Wildlife Assistant (2886)

At the RSPCA, our Wildlife Centres are dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and eventual release of wild animal casualties back into their natural habitats. From injured birds of prey to orphaned mammals, our mission is to provide expert care that allows nature to take its course with a helping hand.

Joining our team means becoming part of a passionate, hands-on community. We work tirelessly to ensure every creature that comes through our doors has the best possible shot at a life in the wild. If you have a deep respect for British wildlife and the grit to handle the challenges of rehabilitation, you'll find a home here.

This role is a 4 month Fixed term contract, working 35 hours per week. Mallydams works on a 2 week rolling roster that includes every other weekend, with a requirement to be available for both 08:00 - 16:00 and 12:00 - 20:00 shifts.

This role involves working closely with bats. For safety reasons, a rabies vaccination is required, and support will be provided to obtain it if needed.

Our recruitment journey - key dates for you to note: 

We believe in transparency and a stress-free experience. Here is a quick look at what you can expect.

1. Application

You'll be asked a few targeted questions designed to help us understand your experience, unique skills, and future potential. This is your first chance to stand out!

2. Panel Interview & Site Visit - w/c 23rd March

If your application hits the mark, we'll invite you to meet us in person. You'll sit down with the Hiring Manager and another member of the team for a competency based interview and a tour of the site. We'll also be asking some scenario based questions on animal handling and would welcome your thoughts and discussion on the content. This stage is designed for you to:

• Explore the Role: Get a feel for the team culture and the real-world impact you'll be making.
• Demonstrate Your Strengths: Show us how you work in a supportive, relaxed environment.

Here at RSPCA no two days are the same, as a Wildlife Assistant  we've added a short summary of what a typical day might look like, for a full insight please refer to the attached job description.

• Admitting new casualties, assessing their needs, and accurately recording vital statistics to track their recovery.
• Ensuring the highest standards of hygiene across pens, aviaries, pools, and treatment rooms, a clean environment is the first step to a healthy release.
• Assisting in the hand rearing of orphaned and injured young birds.
• Providing specialist diets to a wide variety of animals.

Essential

• Proven experience in wild animal handling, assessment and first aid.
• Emotional resilience is required to work with distressed wildlife.
• Exceptional organisational skills and the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a wider team.
• Proficiency in maintaining accurate digital records.
• Access to reliable transportation to support the centre's operational needs.

Desirable:

• Full manual driving licence

Successful candidates for certain RSPCA roles will need to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK - We are unable to sponsor visas at RSPCA

We want to ensure we do all we can to give you a positive candidate experience through our recruitment. Whilst we do try to give feedback where we can, sometimes due to receiving high levels of applications, this may not always be possible

We are building the future of a diverse Society, and our priority is to support animal welfare by finding people from all backgrounds who are committed  to our mission.  For this reason we actively encourage a wide diversity of applications - in particular from members of minority ethnic groups, and people with disabilities - as these candidates are currently under-represented at the RSPCA. Your transferable skills & lived experiences could make you a valuable addition to our RSPCA Family! 

We're here to support you and encourage you to let us know if you need any adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process. Please feel free to contact us at resourcingteam@rspca.org.uk or 0300 123 0685 so we can ensure the process works for you.