies, diet, and housing. 
• Diagnostics: Obtain and interpret diagnostic tests; obtain research samples and log data accurately in the ZIMS medical record system. 
• Anesthesia: Perform general anesthesia and respond appropriately and efficiently to anesthetic emergencies. 
• Biosecurity: Follow and adhere to strict biosecurity and quarantine protocols; identify patients with potential infectious diseases and implement appropriate management protocols. 
• Captive/Client-Owned Care: Perform wellness and medical concern examinations for captive, client-owned raptors, including educational ambassadors and falconry birds. 
• Euthanasia: Provide timely humane euthanasia as needed. 
• Mentorship: Mentor veterinary interns and students in clinical techniques, fostering a culture of continuous learning, professional ethics, and high-quality patient care. 

50% - Research 

• Conduct independent and collaborative research projects under the direction and in conjunction with TRC faculty. 
• Develop studies focusing on current wildlife health priorities, potentially including but not limited to: clinical outcomes, wildlife epidemiology, environmental toxicology (e.g., PFAS), post-release monitoring, and climate change impacts.
• Design, implement, and evaluate research projects, including laboratory experiments and population-level analysis. 
• Contribute to and/or author grant applications to support research work at TRC. 
• Collaborate with faculty across the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and partner with regional/national wildlife health organizations. 
• Disseminate findings through peer-reviewed publications, professional conferences, and technical reports. 
• Supervise research-related staff or students as project needs dictate. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Completion of formal postgraduate clinical training (internship/residency). 
• Experience in wildlife pathology, epidemiology, or environmental toxicology. 
• Demonstrated passion for the One Health approach.
• USDA veterinary accreditation (Category I and/or II)

Required Qualifications

• DVM, VMD, or equivalent degree from an accredited institution. 
• Strong foundational experience in avian or wildlife medicine. 
• Demonstrated ability to perform independent research, including study design, data collection, and analysis. 
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively in a high-volume, dynamic clinical environment. 
• Ability to maintain composure in high-stress, emotionally charged environments, including through the euthanasia process.
• License to practice veterinary medicine in Minnesota, or ability to obtain licensure prior to start date.

Required Training

• ZIMS medical record system. 
• Occupational health and additional trainings as directed by IACUC protocols 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Selection Criteria

• Ability to project a positive attitude towards co-workers, supervisor, volunteers, and the public
• Ability to provide excellent customer service – in person, online and on the telephone.
• Ability to use time efficiently and take initiative to respond to departmental needs.
• Ability to communicate respectfully and clearly in verbal and written communication. 
• Ability to work as a team member in a highly dynamic, busy environment.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand for prolonged periods of time. 
• Ability to lift up to 40 pounds; ability to lift awkward, heavy objects from the ground. 
• Ability to walk ¼ mile. 
• Ability and willingness to wear a fitted N95 respirator for significant periods of time. 
• Ability and willingness to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and work in a biosecure quarantine space for significant periods of time. 
• Ability to physically capture and safely restrain wild raptors, including large eagles.

All applications for this position are required to be submitted online at: https://hr.umn.edu/jobs with the Job ID #374799

Applications mailed to The Raptor Center will not be considered.

Cover letter and résumé required. These documents can be attached to your application by accessing your “My Activities'' page and uploading documents there. This position will remain open until filled. For the best chance to be considered for this position, apply as soon as you are able.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail [email protected] or call (612) 624-UOHR (8647).

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility at https://z.umn.edu/BenefitsSummaries.

The employer reserves the right to modify, change, or add to the duties of this job description, consistent with the University classification, at any time.

Veterinary technician duties - 45%

• Laboratory tests and procedures: perform manual avian complete blood cell counts, in-house blood lead testing, in-house fecal evaluations, in-house culture and sensitivity testing; coordinate sample submission to external labs; and enter diagnostic results into a digital medical record system.
• Anesthesia and Surgery: set-up for surgical and anesthetic procedures, pre-medicate and induce general anesthesia in raptor patients, monitor general anesthesia, address anesthetic-related complications, place intravenous and intraosseous catheters, assist with sterile surgical procedures, recover patients from general anesthesia, enter anesthetic records into a digital medical record system, and assist with cleaning, restocking, and sterile instrument preparation.

Clinic support tasks and general patient care - 40%

• Assist with care of wild raptor patients undergoing medical treatment, which may include but is not limited to: basic patient restraint, bloodwork, radiographs, medication administration and treatments, feeding, cleaning, and completing all related medical records and paperwork.
• Assist with clinic maintenance tasks, such as but not limited to: cleaning instruments, wrapping packs, autoclaving, restocking the treatment room space, compounding medications, inventory, and receiving.

Volunteer training and engagement - 5%

• Assist with the training and supervision of volunteers in the various aspects of their clinical work
• Daily volunteer interaction and stewardship
• Assist the clinic manager in providing volunteer training and volunteer engagement opportunities, such as patient updates and continuing education opportunities, including but not limited to training, workshops, and patient update stories.

Teaching and outreach - 5%

• Assist with hands-on training of visiting students and professionals
• May have the opportunity to contribute to the development and implementation of TRC’s clinical training offerings, and externally facing conference presentations
• Represent TRC in a professional manner consistent with TRC clinic’s identified mission and goals.

Other duties as assigned (5%)

Minimum Qualifications:

• Graduate of an Animal Health Technician Program or equivalent training.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to effectively communicate with diverse groups, including volunteers and the general public
• Strong observational skills
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and effectively with others
• Comfort in speaking in front of audiences
• Physical abilities: must be able to meet the essential physical requirements of the job as listed below.
• Basic competency in the Microsoft suite: Word, Excel, Gmail, Google Office Suite
• Ability to project a positive attitude towards co-workers, supervisor, volunteers, and the public
• Ability to provide excellent customer service – in person, online and on the telephone
• Ability to communicate respectfully and clearly in verbal and written communication, including speaking, listening, writing, and responding.
• Ability to use time efficiently and take initiative to respond to departmental needs
• Ability to work as a team member in a highly dynamic, busy environment
• Ability to adapt to a changing work environment and work effectively in an emergency room-type environment
• Problem-solving skills and strong interpersonal skills
• Flexibility to meet patient care needs.
• Flexibility in schedule that includes an ability to work during all seasons, weekends, evenings, and holidays, and the ability to fill some shifts on short notice.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certified or eligible for certification as a licensed veterinary technician in Minnesota.
• Experience with avian hematology and manual complete blood cell counts
• Basic raptor knowledge
• Experience working with raptors or other wildlife in a rehabilitation setting
• Experience working with volunteers
• Knowledge of veterinary medicine terminology
• Knowledge of proper restraint and handling of large and small animals

Required Training

• ZIMS medical record software
• TRC internal protocols and procedures

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis in conjunction with Disability Services.

• Ability to stand for prolonged periods of time
• Ability to walk ½ mile, climb stairs, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl
• Ability to use hands to perform fine motor skills
• Ability to talk, hear, and smell to work safely in an animal care environment
• Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds
• Ability to lift awkward, heavy objects from the ground
• Ability and willingness to wear a fitted N95 respirator for significant periods of time
• Ability and willingness to wear personal protective equipment and work in a biosecure quarantine space for significant periods of time
• Ability to physically capture and safely restrain wild raptors, including large eagles

All applications for this position are required to be submitted online at:https://hr.umn.edu/jobs with the Job ID #373050

Applications mailed to The Raptor Center will not be considered.

Cover letter and résumé required. These documents can be attached to your application by accessing your “My Activities'' page and uploading documents there. This position will remain open until filled. For the best chance to be considered for this position, apply as soon as you are able.