Carolina Raptor Center has the following opportunities available:

Wild Wings Education Internship  top

CRC’s education department is gearing up for another successful year of our summer flight show - Backyard Tails! The Wild Wings education interns will be involved in every aspect of our flight show, from stage performances to raptor care and training. They will also participating in the everyday happenings of the education department. Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Both on-stage and back-stage duties for Backyard Tails
• Care and training of flight birds
• Present education programs
• Create educational displays
• Assist education staff as needed
• Complete one personal project

Candidates must have completed at least their sophomore year of college, and must be able to commit to working the entire 2008 summer season, May 12th to August 30th. Candidates should be flexible, friendly, and comfortable spending their days outdoors. A successful candidate will have commitment and excellent communication and organizational skills. Candidates must be able to work in a fast-paced environment and deal with dynamic situations. Must be CPR/first aid certified by start date.

Two positions are available: part time 32 hrs/week.

These positions will run May 12th, 2008 through August 30th, 2008.

Send resumes and an application by Apr 1st, 2008 to:

Heather Merewood
Community Outreach Coordinator
Carolina Raptor Center
(704) 875-6521 extension 101
hmerewood@carolinaraptorcenter.org

Summer Camp Education Intership  top

Carolina Raptor Center’s education department is gearing up for another successful Kids for Conservation Summer Day Camp program! The Summer Camp Education Interns will teach environmental education programs and activities, participate in the everyday happenings of camp, lead overnight activities on Friday evenings, as well as assist in early drop-off and late pick-up duties.

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Teaching and assisting with activities
• Planning, presenting and evaluating education programs
• Supervising lunches, breaks, snack times, etc.
• Assisting education staff as needed

Candidates must be at least 18 years old and able to commit to working the entire 2008 summer camp season, June 9 - August 16. Candidates should be flexible, friendly, and comfortable working with youths and spending their days outdoors. A successful candidate will have commitment and excellent communication and organizational skills. Candidates must be able to work in a fast-paced environment and handle dynamic situations. Must be CPR/first aid certified by start date.

Three positions are available: full time 50 hr/week, housing (if needed) and $1,500 stipend.

These positions will run June 9, 2008 through August 16, 2008.

Resumes will be reviewed as received. Resumes will be accepted until April 20, 2008, or until suitable candidates are found.

Send resumes by April 20, 2008 to:

Natalie Childers
Summer Camp Director
Carolina Raptor Center
704/875-6521 x 204
nchilders@carolinaraptorcenter.org

Volunteers  top

If you have an enthusiasm for the environment, we can use your skills! From bandaging wings to building new aviaries to greeting visitors in the gift shop, our dedicated volunteers do it all. Click here to visit our volunteer section and learn all about the many different ways you can get involved at Carolina Raptor Center.

If you have questions, please forward them to Louise Bhavnani, Director of Volunteer Services 704-875-6521 ext. 102 or lbhavnani@carolinaraptorcenter.org

Visitor Services

Over 25,000 visitors come through the front doors each year, so if you love talking to people about Carolina Raptor Center this is the place for you! The main entrance brings visitors directly into the gift shop, Eagles' Landing, and they leave through the same doors. This means the gift shop is a critical part of visitors' impression of Carolina Raptor Center, and we need your help to make sure it's a good one!

Volunteer duties include greeting visitors when they come in the front door, answering questions, directing people to the nature trail and restrooms, and ringing up purchases on the cash register. Volunteers will be provided a "cheat sheet" of the most frequently asked questions, and most volunteers are surprised how quickly they pick up basic facts about birds.

Gift shop volunteers work in an air-conditioned/heated space and are not required to spend an entire day. Volunteer for a few hours a month and you'll spend a pleasant afternoon helping a good cause! Weekday shifts are from 11am-2 pm and 2-5pm, Weekend shifts are from noon-3pm and 2-5pm.

Grounds & Maintenance

We have a great need for support in this area since it is critical to the daily operation of the facility and care of the birds. There is a constant need for help with landscaping – mulching, mowing, removing weeds; as well as general maintenance work – fixing broken aviaries, building perches, setting up for exhibits. In addition, we need volunteers in this area that will help lead groups during Clean Up Days where we invite individuals and groups to help with projects around the center.

Grounds & Maintenance volunteers can work a flexible schedule and sign up to handle one specific job or help with the items on our never ending To-Do List.

Administrative

Like any busy office, Carolina Raptor Center always needs organized individuals to help out administratively. From filing patient charts to helping stuff a mailing to entering names into the mailing list database, there is always plenty of work for an additional pair of hands!

Administrative volunteers can work a set schedule or sign up to help with certain projects or in a specific area.

Exhibits

Carolina Raptor Center visits festivals all over the Charlotte area such as Festival in the Park and the Southern Christmas Show. Our exhibits are staffed by at least two people- a Lead is certified to handle birds, and the Assistants are there to talk to the public, answer questions and hand out literature.

These exhibits are crucial exposure because we get the opportunity to interact with people who have never visited or perhaps even heard of Carolina Raptor Center. You might be surprised to learn that many $500 donors made their donation after talking with volunteers at an exhibit. People are fascinated by live birds, and love to share their own raptor sightings.

Training is provided to become an Assistant and a Lead on exhibits. When considering helping in this area, please keep in mind that most all the exhibits are held on the weekend.

Docent Program

If you are a natural teacher or simply love raptors and want to share your enthusiasm with our visitors, consider becoming a docent. Docents are lecturers or teachers at museums or universities, or in this case nature preserves! Docents may be stationed along the trail to answer visitors' questions, or may lead Trail Trivia or Behind-the-Scenes Tours. The primary responsibility of a docent is to give accurate, interesting information to visitors, and to convey enthusiasm and positive energy about the environment.

Docents are trained on the natural history of raptors, Carolina Raptor Center’s history, biographies of all resident birds and basic raptor anatomy. In addition, volunteers are provided with interpretive training to do On-site Programs.

Docents are scheduled on the weekend and can cover one program or several in one day.

Resident Bird Care

Carolina Raptor Center has more than 100 birds that live permanently at the center: birds on the public display trail and birds that travel to exhibits and education programs. Resident bird care volunteers feed the birds and clean the aviaries. Volunteers also help with the weekly check of the birds weight, keel and equipment.

Resident Bird Care Volunteers must commit to working a minimum of once a week or once every other week.

Transport Volunteers

Injured birds of prey come to Carolina Raptor Center from all over the region. To get them into the hands of medical experts, volunteers must be willing to pick up the birds and bring them to Carolina Raptor Center or transfer them to another rehabilitation facility. People need to be available to transport birds within the Carolinas. This sometimes involves a bit of driving, but being a "raptor ambulance" is a necessary and rewarding part of the rehabilitation process. Training is provided on how to capture and secure a bird that might be injured. Transport volunteering is a good area for people who work from home, because availability and dependability are important traits for drivers.

Internships

We offer full and part-time internships to qualified applicants on a regular basis. Some of our interns are students; others are adults looking to gain new experiences. All of our internships are unpaid, and require a commitment of 150 hours to be completed in a 6-month period.

Qualified applicants will:

• »Have an enthusiasm for working in the environmental sector
• »Be deadline oriented
• »Have the ability to work in a fast-paced environment
• »Have the ability to complete projects independently
• »Have the flexibility to work with a variety of people

General Intern

This internship is a great way to learn how a nature center really operates. Intern will gain valuable experience interacting with visitors and learning the details of membership and admissions, working in Carolina Raptor Center's gift shop learning how we buy and display merchandise, care and feeding of our resident raptors and rehabilitation patients, marketing and fundraising, and delivering school programs. This internship gives a broad overview of the type of jobs available in environmental organizations like Carolina Raptor Center, and is perfect for an intern seeking to understand the real work involved. Because of the nature of the position, this internship has limited bird handling.

If interested, please contact Louise Bhavnani.

Rehabilitation Intern  top

This internship focuses on the direct care of injured raptors on site. Interns participate in all aspects of the rehabilitation process: identification, bird transport and handling, examination, administration of fluids and medications, wound management, basic lab work, record-keeping, and routine care such as feeding, watering, and cleaning. Some administrative duties and interaction with the public and donors are also required. Applicants should be self-motivated and be willing to both learn and teach skills, be able to work with a variety of staff and volunteers, and be able to adjust to somewhat unpredictable and often long hours. Because of the nature of the position, this internship has extensive bird handling.

A minimum of 12 hours per week is required.

If interested, please contact Elaine Corvidae.

Resident Bird Care Intern  top

Intern will work caring for more than 100 permanently injured, captive birds of prey. The position will include exposure to all aspects of raptor care.

Activities will include:

• »Helping with daily care of resident birds including feeding, changing water, and cleaning cages
• »Coordinating work and training with volunteers
• »Learning to make equipment (jesses and alymeries) for 'manned' birds
• »Assisting with health check-ups of permanent resident birds including checking keel, beak, footpads, ears, and eyes; weighing, and giving injections and/or oral medications
• »Learning how to handle some 'beginner' manned birds for weighing and oiling of leather equipment
• »Helping maintain and repair cages

Because of the nature of the position, this internship has limited bird handling. If interested, please contact Alli Rogers.