Rescue and Response Associate, The Marine Mammal Center

Position Overview

Application Deadline: Open until filled

Salary: $26.00 to $28.75 per hour

Schedule: Part-time, 24 hours per week, Saturday through Monday

Experience Required: Knowledge of California marine mammal species preferred; strong customer service and crisis communication skills

Description

The Marine Mammal Center is hiring a Rescue and Response Associate at its Marin Headlands hospital in Sausalito, California, on a part-time hourly basis at $26.00 to $28.75 per hour, working Saturday through Monday.

The Marine Mammal Center is the world’s largest marine mammal hospital, conducting rescue, rehabilitation, and release work along 600 miles of California coastline. The Rescue and Response Associate plays a vital role supporting the Center’s rescue and response operations for stranded marine mammals.

The Associate serves as the first point of contact for the public via the Center’s hotline, receiving, assessing, and triaging reports of distressed marine mammals; remotely assembling volunteer teams; maintaining real-time communication and logistical oversight; and ensuring accurate documentation. The role reports to the Senior Manager, Northern Range Operations.

Responsibilities

• Answer calls from the public, partner agencies, and others reporting distressed animals; gather detailed information about species, location, and situation.
• Enter data for stranded animal calls, responses, and patients into the Center’s custom-built animal database.
• Collaborate with callers, team members, volunteers, and the veterinary team to assess animals remotely and determine the need for rescue.
• Educate the public about the Center’s work and represent the organisation positively across calls and outreach.
• Manage stranded animal responses safely and efficiently, supporting volunteers and personnel through stressful and sometimes dangerous wild animal rescue situations.
• Remotely assemble teams of volunteers to complete stranded animal assessments, responses, and rescues.
• Coordinate multiple responses across California simultaneously and oversee logistics for transport to the main hospital in Sausalito.
• Support coordination of healthy animal releases back to the wild after rehabilitation.
• Participate in responses, releases, or transports as assigned, including occasional travel to Castroville and Morro Bay field offices.
• Assist with vehicle and equipment maintenance and supplies as directed.

Requirements

• Passion for marine and environmental conservation aligned with the mission of The Marine Mammal Center.
• Ability to maintain calm and composure during fast-paced, high call volume situations involving sick or injured marine mammals and concerned members of the public.
• Skills in coordinating complicated rescue logistics for marine mammals or other wildlife.
• Effective oral and written communication; ability to follow written and oral instructions.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and learn from change, challenges, and feedback.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, multi-tasking, and time management.
• Data entry skills with attention to detail.

Additional Notes

• This is a part-time hourly position, 24 hours per week, generally eight hours per day between 8:00 am and 7:00 pm.
• Regular onsite work is required at the Marin Headlands hospital in Sausalito.
• Evening, weekend, and holiday work is required as job duties demand.
• Occasional travel to satellite facilities in Castroville and Morro Bay or fieldwork within California is expected.
• Benefits include holidays, sick time, vacation, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, long-term disability, 401k, and Employee Assistance Program.

How to Apply

Apply through The Marine Mammal Center careers portal.

Required application materials:

• Resume detailing relevant experience.
• Cover letter expressing interest in the role and connection to the Center’s mission.