How to hire a wildlife health specialist

How to hire a wildlife health specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step wildlife health specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a wildlife health specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new wildlife health specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The wildlife health specialist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

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   Hiring the perfect wildlife health specialist also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of wildlife health specialists.

   Type of Wildlife Health Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Wildlife Health Specialist	Zoologists and wildlife biologists study animals and other wildlife and how they interact with their ecosystems. They study the physical characteristics of animals, animal behaviors, and the impacts humans have on wildlife and natural habitats... Show more	$14-30
   Fisheries Biologist	A fisheries biologist is a scientist who studies fishes and their respective habitats. Fisheries biologists gather data on fish and track their number in a certain body of water... Show more	$14-34
   Ecologist	An ecologist is responsible for studying the ecosystem components and the interaction between humans and nature. Ecologists analyze the organisms' roles within an environment to identify solutions in solving nature issues and environmental concerns... Show more	$15-36

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Ladders
   • GPS
   • Wild Animals
   • GIS
   • Natural Resources
   • Management Practices
   • Wildlife Damage
   • DNR
   • USDA
   • Snares
   • Data Collection
   • Snakes
   • All-Terrain Vehicles
   • Native Species

   Responsibilities:

   • Utilize ArcGIS to create navigational maps, as well as uploading, managing and analyzing data for habitat suitability.
   • Volunteer weekly and gain experience that aid in obtaining a state license in wildlife rehabilitation.
   • Prepare the database and used ArcView GIS to prepare maps.
   • Utilize GPS receivers to map plot locations for wildlife census work.
   • Test water pH and conductivity, conduct water sampling with the EPA.
   • Trap types consist of havahearts, foot holds, snares and body catches.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your wildlife health specialist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A wildlife health specialist salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, wildlife health specialists' average salary in florida is 59% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level wildlife health specialists earn 52% less than senior-level wildlife health specialists.
   • Certifications. A wildlife health specialist with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a wildlife health specialist's salary.

   Average wildlife health specialist salary

   $44,267yearly

   $21.28 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level wildlife health specialist salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average wildlife health specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$51,990	$25
   2	Nevada	$42,406	$20
   3	Arizona	$41,828	$20
   4	Wisconsin	$38,739	$19
   5	North Carolina	$35,991	$17
   6	Florida	$27,354	$13

   Average wildlife health specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Rollins	$50,906	$24.47
   2	Minnesota State Fair	$50,738	$24.39
   3	Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.c. Or Aza	$48,633	$23.38	9
   4	Arizona Game and Fish Department	$47,766	$22.96
   5	CSKT Tribal Health	$38,537	$18.53
   6	Caesars Entertainment	$38,477	$18.50	2
   7	San Diego Humane Society	$37,928	$18.23
   8	San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance	$36,803	$17.69	4
   9	State Of South Dakota	$36,769	$17.68	41
   10	Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium	$36,723	$17.66
   11	State of Arizona	$35,379	$17.01	10

4. Writing a wildlife health specialist job description

   A wildlife health specialist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a wildlife health specialist job description:

   Wildlife health specialist job description example

   This is a year-round position averaging around 10 hours per week. The Wildlife Response Specialist will be based in Homer, AK to represent the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) for volunteers and the public. They will serve as a liaison for the Alaska SeaLife Center and will train volunteers on current data collection protocols on deceased marine mammals and assist with live marine mammal rescue when needed. They will also represent the Alaska SeaLife Center for public programs and outreach events.
   Education/Training Requirements:
   
   Background or history of strong interest in biology, animal science, or related fields. Experience in training, teaching or interpretation preferred. Ability to easily identify native marine mammal species is required, and an understanding of their life history preferred.
   
   Essential Duties:
   
   + Under the supervision of the Wildlife Response Curator, train and supervise new volunteers on the protocols for collecting data from deceased marine mammals in Homer and the vicinity. (background training will be provided)
   
   + Assist with live marine mammal observation and rescue when needed. (background training will be provided)
   
   + Maintain inventory of ASLC supplies and gear in Homer.
   
   + Serve as point of contact for volunteers, the Alaska SeaLife Center and local government officials for USFWS and NOAA.
   
   + Maintain ASLC sample inventory in freezers.
   
   + Coordinate shipping samples and carcasses to Seward or Anchorage.
   
   + Participate in local outreach events as a representative of the Alaska SeaLife Center.
   
   + Present for schools, clubs, and organizations about marine mammals and ecosystems.
   
   + Foster good relationships with public, businesses and community leaders by promoting goodwill and cooperation.
   
   Other Skills and Abilities:
   
   Ability to work independently and be self-motivated. Possess a strong attention to detail.
   
   Candidates should live in Homer year-round, have access to a vehicle and ability to drive at night.
   
   Comfortable with public speaking and engaging the public in a positive manner.
   
   Comfortable working with animal carcasses in various states of decay.
   
   Knowledge of Google cloud-based programs such as documents and spreadsheets. Possess a smart phone and have internet access for communication.
   
   Physical Requirements:
   
   The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   
   Ability to work outdoors in the various weather conditions Homer, Alaska presents. Comfortable working near the water and on tidal flats and rocky coasts.
   
   Ability to see and hear; move about; stoop, kneel, and crouch; use arms and hands; handle sharp objects, tools and controls; and sit. Ability to lift and move 50 pounds.
   
   Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
   
   APPLICATION DEADLINE: 10/13/2022
   
   START DATE: ASAP
   
   PAY RATE: $17.75 - $19.50
   
   Temporary part time (Grant Funded)
   
   Please upload your resume, cover letter and letter of reference when you apply.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right wildlife health specialist for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your wildlife health specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit wildlife health specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with wildlife health specialist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new wildlife health specialist

   Once you've found the wildlife health specialist candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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