Career Opportunities at Dolphin Research Center

Veterinary Technician  (Full-Time, Permanent)

Position Summary

The Veterinary Technician is responsible for advanced technical support of veterinary clincial service, equipment management, and medical procurement within the facility. This position will help ensure efficient veterinary workflow, proper sample handling and processing, while exceeding animal welfare standards. This position serves as the primary liaison with diagnostics laboratories, equipment vendors, and service providers. The Certified Veterinary Technician will provide expertise during medical procedures and supports regulatory compliance, patient care, and hospital operations. Veterinary care will be for Dolphin Research Center's resident animal population of dolphin, pinniped, and avian species, along with Dolphin Research Center's manatee rescue response.

This position reports directly to the Medical Director and works in collaboration with the Senior Medical Technician and Assistant Medical Director.

Primary Responsibilities:

Clinical Operations

• Coordinate daily veterinary medical workflow and treatment support.
• Provide advanced technical support during medical and surgical procedures.
• Prepare for and assist with examinations, procedures, diagnostics, and emergency response.
• Ensure medical areas are organized, prepared, and fully stocked.
• Maintain high standards of patient care and animal welfare.
• Prepare, dispense, and accurately document prescriptions as directed by the veterinarian.
• Collect and process diagnostics samples on animals at the direction of the veterinarian.
• Input data entry of results from external laboratories into medical record.
• Prepare and assist with medical or surgical procedures.
• Perform laboratory diagnostic evaluation such as cytological and/or microbiological sample collection, hematology, urinalysis, and necropsy techinques.
• Respond to and assist with manatee rescues, and field medical procedures.
• Assist with water quality monitoring in accordance with USDA standards.
• Track expiration dates and ensure proper storage of medications and supplies.

Hospital Licensing & Compliance

• Support compliance with state animal hospital licensing requirements.
• Maintain organized medical records in accordance with regulatory standards.
• Assist in preparation for inspections and audits.

Medical Equipment Oversight and Medical Procurement

• Serve as the primary liaison with diagnostics laboratories, equipment vendors and service providers.
• Oversee operations, maintenance, calibration, and troubleshooting of in-house laboratory equipment.
• Establish and maintain laboratory quality control protocols.
• Ensure proper sample collection, labeling, processing, storage and shipment.
• Support laboratory supply inventory and reordering systems.
• Maintain controlled substance logs, and ensure regulatory compliance.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Graduate of an AVMA accreditied veterinary technology program and credentialed veterinary technician (CVT, RVT, LVT), or equivalent experience.
• 1-2 years veterinary technician experience in a wildlife, zoo, and/or aquarium setting.
• Alternatively at least 3 years as a veterinary technician in another setting.
• Experience with laboratory diagnostics and knowledge in day-to-day function of a veterinary hospital with a strong knowledge base of veterinary nursing.
• Experience with aquatic species and/or exotic and zoo species in any capacity.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Clear communication and ability to collaborate seamlessly with a team.
• Ability to maintain professionalism and discretion.
• Adaptability in fast paced medical environments.
• Ability to lift 50+ lbs and work outdoors in varying weather conditions.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to work in outdoor marine environments.
• Comfortable working in and around water and in heat.
• Capable of bending, lifting, and prolonged standing.

Work Schedule:

• Full-time position.
• Will be required to work weekends days and some holidays.
• Typical shifts will be 10 hours, 4 days a week but flexibility is needed to provide coverage when others are out and to assist if there is a critical case or major medical procedure.

Benefits:

DRC currently offers medical benefits, life and disability insurance plan, a 401(k) retirement plan, flexible spending accounts, employee assistance program, paid holidays, vacation, sick, and overtime, as well as personal growth and training opportunities. Pay is based on experience.  DRC seeks to provide for the well-being of its employees and our wage combined with our generous benefits creates a competitive total package that is right for our environment. DRC is a 501(c)(3) qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. To see if you qualify for student loan forgiveness, please visit https://studentloans.gov/mydirectloan/pslfflow.action. DRC is a dog-friendly workplace!

Dolphin Research Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Gift Shop Staff (Part-Time, Permanent)

Gift Shop positions involve direct contact with our visitors and is another opportunity to ensure they leave Dolphin Research Center with a happy and positive experience.  

Requirements:

• Provide the highest quality of customer service to the guests by combining appropriate sales skills with an awarenes of customers and their needs.
• Suggest specific merchandise and offer product advice.
• Be familiar with all merchandise in the selling area.
• Maintain a professional attitude with sincerity and enthusiasm, demonstrating a commitment to the visitor as the most important person in the store.
• Possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills for assisting visitors of all countries and languages and anticipate their needs often based on limited knowledge of English.
• Maintains a calm demeanor under stress or stressful situations.
• Can deal with difficult people and situations.
• Possess problem solving skills.
• Maintains confidentiality regarding our research, animals, and staff.
• Neat in appearance, confident speaking voice, and works well both with others, or independently without instruction.
• Comfortable using computers.
• Ability to lift moderately sized boxes and goods, weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including weekends and holidays.

Dolphin Research Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer

SALARY & BENEFITS

The cost of living in the Keys tends to be high and salaries, for the most part, are not competitive with the national average. This is particularly true at DRC, which is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. Starting salaries vary according to an applicant's educational background, experience, and particular job responsibilities. The starting annual salary for an entry-level employee at DRC averages $29,120. Many staff members find it necessary to supplement their income through other means.

DRC seeks to provide for the well being of its employees and our salary combined with our generous benefits creates a competitive total package that is right for our environment.

DRC offers an excellent benefits package including health insurance, a 401(k) plan, paid holidays, paid vacation, paid sick leave, gift shop discounts, work clothing, and complimentary Dolphin Encounters. However, the most important benefits are the extraordinary rewards employees encounter on a daily basis: feeling the elation when a dolphin demonstrates a new behavior for the first time, watching a child grin in excitement when she sees a dolphin burst out of the water into a flip, sitting quietly on a dock observing the fluid grace of dolphins, experiencing the sense of satisfaction when a student grasps a new concept, witnessing the magical moment when a learning-disabled child utters his first word. Moments such as these are the true rewards, the unique benefits of working at Dolphin Research Center.

Transparency in Coverage Rule Compliance

Under the Transparency in Coverage Rule, issued in 2020 by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Department of Labor, and Department of the Treasury and enforced beginning 7/1/22, health insurance issuers must publish two separate machine readable files (MRFs) as follows:

• In Network: Negotiated rates for all covered items and services between the plan or issuer and in-network providers
• Out of Network: Allowed amount paid to, and billed charges from, out-of-network providers for all covered services within a 90-day period

These MRFs are available for you to read here.

HOW TO APPLY

Dolphin Research Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer

If you require assistance completing the application, please email drc-hr@dolphins.org.