Assistant Staff

Assistant Staff

The most essential criteria for Assistant Staff is that they can be sensitive and self-aware enough not to scare the wolves.

All Assistant Staff members participate in caring for the animals: feeding and watering wolves, cleaning enclosures, and processing meat. They learn to give educational tours to visitors of all ages. For most of the summer, we focus our energy on education: teaching thousands of visitors about wolves, ecology, and sustainability.

We divide our work into four areas: animal care, education, facilities and vehicle maintenance, and office administration. There are Core Staff who oversee operations in these areas and Assistant Staff work alongside them in whichever or as many areas as appropriate. It’s encouraged for all staff to help, participate in, and learn about all aspects of the refuge.

A great way to explore becoming Assistant Staff is to visit as a short-term volunteer for a couple weeks (commonly one or two). It can be treated as a “working interview” where we can all can see if it’s the right fit.

Assistant Staff Requirements

Commitment:

During the off-season (September through May), we are looking for long commitments. Priority is given to those who can stay for six months or more, spending the summer at Mission:Wolf on either end of their stay. We try not to have new staff arrive in the winter, since the living is hard and it is much more difficult to get new staff up to speed when they are getting used to the Colorado mountain winter. Year-long commitments or longer are best for everyone involved.

Experience/Education:

Mission: Wolf is in special need of volunteers who have both breadth and/or depth of skills and life experience. In general, staff is “good at stuff,” using experience and judgment to do things they aren’t familiar with. People who grew up on farms typically fall into this category: understanding machines, living creatures, and the interconnectedness of all things. Priority is given to applicants who have extensive practical experience in one or more of the refuge’s four areas of work. There are no education requirements, although a college degree is typical for especially Core Staff. We need staff members who can understand the science or theory behind what we do and communicate it clearly to a public audience.

Community Living:

Mission:Wolf operates as a close-knit community, isolated from towns and cities. Staff need to have great communication skills, experience working with people, and be comfortable living and working with others in close proximity. There is no minimum age, but there are high expectations for how staff will do their work, interact with the public, and contribute to the community. Staff are evaluated based on the work they accomplish and their maturity in human and animal interactions.

Benefits

Housing: There are heated living spaces for winter and spring staff. Fall staff may live in tents until early October when freezing temperatures begin. A heated, indoor space is always available to sleep at night, especially over the fall/winter/spring months. The caveat is these are mostly community spaces. Personal living and storage spaces are typically outside spaces for Assistant Staff. These include tipis, geodesic domes (both with or without wood stoves), and tent sites close to the community kitchen. Availability depends on the amount of staff already on site. All staff have access to the wolves’ community kitchen and bathrooms, as well as access to our washing machine.

Food: Mission:Wolf provides the food for all Assistant staff (staples, not junk). You prepare breakfast and lunch on your own, and we all participate in daily community dinners.

Transportation: Transportation can be provided to and from local airports, or bus and train stations. Parking space for a car if you choose to drive is also available. There are several staff vehicles for use while living and working at the sanctuary, so there is no need to use your personal vehicle unless you are taking time off.

Technology: Wireless internet, access to community laptops, access to a landline with free long distance and limited international calling.

Compensation: No one should come to Mission: Wolf in hopes of getting rich, but if you are willing to live and work in this tough environment, we want you to feel valued. Along with non-taxable shelter and food, Assistant Staff can qualify for a small volunteer stipend. Hopefully this helps you keep up with a few bills, pay for personal goodies from town, or save up for an adventure off-site. It should be noted that Mission: Wolf volunteers have a special opportunity to gain wealth in a variety of ways other than financially.

*This aspect of working and living at Mission: Wolf is actively under change. When the changes have been made official, information will be provided here. Don’t hesitate to reach out to info@missionwolf.org with any specific questions about compensation or to learn where things stand at the moment.

Bonus Stuff:

• Staff camping trips funded by Mission:Wolf several times each summer

• Access to our collection of outdoor equipment

Work Examples

Below are some examples of work that you might do on a given day at Mission:Wolf. Each Assistant Staff member will specialize in the areas they have skills, though flexibility is key. 

Applications

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, though generally new staff are welcomed at the start of summer and fall. Winter is a difficult time to arrive, especially if you have never been out before. If you would like to come another time of the year or visit during the winter as a short-term volunteer, go ahead and contact us.

If you are planning to arrive in the summer, please apply as summer staff and mention in your application that you are interested in staying past summer. Applications for arrival at any other point in the year are accepted on a rolling basis.

If you have any questions about sanctuary positions, responsibilities, skills, or your suitability, please don’t hesitate to contact us.