Wildlife Project Management Intern
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Job Description
About the Company:
Piedmont Wildlife Center (PWC) is a Durham-based non-profit environmental organization dedicated to fostering conservation and inspiring a lifelong connection with nature. They achieve this through immersive outdoor education, citizen science initiatives, and wildlife stewardship programs. PWC offers year-round outdoor programs and conservation outreach utilizing their resident ambassador animals. They acknowledge the history of Leigh Farm Park, where they currently operate, as a former plantation and are committed to honoring the Indigenous and enslaved peoples who cared for the land and learning from its legacy.
Job Description: Wildlife Project Management Intern
Piedmont Wildlife Center is seeking a motivated Wildlife Project Management Intern to assist with all facets of their relocation to a new site. A key focus of the role involves the conversion of an existing barn into state-of-the-art raptor enclosures.
Key Responsibilities:
• Animal Care:
• Follow established animal care protocols for daily husbandry of ambassador animals, including snakes, turtles, opossums, rats, raptors, and more.
• Assist with the medical care of all ambassador animals.
• Relocation Project Management:
• Develop and execute relocation plans for the Wildlife Education team to the new site. This encompasses creating comprehensive material lists, cost estimations, and determining the necessary tools and volunteer/worker requirements.
• Collaborate with the Husbandry Manager to design and implement safe enclosures for both animals and humans at the new facility.
• Coordinate volunteers, interns, and staff in the installation of the new enclosures.
• Problem-Solving:
• Proactively and creatively address complex problems as they arise during the project.
• Non-profit Support:
• Willingly learn and assist with various aspects of operating an environmental non-profit.
• Assist with daily maintenance tasks that make a non-profit run including administration, cleaning, laundry, and tool use as needed.
Specific Skills and Experience to be Gained:
• Care for and safely handle educational reptiles, mammals, birds (primarily raptors), and more.
• Management skills in coordinating a move from one facility to another for a non-profit.
• Non-profit management with a small team.
• Budget development and oversight.
• Experience developing problem-solving skills and tackling engineering challenges.
Qualifications:
• This internship is tailored for upperclass or graduate college students, or recent graduates (1-2 years post). A degree is not a strict requirement.
• A background in engineering, project management, or business administration is considered beneficial, but not mandatory.
• Must have a flexible schedule and be available for 20 hours per week for a minimum of 12 weeks.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, particularly concerning the safety and well-being of animals.
• Enthusiasm for PWC’s mission and work.
• Dependability and reliable transportation to travel to PWC and throughout the Durham/Chapel Hill region.
• Ability to work independently and take initiative on assigned tasks.
• Comfort handling live animals (snakes, turtles, birds, mammals).
• Ability to dissect rat, mice, chicks, and other raptor food.
Compensation:
This is a paid internship with a $4,000 stipend. The position is part-time (20 hours/week) for a minimum of 12 weeks. Most hours will occur during normal business hours, with potential for occasional weekend and evening work. Start and end dates are flexible.
