As development encroaches on wildlife habitat, PAWS’ nationally recognized wildlife rehabilitation center rehabilitates sick, injured, and orphaned animals and educates people about peaceful co-existence with wildlife.
Juvenile Songbird Rehabilitation Interns assist and support professional Rehabilitators and supervise highly trained volunteers in the daily care of orphaned, wild birds. Interns gain valuable, practical experience in species identification and natural history, proper husbandry techniques, animal handling, medication administration, and other procedures. Internships are intense, physically demanding, and fast-paced.
Job duties
- Hand-feed hatchling and nestling birds
- Set up and clean bird enclosures
- Prepare diets (includes live insects)
- Administer daily medications
- Laundry, dishes and general cleaning tasks
- Other tasks as required
Qualifications
Applicants must be current college students or high school graduates, recent college graduates, or career changers, possess a strong interest in wildlife rehabilitation and an appreciation for songbirds, and be able to:
- Read, write and speak English fluently
- Work independently and as a part of a team
- Perform tedious tasks for long periods of time
- Perform physically demanding tasks and lift up to 40lbs
- Work quickly and efficiently while precisely following instructions and protocols
- Work cooperatively with co-workers (volunteers, interns, and staff)
- Represent PAWS professionally at all times
Learning Opportunities
In addition to the day-to-day skills interns will be learning, PAWS internships include a variety of continuing education classes. These include:
- Wildlife Ethics and Scenarios
- Preventative Care
- Fracture Stabilization
- Radiology/Radiographs
- Feather Imping
- Wound Care
- Advanced Skills Courses
Internship terms
- Internships are available May—August
- Successful candidates must commit to a minimum of 12 consecutive weeks
- Interns work 40+ hours per week including weekend and holiday work
- Interns are UNPAID
- Housing and transportation assistance is NOT provided
Application requirements
If you are interested in applying for an internship at the PAWS Wildlife Center, please read the Wildlife internship application process below carefully.
Please submit the following to apply:
The following documentation can be attached to the Internship Application or emailed separately to Selah Ross at sross@paws.org:
- Letter of Intent: Please tell us about your career goals and what you hope to gain from the internship, as well as your qualifications and what you can bring to the position
- Current Resume
Alternatively, you can mail your application to:
Selah Ross, Wildlife Volunteer Program Manager
PAWS
PO Box 1037
Lynnwood, WA 98046
Please note: Only applicants who follow the instructions and complete the application process in full will have their responses reviewed for consideration.
Application Deadlines
This position begins in April or May. Candidate application materials will be reviewed by March at the latest. Applicants are encouraged to apply by the end of January for an internship starting in the same year.
The Decision Process
You will receive an email confirmation of our receipt of your application materials. We regret that we are unable to respond to status inquiries over the phone. Applications will continue to be reviewed until positions are full on a first come first served basis.
Applicants will be notified by email should they be chosen to participate in an interview.
Questions?
Email Selah Ross, Wildlife Volunteer Program Manager at sross@paws.org.