International Veterinary Internship in Cetacean Pathology Programme at IUSA_ULPGC_OIEccMMH

The starting date of this Intership will be negociated  with the selected candidate, after COVID-19 world wide crisis.  Now it is time to apply by email (read the call)

www.iusa.eu

 

Programme Background

The Atlantic Centre of Cetacean Research (ACCR) is part of the University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (www.iusa.eu) at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (www.ulpgc.es). IUSA-ULPGC is a Collaborating Centre for Marine Mammals Health of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIEccMMH). The facilities are located within the Veterinary School Campus in Arucas, (Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain).

The Canary Islands Cetacean Stranding Network is officially coordinated and co-funded by the Canary Islands Government, being the Veterinary Pathology Division at ACCR_ IUSA_ULPGC responsible for pathological studies and cause/s of death of every stranded cetacean. Our main objective is to provide morphological, etiological, and, when possible, final diagnoses of dead stranded cetaceans. In a multidisciplinary approach, we also try to define, whenever possible, cause/s of strandings. Our centre also collaborates closely with Veterinary Clinicians to attend live stranded cetaceans.

Our centre is very much committed with Animal Health, Welfare and Conservation, therefore we are also concerned and involved in public awareness through Education. 

The Canary Islands are a cetacean biodiversity “hot spot,” with 30 species reported with around 60-100 cetacean strandings each year. We also received a variable number of samples from cetaceans stranded in other national and international geographical areas.

In addition, we are carrying out several research projects on cetacean Health, Welfare and Conservation using Veterinary Pathology as a tool. 

 

Internship Duties

To be fully integrated into a multidisciplinary TEAM, who will have the following learning and working duties: (Learning and working duties will be guided and supervised by Veterinary Pathologists in a team working system)

• Stranding coverage: answer calls, document reports, complete associated paperwork and enter data.
• Cetacean Stranding response and necropsy: all aspects of cetacean stranding response, including mainly post-mortem examinations and sampling in both field and laboratory settings, but also, occasionally, live animal health assessment, and supportive care and biological data collection.
• Stranding / necropsy readiness: cleaning, organizing, and maintaining stranding response and necropsy gear, equipment and facilities, restocking kits and supplies.
• Data entry / sample processing: entry of stranding data, organizing, cataloguing, disseminating and archiving of photos, datasheets, samples and tissue bank maintaining.
• Histopathology and lab techniques: microscopical diagnosis of own and received samples, perform diagnostic techniques when necessary (histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and molecular techniques).
• Reports: write and/or reviewing pathological reports of the cases.
• Outreach: assist staff with training and outreach material preparation and organization, participate in opportunistic outreach at stranding sites, and participate in community and scientific events.

 

Requirements

• DVM degree is mandatory.
• Valid driver’s license and secure reliable transportation (international license is also valid).
• Good physical fitness, able to lift/carry 40lbs, walk long distances in difficult terrain, be comfortable on small boats in near shore waters, able to swim, and work in harsh weather conditions.
• Able to follow written and oral staff directions and protocols effectively and able to work in teams and individually (spanish and/or english).
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Must be able to commit to a minimum 5 working days per week, including weekends.

 

Preferred candidates (not having any of the following conditions does not preclude to be candidate)

• Basic marine mammal stranding response/research experience.
• Necropsy experience in marine mammal or other taxa.
• Basic histopathology diagnostic experience.
• Experience caring for or handling animals.
• Flexible daily schedules (stranding events are unpredictable, our days may start earlier or end later than scheduled).

Important Information

• This internship is paid (15.000 - 18.000 euros for a total period of 12 months), based on candidate experience.
• Housing and transportation are responsibility of the intern. After acceptation, we will try to help the intern with the search of a convenient housing.
• Interns will be required to work during holidays, depending on needed duties, in a variety of settings on any given day, including office, necropsy room, beach, landfill, laboratory or rescue centre.
• International applicants are responsible for their own VISA arrangements (letters from ULPGC will be provided for official procedures to get a VISA).
• Flight tickets may be extra funded.

• Intership beggining date will be negociated with the selected candidate.

Required application materials (you must provide all 3 items- below-), plus an Interview (“Skype”) in case, you become candidate.

• Cover Letter (explaining why you are interested and your expectation, etc). (pdf document)
• C.V. (Spanish or English) (pdf document)
• 1 or better two, Reference Letters (pdf document/s)

Incomplete applications will not be considered. For any question or further information, please send an email to the Institute´s e-mail address indicated below.

Deadline applications:  15th April, 2020

Applications should be sent to:

Email: dirección_iusa@ulpgc.es

Issue: Candidate for Veterinary Internship in Cetacean Pathology,

Canary Islands Stranding Network

 

Atlantic Centre of Cetacean Research (ACCR)

Histology and Veterinary Pathology Division (HAP)

University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA)

OIE col. Centre for Marine Mammal Health (OIEccMMH)

University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC)

Canary Islands

Spain