Vacancy Announcement:

Free the Bears

Veterinary Officer - Vietnam Programme

Applications are sought from suitable individuals to fill the role of Veterinary Officer with Free the Bears in Vietnam.

Start Date:                                        As soon as possible.

Closing date for applications:           Open until the position is filled.

About Free the Bears work in Vietnam

Working in close partnership with Cat Tien National Park (CTNP), Free the Bears is implementing an ambitious programme aimed at supporting the elimination of the illegal trade in bear bile through development of Cat Tien Bear Sanctuary (CTBS) in order to house Asiatic black bears and sun bears rescued from the bile farming industry. The CTBS is already home to 47 rescued bears, with further expansion of the sanctuary planned in order to increase capacity and support further rescues. A veterinary hospital was completed in 2019 and development of a visitor education centre is underway to promote improved attitudes towards bears and long-term sustainability of the sanctuary.

Job Description

The Veterinary Officer will work with Free the Bears’ Animal Care Team within Vietnam and with Veterinary Teams in Laos and Cambodia, and Veterinary Advisors globally, to ensure provision of veterinary care for all animals within Free the Bears’ facilities. There will also be occasional collaboration from the Cat Tien National Park veterinarian, and wildlife veterinary experts from around the world.  There will be a strong focus on skills development for this role, with capacity building trips to Free the Bears’ sanctuaries in Cambodia and Laos as well as visits to Cat Tien by international veterinarians.

The primary role of the Veterinary Officer will be to provide care for all bears housed at our sanctuary. Tasks will include:

• Communicate clearly and concisely with the Free the Bears veterinary team regarding cases, and appropriate treatment options;
• Provide medical treatments- calculating and dispensing medications to sick and injured animals;
• Conduct weekly rounds to perform visual assessment of all bears at the sanctuary;
• Input and maintain up-to-date veterinary records- rounds, health checks and biobanking samples;
• Perform a range of applied laboratory diagnostic testing including haematology, biochemistry, and routine faecal sampling;
• Organise the transport of diagnostic samples to external laboratories;
• Organise and manage the veterinary hospital including stocktake and ordering;
• Arrange logistics for external veterinary visits;
• Provide support during external veterinary visits including, monitoring anaesthetics and assistance with tasks during scheduled health checks.

The Veterinary Officer may also be involved in rescue operations when bears are freed from bear bile farms. Given the nature of our work, which is often unpredictable due to rescues occurring often at short notice, a high degree of flexibility and excellent time management skills are required.

Essential Attributes:

• Vietnamese national
• Qualified veterinarian or veterinary nurse
• At least 1 years’ clinical experience
• Excellent clinical skills
• Good IT Skills, including working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel essential)
• Highly motivated, hardworking, and compassionate
• Ability to work methodically and on own initiative
• Patient and adaptable
• Excellent attention to detail
• Strong organization, management, and leadership skills
• Ability to work in a diverse team setting 
• Excellent understanding of written and spoken English language
• Flexibility and the ability to cope with changes in work priorities at short notice
• Ability to work weekends and public holidays as required
• Ability to be based in remote settings with limited amenities

Desirable Attributes:

• Experience working with wildlife and/or large carnivores, especially bears
• Knowledge of and experience in using database record-keeping systems
• Experience working within an international organisation or NGO
• Full, clean car driving license

Contract:             Negotiable, full-time/ part-time - two-year contract with potential to extend based on performance and availability of funds. Subject to a 2-month probation period.

Location:              Based in Cat Tien Bear Sanctuary & Cat Tien Bear Rescue Centre, Cat Tien National Park, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam; with occasional work at other sites in Vietnam and at Free the Bears sanctuaries in Cambodia and Laos.

Reporting to:       Cat Tien Bear Sanctuary Manager; Regional Veterinary Programme Coordinator; Vietnam Programme Manager.

Benefits and Terms:

• Competitive salary based on qualifications, experience and contract type
• Social & health insurance, unemployment insurance of the employee will be paid in accordance with the regulations on insurance after passing probation period
• Medical insurance
• Basic accommodation in Cat Tien Village, near the National Park
• Paid holidays (15 Annual leave and National Holidays as prescribed in the labour code of Vietnam)
• A bonus of one month’s salary will be paid at Lunar New Year after completion of at least one year
• Opportunities for international travel following probationary period
• A rare opportunity to develop new skills and improve existing skillsets in a unique and exciting environment
• Be part of an international organization driving change in the fields of wildlife conservation and animal welfare

Applications

Interested applicants should send a resume and cover letter stating potential start date and suitability for this role, in English, by email to [email protected] with the subject line “Veterinary Officer Application”. Apply early to avoid missing out on this unique opportunity!

Organization: Free the Bears
Location: Dong Nai
Application deadline: 2024-05-07
Send application to: [email protected]