Location of Position: Morro Bay, California

Reports to: Satellite Operations Manager

Position Classification & Expected Hours of Work, and Travel: 

• This is a full-time, fixed-term position.
• This position is 6-months, approximately March – July 2026
• Regular onsite work is required.
• The work schedule is Thursday through Monday.
• Days and hours of the work week may vary according to the needs of the Center.
• Evening and weekend work is required.
• Some travel within California may be expected for this position. 

Compensation Range: $20.00 - $25.88

Benefits:   

• Holidays 
• Sick Time 
• Vacation  
• Medical, Dental, and Vision 
• Life Insurance 
• Long Term Disability Insurance 
• 401k Retirement Plan
• The Marine Mammal Center offers benefits to support the emotional wellbeing of you and your loved ones (Employee Assistance Program)

Job Summary:

The Response Apprentice will contribute meaningful support to the response & animal care of marine mammals at our San Luis Obispo Operations and the sea otter conservation program at The Marine Mammal Center. The 6-month apprenticeship provides a high-level view of community powered conservation while supporting the advancement of an inclusive environment within one of the world’s largest marine mammal stranding response programs.
 

Essential Functions:

Marine Mammal Response & Animal Care: 60%

• Supports the San Luis Obispo operations with marine mammal response and animal care to facilitate an efficient stranding response program. 
• Communicate with Sausalito Dispatch team about incoming stranding reports and dispatch volunteer teams to local responses.
• Complete data entry about all stranded animal calls, responses, patients, etc. into the Center’s custom-built animal database.· Participate and lead marine mammal rescues, releases, research, and other field work.
• Participate and lead teams of volunteers to provide basic and advanced animal care for patients.
• Coordinate logistics of patient transports to and from San Luis Obispo operations.
• Assist with dead stranded marine mammal response, data collection, and necropsies as needed. 

Sea Otter Conservation Program: 30%

• Support live and dead sea otter response activities, including safe capture support, data collection, and release logistics, as assigned.
• Participate in post-release sea otter data collection, following established data standard and management best practices as assigned.
• Assist with training volunteers in sea otter response and post-release monitoring procedures.
• Maintain, inspect, and update sea otter response equipment to support safe and effective response operations.

Community Engagement: 10%

• Participate in community engagement, including public outreach events and education programs as assigned.

Other Duties as Assigned: 10%

• Perform special projects and research as assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• With proper training, the Response Apprentice, SLO, will become a crew supervisor, responsible for training and managing volunteer crews in field response and animal care. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• A passion for marine and environmental conservation.
• Basic knowledge of marine mammal biology and conservation.
• Willingness to develop skills in community engagement.
• Ability to operate equipment safely and competently to carry out their duties. 
• Ability to drive/operate a vehicle. 
• Ability to maintain reliable transportation to and from the facility. Public transportation between housing accommodations and worksite(s) is limited.
•  Ability to understand and follow written and oral instructions and priorities as set by management.
• Ability to work collaboratively and maintain open communication in a team environment. 
• Minimal skills or ability to learn Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Word) and videoconference technology (Slack, Teams, Zoom).
• Ability to build and sustain effective working relationships with people from diverse backgrounds while demonstrating self-awareness, respect, and professionalism. 
• Willingness to support and participate in the Center’s diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

Certifications and/or Licenses: 

• Valid driver license with acceptable motor vehicle record to maintain standards of insurability. (Must be 21+ years old as frequently driving company vehicles is required for this position.)

Preferred Education and Experience:

This position requires an interest and passion for conservation. Experience working in software-based programs and wildlife monitoring and/or research preferred. Proficiency in a language other than English is preferred. 

Work Environment & Physical Requirements: 

• This position operates in a professional office and hospital environment, both indoors and outdoors with access to various parts of the facilities via outdoor pathways.
• Routinely uses standard office equipment requiring repetitive motion. 
• Ability to work at a desk for extended periods of time using a computer.
• Ability to work in an open-cubicle office space with many distractions.
• Ability to work in outdoor weather conditions and elements.
• Ability to drive/operate a vehicle for extensive periods of time, this includes operating large trucks to assist with transporting animals between sites.
• Ability to walk up to 5 miles during a shift on a frequent basis on beaches of varying terrain to assist with animal rescues in various locations across California.
• Ability to spend extended periods on your feet, walking, standing, crouching, and climbing stairs (potentially in inclement weather conditions). 
• Ability to perform physical work which requires manual dexterity, agility, strength, and coordination, including the ability to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. (This includes the ability to restrain large marine mammals and walking on varying terrain while carrying large animal carriers, loading carriers and other rescue equipment into vehicles including large trucks.)
• Risks associated with animal handling such as animal bites or scratches.
• Exposure to allergens and zoonotic diseases.
• Involves smells associated with dead animals and the care of live animals.

Position Type, Expected Hours of Work, and Travel:

• This is a full-time, fixed-term position.
• Regular onsite work is required.
• The work schedule is Thursday through Monday.
• Days and hours of the work week may vary according to the needs of the Center.
• Evening and weekend work is required.
• Some travel within California may be expected for this position. 

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

The Marine Mammal Center actively engages individuals from all backgrounds. We are committed to embracing diversity within our organization because we firmly believe that diverse employee teams help us to achieve our best organizational outcomes and provide the most effective support to the communities we serve. We are deeply dedicated to creating and maintaining an inclusive, equitable and supportive work environment.  We strongly encourage people from underrepresented groups to apply. The Marine Mammal Center believes in growth and supporting our employees as best we can so they can become their best selves in and outside of work. We believe that a healthy work environment means building an inclusive culture where people can thrive together and feel supported and empowered. We believe in stretch versus constraint.

OUR MISSION

The Marine Mammal Center advances ocean health through marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation, research, and education.

ABOUT THE MARINE MAMMAL CENTER

The Marine Mammal Center is leading the field in ocean conservation through marine mammal rescue, veterinary medicine, science, and education. 

For more information, please visit our “About Us” page at www.marinemammalcenter.org

To Apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume and provide a brief description about how your experience aligns with the role.

Note that applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

In your cover letter, please feel free to note which pronouns you use (For example – she/her/hers, he/him/his, they/them/theirs, etc). 

We strongly encourage people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and non-binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities to apply. The Center is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone to our team. If you need reasonable accommodation at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know.