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STAFF POSITIONS, VOLUNTEERING & COLLEGE INTERNSHIPS

STAFF POSITION(S): August 11, 2026: Second Chance Wildlife Center, a 501(c)3 Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and Veterinary Hospital in Clarksburg, Maryland – located on our brand new, fully specialized and customized campus – has an immediate opening for a Full-Time Wildlife Rehabilitation Technician. This is a 40 hour per week position for which SCWC offering competitive pay, extensive training in wildlife rehabilitation, Master Wildlife Rehabilitator apprenticeships to qualified and selected individuals, continuing education and paid conferences, and more. The starting pay rate for this position is $21.00 per hour.

The selected candidate’s duties will include:

  • A commitment to 40 hours per week of service, including one weekend day (specific work schedule and shifts are to be determined and are subject to change), and possible overtime during the busy season;
  • Providing basic first aid, medical, and rehabilitative care to injured, ill, and orphaned wild animals;
  • Daily cleaning and upkeep of patient enclosures and the facility;
  • Assisting our Director of Veterinary Medicine and Director of Wildlife Rehabilitation with medical procedures and husbandry responsibilities as assigned;
  • Preparing and administering oral, subcutaneous, and intramuscular medications, among other daily treatments;
  • Performing intake exams and routine evaluations of patients (with provided training and oversight);
  • Evaluating the ability of an animal to live a healthy, high-quality life in the wild after treatment;
  • Performing and assisting in humane euthanasia when necessary;
  • Training and supervising the Interns and Volunteers working during your shifts;
  • Maintaining prescribed diets for patients and tracking weight and appetite, and tube or force feeding as needed;
  • Performing daily care, observation, and assessments of patients in indoor and outdoor enclosures;
  • Updating patient health records and databases (including WRMD);
  • Releasing healthy animals back to the wild; 
  • Performing other duties or responsibilities, as assigned.

Qualifications and Requirements:

  • A bachelor’s degree in biology, wildlife science, or a related field is highly preferred;
  • At least one (1) year of experience in wildlife rehabilitation and the desire to grow long-term in the field
  • Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced, sometimes stressful environment;
  • Ability to work collaboratively and successfully with people across a wide array of personalities and roles (leadership, staff, volunteers, interns, animal services officers, and members of the public);
  • Attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and excellent communication;
  • A strong desire to learn and develop skills as a wildlife rehabilitator, as well as teach interns, volunteers, and other staff as assigned;
  • Ability to follow written and oral instruction to the letter;
  • Willingness and ability to perform physically demanding tasks (walking/standing for extended periods of time, lifting up to 50lbs, bending, crouching, etc.).

This position also requires professionalism, empathy, and tremendous dedication in order to maintain our organization’s stellar reputation for quality animal care. If this applies to you, please inquire below!

To apply, email your cover letter, resume, and 3 references (all in one document) to careers@scwc.org with REHAB TECH in the subject line. In order to keep our phones open for animal rescue emergencies, telephone inquiries about these positions will not be accepted. We look forward to hearing from you!

 

VOLUNTEERING: ANNOUNCING REWARDING NEW WAYS TO VOLUNTEER AS OF MARCH 2026!

  • NEW in 2026: Volunteer “Greeters”
  • NEW in 2026: Housekeeping Volunteers
  • Animal Care Volunteers  – no current openings

We rely on responsible and dedicated people who give their time to care for the animals in our facility, and help with a myriad of other equally important tasks. If you are thinking of volunteering with us, we welcome your assistance, but here are a few important things you need to know first:

We invest a great deal of time and effort in training and supporting our volunteers and we seek a long-term commitment from them. With this in mind, we do not accept applicants seeking to earn court-ordered community service hours.

Volunteers must be at least 18-years old.

We ask volunteers for a minimum commitment to work at least one four-hour shift each week.

Hours in which volunteers can support us at the Center vary seasonally but are generally 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. year-round, and 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the busy months (March – September). We are open everyday of the week, including holidays.

Volunteering at Second Chance might not be appropriate for people with respiratory illnesses, allergies, immune diseases, or neck or back problems. Potential volunteers may wish to contact their physician before volunteering. They should have a current tetanus vaccination and, for most volunteer roles, should be able to lift 50 pounds.

All volunteers (as well as staff and interns) must follow our safety protocols and animal care procedures; must be able to work under stressful conditions and work as a team member; and must know how to stay organized and multitask in a busy, hectic environment.

NEW (as of March 2026): VOLUNTEER GREETERS

1. Program Overview

Objective:

To create a compassionate and professional first point of contact for individuals visiting or contacting Second Chance Wildlife Center. Greeters support patient intake by welcoming wildlife rescuers, answering phones, responding to emails, assisting the Admissions Team while admitting new patients, and helping with data entry into the wildlife patient database.

 2. Role Description

Title: Volunteer Greeter

Reports to: Director of Operations

Location: Front lobby/reception area

Key Responsibilities:

  • Welcome and guide rescuers dropping off injured wildlife
  • Collect intake forms from each rescuer, including collecting as much patient history as possible
  • Answer and direct incoming phone calls, offering advice on how to safely help sick, injured, and orphaned wildlif
  • Provide this same advice via email, occasionally 
  • Enter basic patient intake information into the online wildlife database (SCWC will provide training)
  • Provide calm, empathetic communication to sometimes distressed or emotional wildlife rescuers
  • Maintain cleanliness and organization in the reception area, conference room, and public restroom
  • Direct urgent cases to the appropriate medical staff
  • Transfer incoming wildlife to a holding area where Clinic staff will receive them
  • Attend educational and outreach oriented events, promoting and educating the public on Second Chance’s work alongside SCWC staff members

Skills Required:

  • Comfortable interacting with the public, some of whom may be stressed or concerned 
  • Verbal and written communication skills
  • Calm under pressure, patient
  • Passion for wildlife and animal welfare, including a basic comfort level working in the proximity of small mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians
  • Good phone etiquette
  • Basic computer/data entry skills (SCWC will provide training)

Housekeeping Volunteers support the health and safety of wildlife patients, staff, interns, and fellow volunteers by maintaining a clean, organized, safe, and sanitary clinic environment. This position is ideal for individuals who want to support wildlife rehabilitation behind the scenes and make a meaningful impact, without direct animal handling.

NEW (as of March 2026): HOUSEKEEPING VOLUNTEERS

Title: Housekeeping Volunteer 

Reports to: Director of Operations 

Location: Front lobby/reception area, communal patient care areas, low-risk animal care spaces. 

Key Responsibilities: 

  • Clean and sanitize floors, counters, sinks, exam rooms, restrooms, and common areas 
  • Launder towels, blankets, and other clinic linens according to protocols 
  • Wash, dry, and organize dishes, feeding supplies, and non-medical equipment 
  • Dispose of trash and recycling as instructed 
  • Glass window and mirror cleaning around hospital interior and exterior 
  • Restock cleaning supplies, paper goods, and other housekeeping materials, notifying the Director of Operations of any supplies low in stock 
  • Assist with seasonal deep-cleaning projects as needed 
  • Follow all clinic safety, sanitation, and biosecurity protocols 

Skills Required: 

  • Comfortable performing physical tasks such as standing, bending, lifting, and repetitive motion 
  • Dependable, punctual, and detail-oriented 
  • Ability to follow written and verbal instructions 
  • Passion for wildlife and animal welfare, including a basic comfort level working in the proximity of small mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians (no handling required) 
  • Must be able to work independently and as part of a team 
  • No prior wildlife experience required 

Click here for a link to our Application – Volunteer Programs and email it to volunteer@scwc.org along with a statement of interest and resume.

COLLEGE INTERNSHIPS:

The SCWC’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Internship Program offers current college students as well as college graduates the opportunity to play a vital role at our hospital by helping raise and rehabilitate the 2,700+ animals admitted for care each year.

Over the course of this internship, participants will learn:

  • Husbandry for birds, mammals, and reptiles in rehabilitative care, including preparing diets, cleaning and setting up enclosures, providing enrichment, etc.
  • Basic handling and proper restraint of patients during feeding, as well as occasionally during treatments, exams, and transport
  • Identification of various avian, mammalian, and reptilian species, including determination of sex as well as basic physiology and anatomy as it pertains to rehabilitation and wildlife medicine
  • How to observe and interpret animal behavior in captive and natural settings
  • Common wildlife injuries, zoonotic diseases, and parasites
  • Common causes for admission and the general treatment plans for various ailments, injuries, and illness
  • The requirements for and process of conditioning and assessing patients for release, with the possibility of participating in releases
  • Communication skills helpful in educating and advising the public on human-wildlife conflicts
  • How to stay organized and multitask in a busy (and often hectic) environment

A wider variety of experiences can also be gained from our program depending on the intern’s interests and experience, the season during which they participate, and their individual skillsets. Although many of these skills are taught through formal training by SCWC staff, the extent and depth of learning about the above topics will also be driven by an intern’s personal engagement, initiative, and inquiry.

Internships are a minimum of 10-12 consecutive weeks, with the ability to extend upon request. They are typically 3 days/week for 8 hours/day, especially during our Summer cohort. For students attending classes alongside this internship, or graduates with full-time jobs, the number of hours worked per week may be adjusted upon request, with a minimum of 8 hours/week required. One weekend day is typically required for any internship. Shifts either start at 7:30am, or end at 9pm (for example, 8-hour shifts would be 7:30am-3:30pm or 1pm-9pm). Interns working multiple days per week will be scheduled for at least one of each shift.

Our hospital operates 7 days a week, 365 days a year to ensure non-disrupted daily care for all of our patients. While internships may be available year-round, the most common cohorts are:

  • Spring (begins mid-March or April)
  • Summer (begins May or June)
  • Late Summer/Early Fall (begins late July or August)

Applicants must indicate on their applications in which season they wish to participate. Note that applications are accepted on a rolling basis until positions are filled, so applications should be submitted as early as possible. Summer internships are especially popular, and applicants are encouraged to plan accordingly.

INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENTS

  • Completion of at least one semester of undergraduate study
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, sometimes under stressful conditions
  • Dependability, punctuality, and the ability to commit to their assigned schedule for at least 10 consecutive weeks
  • Ability to comprehend and closely follow complex instructions, both written and verbal
  • Ability to work in an efficient, effective, and timely manner
  • Ability to work well independently and as part of a team
  • Strong self-motivation, initiative, and work ethic
  • Excellent verbal communication skills, including but not limited to:
    • Checking in with staff and supervisors upon completion of tasks
    • Asking for help as soon and as often as needed, and before attempting any tasks in which you are not confident
    • Reporting any concerning or unusual patient behavior as soon as it is seen
    • Asking for clarification on assignments when needed
    • Reporting any human health issues or concerns immediately
  • Ability to perform physically demanding tasks (walking/standing for extended periods of time, lifting up to 50lbs, bending, crouching, shoveling, etc.)
  • Access to reliable transportation and housing
  • A current tetanus vaccination is strongly encouraged, along with all other common vaccinations recommended by your physician (excluding a Rabies vaccination—interns will not work with or around rabies vector species)

To apply, please email the following to internships@scwc.org in PDF format (preferably in one document):

Please note that this internship program does not offer a stipend or housing.