Raptor Caretaker Job Description

Raptor Caretaker Job Description

Position: Raptor Caretaker

Department: Department of Education (Raptor Ambassadors Program)

Office location: The Dalles, OR

Reports to: Director of Education

Wage classification: $15 per hour, Part-time (Authorized up to 20-30 hours/week)

Benefits: Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year’s Day off as the museum is closed

Application process: Applicant reviews and interviews will be held on a rolling basis.

Anticipated start date: January 1, 2025

Summary Description
The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum (CGDCM) is a non-profit organization based in The Dalles, Oregon. It inspires stewardship of the Columbia River Gorge and Wasco County, encourages active lifelong learning about our shared environment, and preserves, collects, and interprets the region’s cultural and natural history.

The Raptor Caretaker is a vital part of our Raptor Ambassadors Program, which supports the care, health, and enrichment of our resident raptors—a kestrel, a red-tailed hawk, and two bald eagles. The Raptor Education Program is a small, collaborative team within the Department of Education devoted to providing exceptional care to these birds of prey. Our mission is to ensure the highest welfare standards and maintain a safe and enriching environment for each raptor.

The Raptor Caretaker will work closely with a small team of staff and dedicated volunteers, all sharing a passion for wildlife care and conservation. While public programming is a component of the Raptor Education Program, the primary focus of this role is hands-on bird care and maintaining a safe and clean environment for our raptors.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Prepare food, feed raptors, and pull food to thaw in the fridge for the next day.
  • Clean indoor and outdoor mews and monitor for any maintenance needed.
  • Assisting in the development and distribution of enrichment.
  • Potentially assist with our glove-trained birds. IE: Helping us exercise our Red-tailed Hawk via glove-to-glove flight.
  • Potentially assist with programming. IE: Talking about the Red-tailed Hawk during a public program.
  • Regularly required to work weekends.

Position Requirements
Required Qualifications

  • Must be at least 18 years of age
  • Must have a strong interest in wildlife and natural science
  • Must be willing to prepare food items (frozen rats, mice, rabbit quail, etc.) for raptors
  • Must have strong work ethic and be dependable

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience: Experience caring for and training captive wildlife
  • Educational Background: Previous academic training or work experience in a field pertinent to the position.
  • DEI Knowledge: Must demonstrate a commitment to personal growth by actively participating in our institution’s efforts to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion within our work culture.

Working Conditions

  • Physical Demands: The role involves approximately 40% sitting and 60% standing,  lifting/carrying/pushing objects weighing up to 50 lbs. These physical demands may be required each day of a work week for multiple consecutive weeks.
  • Environmental Exposure: Close contact with birds of prey. Up to 70% of the work workday may be spent outside.

To Apply

  • Resume Submission: Email your resume to Danny Cosgrove at danny@gorgediscover.org.
  • Professional References: Professional references will be requested after the initial interview.

Equal Opportunity Statement
Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, color, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, protected veteran status, religion, or any protected class or characteristic protected by law. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work and seek to create an organization that better reflects the communities we serve.

Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum (CGDCM)
5000 Discovery Drive, The Dalles, OR 97058, (541) 296-8600

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