Part Time Hospital Assistant chez Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

Hospital Assistant

The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium is looking for a skilled and dedicated Hospital Assistant to join our dynamic veterinary team. In this role, you’ll play a key part in providing exceptional husbandry care to our zoo’s quarantined animals, as well as assisting the veterinary staff with a variety of medical related tasks. 

Responsibilities/ Duties: 

• Provides daily husbandry for quarantine animals and hospitalized patients at the zoo’s Animal Care Center, including feeding, cleaning, monitoring, and recordkeeping
• Monitors animal health and behavior, promptly reporting any changes or concerns to veterinary staff 
• Researches, develops, and implements recordkeeping documents, enclosure set-ups, and enrichment plans for all incoming quarantine animals

• May assist veterinarians and veterinary technicians during medical procedures, including animal restraint, preparation, and post-procedure monitoring

• Maintains hospital cleanliness and organization, including food preparation areas and storage rooms
• Performs hospital support tasks, including restocking medical supplies, sterilizing surgical equipment, organizing necropsy and pathology tissues, coordinating disposal of necropsy specimens, assisting with the set-up and break-down of medical procedure equipment
• Transports laboratory samples, patients, or nuisance wildlife on grounds as directed
• Maintains confidentiality of medical cases
• Collaborates with animal keepers, veterinary technicians, and veterinarians to provide comprehensive animal care
• Demonstrates consistent good judgment in animal welfare/management and human safety while maintaining a secure work environment
• Ability to lead hospital tours for a wide variety of visiting individuals and groups

Qualifications

• Knowledge of Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); ZIMS experience preferred
• Pre-exposure rabies vaccination is preferred, or willingness to obtain upon hire
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work as part of a team
• Willingness to work weekends, holidays, and flexible hours as required

Requirements

• Current PA driver’s license. Must be willing and able to operate an extended length utility vehicle. Position may require occasional off-site driving
• Must provide proof of negative TB test within 1 year prior to hire date
• Ability to work outside in a variety of weather conditions
• Manual dexterity is required to operate machinery, equipment and restraining devices, including restraint nets, pathology supplies, personal computers, etc.
• Must be physically able to exert up to ten pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects
• Work involves standing, walking, bending, reaching, crawling, crouching, etc. for periods of time
• Must be willing to always carry work-provided communication devices on person during work shifts