Wildlife Employment & Training Opportunities

The Wildlife Disease Association acts as a means to distribute information on wildlife health-related job opportunities and is dedicated to providing information to wildlife professionals and interested parties about training programs and activities focused on wildlife health issues.

To post ads and opportunities, please send to the Website Editor and Newsletter Editor.

Postings will remain on the website for three months or until the application date has passed.

Positions and Training Opportunities: Click on link to view more information, or scroll through listings on this page

Supervisory Research Veterinary Medical Officer/Research Entomologist/ Research Microbiologist (Research Leader)
Wildlife veterinary study abroad in Africa
Postdoctoral Scientist – Disease Ecology and Amphibian Conservation
Bear Manager, China Bear Rescue Centre in Chengdu or Vietnam Bear Rescue Center
Internship opportunity: Wildlife Rehabilitation and Medicine at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) in Sanibel, Florida
Application for Doctoral Fellowship
Assistant Professor of Disease Ecology
Ph.D. students in Infectious Disease, Toxicology, Bioinformatics, and Molecular/Cellular Biomedical Science
Peace Corps - Seeking Environmental Professionals

Supervisory Research Veterinary Medical Officer/Research Entomologist/ Research Microbiologist (Research Leader)

GS-14/15 Salary: $96,690- $147,857 per annum
SSRS Salary: $150,000 - $170,000 per annum (with full potential to $196,700)

The USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Arthropod-Borne Animal Diseases Research Unit (ABADRU) at the Center for Grain and Animal Health Research in Manhattan, KS is seeking a permanent, full-time individual with an established record of experience to serve as the Research Leader of the unit.  The position offers an exciting opportunity to lead one of the nation’s premier laboratories conducting fundamental and applied research on arthropod transmitted diseases of livestock.  Research involves studies on arthropod-transmitted viruses such as  bluetongue virus and the closely related epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, Rift Valley Fever virus, and other arboviruses.  

This position is being advertised under both the General Schedule (GS-14/15 grade levels) pay system as well as the Senior Scientist Research Service (SSRS) system, however only one position will be filled.   Please thoroughly read each announcement (GS and SSRS) in its entirety to ensure you meet the eligibility, qualifications, and/or pay system requirement.  Candidates, who wish to be considered under both the GS and the SSRS system, must submit a separate application package for each specific vacancy announcement due to the different qualification requirements under each system.

For questions regarding the GS application process (http://www.afm.ars.usda.gov/divisions/hrd/index.html), please contact Janette Jensen at (785) 776-2737.  Applications must be marked ARS-X10W-0060 and be received by 11:59 (EST) on March 30, 2010.  U.S. Citizenship Required.

For questions regarding the SSRS application process (http://www.afm.ars.usda.gov/divisions/hrd/index.html), please contact Deborah Crump at (301) 504-1448.  Applications must be marked ARS:SSRS:10-01and be received by 11:59 (EST) on March 30, 2010.  A Ph.D. is required under this system.   U.S. Citizenship Restrictions apply.  For more information regarding citizenship requirements, please see the following link, http://www.afm.ars.usda.gov/hrd/jobs/VISA/countries.htm.

Posted 24 January 2010

Wildlife veterinary study abroad in Africa

Eko Tracks, your representative in Cary, North Carolinaoffers special interest courses designed for students in veterinary science where you will meet and interact with wildlife veterinarians in South Africa, hands-on. Learn about the crucial role of veterinarians in the growing wildlife industry by participating in game capture operations, field and lab work. This course focuses on wildlife veterinary science, wildlife diseases and medicine, capture and care of wild animals, breeding of rare species, wildlife rehabilitation, ecosystems and biodiversity conservation.

Program highlights are a visit to the OnderstepoortVeterinarySchool, local community veterinary services and various wildlife rehabilitation centers where orphaned and injured wild animals are treated and cared for. Life in the bush, learning practical bush skills, tracking wildlife on foot and study wildlife behavior is an experience of a life time. Travel through the spectacular Drakensberg Escarpment while descending to the world famous KrugerNational Parkand spend a few days in this wildlife wonder of Africa. The highlight for veterinary students is to participate in hands-on game capture few people ever get to experience.

Read more about these exciting courses on our website www.ekotracks.com and get a head start at this once in a life time educational experience. Eko Tracks is booking study abroad trips now. To apply, please print the application form from the website and mail or fax it to the office of Eko Tracks.

Postdoctoral Scientist – Disease Ecology and Amphibian Conservation

Creative and motivated candidates are invited to apply for a Postdoctoral Scientist position working at the intersection of disease ecology and amphibian conservation at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The position will focus on exploring questions in one of two focal areas:
(1) Applying metacommunity theory to host-parasite interactions at multiple spatial scales, and/or
(2) Understanding the immunological mechanisms that mediate patterns of parasite coinfection and amphibian disease.

A wide range of parasites will be included in the study, but particular emphasis will be placed on the trematode Ribeiroia ondatrae and its effects on amphibian malformations. Previous field and/or experimental experience with host-parasite systems is essential, and a background in community ecology, landscape ecology and/or immunology is strongly encouraged. Experience with GIS and analysis of spatial data is preferred. Because funding for positions is derived from several sources, the selected candidate will have some flexibility in developing specific projects. Focal project areas include: using ecological ‘rules’ to understand patterns of parasite interaction within and among hosts, identifying the effects of host and parasite diversity on disease, and evaluating the importance of dispersal and species interactions in structuring host and parasite communities. Target start date is spring or summer of 2010. Interested applicants should send (as a single pdf) the following: a complete CV, contact information for references, and a brief statement of research interests related to this position (<2 pages) to Dr. Pieter Johnson (pieter.johnson@colorado.edu), Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado (see www.colorado.edu/eeb/facultysites/pieter). APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL FEBRUARY 1ST, 2010 OR UNTIL A SUITABLE CANDIDATE IS FOUND.
Posted 22 Dec 2009

Bear Manager, China Bear Rescue Centre in Chengdu or Vietnam Bear Rescue Center

Highly motivated and experienced animal professionals are required to work with rescued Asiatic Black Bears at our China Bear Rescue Centre in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China or Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre.

This position is responsible for overseeing teams of local bear keeping staff involved in the daily care and management of the bears housed within the rescue centre. It will also involve working alongside and liaising with the Veterinary Director and the resident Vet team plus our Animal Conditioning Consultant to manage various daily operations. Bear Managers report directly to the centre Senior Bear Manager.

Both formal qualifications preferably a bachelor’s degree and proven practical experience are essential for this position. 

Accommodation is provided, along with a competitive salary and the opportunity to help these most stoic and beautiful animals.

Responsibilities:

• Co-coordinating various daily operations:
• Animal care and management
• Maintenance and adjustment of existing enrichment programs
• Bear food and stock ordering system
• Operant conditioning and formal bear training programmes for a variety of medical, behavioural and management requirements.

Qualifications and experience:

• Formal qualification (ideally a university degree) in zoology, biology, conservation, animal behaviour or related field
• Three to five years work experience in a zoo or similar working environment
• Excellent communication, organisational and practical skills
• Strong management skills and the ability to work in a team or independently
• Patience and willingness to work within a different culture are essential

Appointment is full-time, five (5) days a week with some weekend work applicable.
Applicants must be able to commit for a minimum of one (1) year. Two (2) year contracts are also offered.

The following items are included in your full-time contract:
On-site accommodation                           Subsidised meals
Relocation Assistance                              Medical Insurance
For more information please visit our website www.animalsasia.org

To apply please forward cover letter and CV (stating position you are applying for) and completed Job Application form with expected salary to: hrhkg@animalsasia.org

Posted 22 Dec 2009

Internship opportunity: Wildlife Rehabilitation and Medicine at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) in Sanibel, Florida

Facility: CROW is a non-profit wildlife hospital that provides care for over 4,400 injured and orphaned Florida wildlife patients each year, including birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Integrative medicine, including use of acupuncture, homeopathy, Chinese herbal therapy, and traditional western veterinary medicine, complements rehabilitation techniques.

Position: Veterinary Internship in Wildlife Rehabilitation and Medicine

Description: CROW is offering a one year internship in wildlife rehabilitation and medicine. The intern will work alongside the rehabilitation staff, including two full time veterinarians, rehabilitators, students and volunteers. Involvement will include patient admittances, treatment administration, surgery, anesthesia, necropsy, appropriate cage and diet preparation, husbandry, and record-keeping. Learning opportunities also include after-hours emergency admittances and infant bird and mammal care. The intern will have the opportunity to participate in daily rounds sessions, as well as help to teach and coordinate students, fellows, and volunteers.

Qualifications: A DVM or equivalent is required, as is US citizenship. A working interview will be included as part of the application process.

Payment: $10,000/year stipend, on-island housing, and health insurance are provided.

Length: One year, beginning July, 2010.
Posted 22 Dec 2009

Application for Doctoral Fellowship
Alaska IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence

The Alaska IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) is supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health. The primary objective of the INBRE Doctoral Fellowship program is to recruit high quality graduate students at the University of Alaska and provide up to four years’ of support for a project in the Biomedical Sciences, in the labs of Alaska INBRE supported faculty. Doctoral students funded through this program will gain valuable experience in designing, conducting and reporting biomedical research. Only one external doctoral fellowship will be awarded each year.

The goal of this Doctoral Fellowship is to promote successful recruitment of high quality graduate students in Alaska. The applicant must be a new (to University of Alaska) Ph.D. student to be enrolled in the Graduate program at UAF or UAA, having maintained good academic standing (min. 3.0 GPA) in their undergraduate studies. Applicants are expected to apply to the Graduate School at the time of application and have a major advisor at University of Alaska Fairbanks or Anchorage. The student is required to form a graduate advisory committee and filed a graduate study plan by the end of the first fellowship year.
Awards will be limited to students applying to work in the labs of Alaska INBRE Investigators: UAA: Dr. Loren Buck, Dr. Frank von Hippel, Dr. Jocelyn Krebs, Dr. Miki Ii, Dr. Cindy Knall or Dr. Jason Burkhead. UAF: Dr. Karsten Hueffer, Dr. Jon Runstadler, Dr. Todd O’Hara, Dr. Marvin Schulte, Dr. Naoki Takebayashi (Bioinformatics), Dr. Mary Beth Leigh, Dr. Erich Follmann or Dr. Lee Taylor.

For full application & description please follow the link below:

http://www.alaska.edu/inbre/inbre-students/graduate-students/GraduateFellowshipAnnouncement2010-2011.pdf

Assistant Professor of Disease Ecology

The Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Notre Dame seeks faculty candidates who use integrative approaches to study mechanisms that influence disease transmission and/or dynamics.  Candidates with cross-disciplinary interests in areas of infectious disease ecology including epidemiology, theoretical modeling, ecological processes, or evolutionary pathways that influence disease pathogens or their vectors are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will be expected to establish a vigorous externally-funded research program that will complement an active interdisciplinary research community with foci in the ecology, evolution, genetics, and functional genomics of pathogens, their insect vectors, and vertebrate hosts. This individual will participate in the broad initiatives of the Eck Institute for Global Health (http://www.nd.edu/~eigh) and contribute to the undergraduate and graduate teaching mission of the department.  This position is part of a cluster hire that includes a position in epidemiology.  The department houses state-of-the-art genomics, bioinformatics, and imaging cores, specialized BSL-3 containment laboratories, insect rearing and research facilities, and an AAALAC-accredited animal facility.  Information on department and other college faculty and facilities can be found at http://biology.nd.edu and http://science.nd.edu. Opportunities also exist for collaboration with faculty at the adjoining Indiana University School of Medicine-South Bend.  Review of applications will commence on  November 1, 2009, and continue until suitable candidates are identified.  Qualified individuals should send (pdf format requested) a cover letter, curriculum vitae, separate statements of research and teaching interests, and three letters of reference to:  disease9@nd.edu

Ph.D. students in Infectious Disease, Toxicology, Bioinformatics, and Molecular/Cellular Biomedical Science

The University of Alaska INBRE (IDEA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence) is recruiting quality Ph.D. students in the areas of Infectious Disease, Toxicology, Bioinformatics, and Molecular/Cellular Biomedical Science.  A competitive fellowship is available that has guaranteed funding for up to 4 years. Applicants are required to pursue a Ph.D. in the lab of an INBRE-supported faculty member at either University of Alaska Fairbanks or University of Alaska Anchorage, and must supply a pre-proposal to the chosen faculty that will include an Application cover page, NIH Biosketch, GRE scores, college transcript with GPA, and 2 letters of reference to the faculty member (application form). 
Applications will be pre-screened by the selected faculty.  The faculty member and applicant will collaborate to prepare a project proposal to be submitted to the review committee with recommendations. 
Review Criteria:  Quality of proposal, quality of student (GPA, GRE, Biosketch), and letters of recommendation.  For areas of study and more information on INBRE faculty, please visit the INBRE website (areas of focus) or contact Alaska INBRE at inbre@alaska.edu.
The largest state in the United States, Alaska has an unsurpassed display of northern lights, mushing, glaciers, mountains and cultural and natural history.

Peace Corps is Seeking Environmental Professionals!

Are you looking for a different way to share information and educate others about the environment while living and working in a developing nation?  Peace Corps may be the answer.  Founded by President John F. Kennedy, the Peace Corps was created to provide education and technical training to citizens of other countries and to foster cross‑cultural exchange.  Since 1961, over 190,000 Volunteers have served in 139 countries around the world.  Peace Corps is looking for environmental professionals who are interested in new and challenging opportunities or considering alternatives to traditional retirement. Volunteers work in local communities to create sustainable environmentally focused projects varying from potable water systems to community recycling and reforestation programs.  The education and professional background of volunteers includes: biologists, engineers, foresters, as well as educators and park administrators.  Volunteers come from all walks of life but every one shares in their dedication to the environment and improving the lives of others. Peace Corps is a 27-month commitment and provides a living allowance,  full medical and dental care, transportation to and from the assigned country, as well as readjustment funds on completion of service. Immerse yourself in a new culture and have the experience of a lifetime working with others.  For more information on the Peace Corps, and opportunities focused on the environment, click here or copy and paste the link below into your web browser. www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn.whatvol.env&cid=wda