Job Title: Groundskeeper & Avian Care Specialist
Organization: Wings of Love Bird Haven
Employment Type: Full-Time
Location: On-site (Living On-Site Required)
Wings of Love Bird Haven is seeking a dedicated, compassionate, and hard-working Groundskeeper & Avian Care Specialist to help maintain our rescue facility and care for our resident parrots. This hybrid role balances physical facility maintenance with hands-on avian care, ensuring our birds live in a clean, safe, and enriching environment.
Note: This position requires living on-site and includes a deeply discounted apartment on the sanctuary grounds.
Key Responsibilities:
Avian Care & Welfare
- Daily Feeding & Nutrition: Prepare and distribute specialized diets, fresh produce, seed blends, and clean water to parrots according to established nutritional guidelines.
- Habitat Sanitation: Clean, sanitize, and maintain bird cages, enclosures, play stands, and flight areas daily to ensure high standards of health and hygiene.
- Socialization & Enrichment: Interact with and socialize parrots using non-intrusive, positive techniques; assist with physical and mental enrichment activities.
- Health Observation: Monitor birds daily for changes in behavior, appetite, or physical appearance; promptly report health or safety concerns to management/veterinary staff.
Grounds & Facility Maintenance
- Property & Grounds Care: Perform routine groundskeeping, including lawn care, weed control, trash removal, and general upkeep of outdoor flight areas, visitor pathways, and sanctuary grounds.
- Equipment Operation: Operate—or be willing to learn to operate—a tractor and other grounds maintenance machinery safely and effectively.
- Facility Repairs: Conduct basic repairs and preventative maintenance on enclosures, perches, netting, fencing, and sanctuary equipment.
- Deep Cleaning: Execute periodic deep cleaning and pressure-washing of outdoor aviaries, perches, and shelter structures.
- Safety & Security: Regularly inspect habitats and perimeter structures for structural damage or safety hazards; maintain a helpful, supervisory presence on-site.
Teamwork & Volunteer Support
- Team Collaboration: Work closely and cooperatively with staff members, contributing positively to a supportive team culture.
- Volunteer Support: Assist in prepping facilities for volunteer days, adoption events, and visitor visits, offering guidance to volunteer groups as needed.
Compensation & Benefits
- Compensation: Pay will be discussed on an individual basis and may be structured as hourly or salary depending upon experience and abilities.
- On-Site Housing: Includes a deeply discounted apartment located directly on the sanctuary grounds.
- Mileage Reimbursement: Travel required for job purposes using personal transportation will be fully reimbursed at standard mileage rates.
Qualifications & Requirements
- On-Site Residency: Must be willing and able to live on-site in the provided apartment.
- Transportation: Must possess reliable personal transportation and be willing to use it for work-related errands and tasks (with proper mileage reimbursement).
- Drug Screen: Must be willing to undergo and pass a drug screening test.
- Lifestyle Preference: Non-smoking candidates strongly preferred to maintain a clean and healthy environment for sensitive avian residents.
- Teamwork & Culture: Must work well with coworkers and thrive in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
- Physical Requirements: Ability to stand, walk, bend, and lift at least 40 lbs, working outdoors in various weather conditions.
- Equipment Operation: Ability or strong willingness to learn to operate a tractor and standard groundskeeping equipment safely.
- Animal Care Experience: Prior experience caring for birds or working in an animal shelter, sanctuary, or veterinary setting preferred.
- Parrot Comfort: Comfort and patience working around birds of all sizes (from parakeets to macaws) and a willingness to learn species-specific behavior and handling techniques.
- Reliability: Strong attention to detail, clear communication, and a deep commitment to animal welfare.