Veterinarian – Cheetah Conservation Fund, Namibia

Veterinarian – Cheetah Conservation Fund, Namibia

The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) is currently looking for a veterinarian to join its team at the research center in Otjiwarongo, Namibia. The successful candidate should have a degree in Veterinary Medicine, be qualified to work in Namibia (see detail below), be interested in livestock, dogs, horses and wildlife as well as research, and have good team working skills; Namibian resident preferred. The animal collection includes cheetahs, livestock guarding and scat detection dogs, dairy and meat goats, sheep, cattle, and horses. The CCF veterinary clinic is equipped with a surgery room, several microscopes, an isoflurane gas anesthesia machine, a Cardell veterinary anesthesia monitor, an endoscope, an ultrasound, digital radiography equipment, in-house blood chemistry analyzers, and a DanInject dart gun for immobilizations. Dentistry work is performed by the local human dentist. The veterinarian will not only conduct clinical work but will also be part of the CCF research and outreach community.

 

The duties of the CCF veterinarian include

CLINIC

• managing the clinic including inventory maintenance and hygiene
• maintaining the clinic databases and electronic records
• planning bi-weekly health care meetings
• supervising the veterinary technician/nurse
• working in conjunction with the animal care staff to ensure appropriate communication
• interacting with visitors and guests

 

DOMESTIC ANIMALS

• preventative and routine health care for the goat and sheep herd, horses livestock guarding and scat detection dogs including vaccination and parasite control protocols and treatment of medical and surgical cases
• working together with the Farms Manager and supervising management of nutrition and reproduction for the goats, sheep and dogs
• spaying and neutering the puppies of the livestock guarding dog program

 

CHEETAHS

• preventative and routine health care of the captive cheetahs, including vaccination and parasite control protocols and treatment of medical and surgical cases

 

RESEARCH

• Participating in ongoing research as well as supervising incoming veterinary student interns for their research projects.
• Ongoing projects consist of:
• stress and gastritis studies
• hookworm survey in the working dogs;
• ongoing parasitological assessment of wild cheetah scat samples;
• parasitological survey of the captive cheetahs combined with the evaluation of efficiency of chosen deworming plans;
• parasitological survey of wildlife at waterholes at different seasons/in different areas
• necropsy assessment of donkeys and horses, designated to feeding
• Laboratory research is a bonus
• And, other aspects of animal health research

 

COMMUNITY CONSERVATION

Participating in CCF’s ongoing One Health programme in communal areas

around the Greater Waterberg Landscape, including livestock health checks,

teaching livestock management to rural communities, rabies vaccination

campaign, and spay and neutering of rural community dogs

The applicant needs to be qualified to practice in Namibia. To be able to

register in Namibia veterinarians need to have passed the Namibian board

examination or be licensed to practice in South Africa via examination. The applicant

needs to have a Post Graduate Degree (MSc or PhD) in veterinary medicine and at least 3 years’

clinical experience.

Individual staff housing is provided including basics of bed and cabinets. The

private duplex room has two rooms and inhouse bathroom and small yard. Meals are

prepared by our CCF kitchen staff and are taken in common in our dining area.

During the meals CCF staff eats together with the volunteers and guests present at

CCF at the time in order to contribute to the sense of community of our organization.

The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) veterinarian reports to the Executive

Director, General Manager, and the Assistant Director for Animal Health and

Research, supervises the veterinary technician and works with the cheetah keepers

and Farms Manager and his staff. The opening requires a minimum two year

commitment.

Dr. Laurie Marker

Executive Director

Cheetah Conservation Fund

P.O. Box 1755

Otjiwarongo, Namibia

Phone – +264 (0)67306225

Cell – +264 (0)811247887

Send applications to Dr. Laurie Marker

Email – [email protected]