Animal Care Technician

Animal Care TechnicianEmpower Successful People to thrive in a Strong Community supported by Quality GovernmentJob DescriptionGeneral Statement of Duties Cleans, feeds and houses animals in the shelter facility. Maintains sanitary conditions in the cages and kennel areas. Distinguishing Features of the Class Animal Care Technicians are responsible for the daily care and feeding of the animals within our organization. In this fast paced environment, they will clean, feed and maintain the animal population. They will assist with the daily enrichment of the animals in our care as well as facilitate adoption with various members of our community. Incumbents will be expected to work as part of a team but also be able to work independently to achieve organizational goals. Incumbents must be available and willing to work weekends, holidays and to attend any mandatory training or meetings the employer determines are necessary to meet business needs. Reports to the Animal Care Supervisor.Examples of DutiesEssential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:Performs animal care duties such as preparing food, feeding and providing water, cleaning and disinfecting food and water bowlsCleans and disinfects animal areas, including but not limited to: sweeping and mopping floors, washing, sweeping and scrubbing debris from walls, beds and any other areas, as well as cleaning and disinfecting litter pans, small animals cages and livestock pens.Meets, greets, and interfaces with members of the public visiting the shelter whether it be to visit the animals or for adoption.Assists in matching animals to potential adopters. Introduces animals to the potential adopters and provides information regarding that particular animal's behavior, responsible pet-ownership tips and shelter operations information.Monitors all animals in their designated area on a daily bases and provides observations for them for any unusual physical and/or behavioral conditions. May assist the veterinarian or staff with vaccinations and minor medical treatments.Keeps a record on the disposition and daily habits of animals, performs a daily count of animals and is responsible for reporting any condition or inconsistencies to the supervisor or veterinary staff as appropriateCompletes various records and forms such as medical cards, daily observation sheets, and observation memos in the animal management systemAssists in maintaining inventory of food and other animal supply needs by reporting when items need to be orderedRecruitment Standards Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Knowledge of basic cleaning, disinfectant, and animal husbandry procedures. Ability to read and comprehend instructions. Ability to work in variety of temperatures and conditions. Knowledge of disease management/recognition, general animal care and safe, humane animal handling skills Knowledge of various breeds of dogs, cats and other animals. Knowledge of animal shelter policies and procedures. Ability to work as part of a team to accomplish tasks Ability to keep accurate, and detailed records and enter them into computerized animal management system Ability to perform math. Ability to effectively communicate to clients, staff and management both verbally and in writingTypical QualificationsMinimum Qualifications High School Diploma or GED and some animal care experience in a veterinary hospital, animal shelter, humane society or other animal care facility, AND some customer service experience. Preferred Qualifications One year of experience in a fast-paced animal and customer-oriented field.Supplemental InformationWorking Conditions and Physical Demands of Work The following physical activities described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations. While performing the functions of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear; frequently required to stand, walk, sit, and use hands to finger, handle, or feel, and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds; frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds; frequently push and/or pull up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. Working conditions are in a kennel environment with frequent exposure to laboratory conditions including hazardous materials, unfavorable fumes and odors, and working with animal body fluids and infectious diseases, and loud noises. May Require Driving This position may require driving for this position whether driving a County owned or personal vehicle to conduct county business such as but not limited to attending conferences, meetings, or any other county related functions. Motor Vehicle Reports may be verified for valid driver's license and that the driving record is compatible with the county's driving criteria. If a personal vehicle is operated for county business proper insurance is maintained as per Guilford County's vehicle use policy. Special Note This generic class description gives an overview of the job class, its essential job functions, and recommended job requirements. However, for each individual position assigned to this class, there is available a completed job questionnaire with a physical abilities checklist, which can give further details about that one specific position. Those documents should be reviewed before initiating a selection process. They can provide additional detailed information on which to base various personnel actions and can assist management in making legal and defensible personnel decisions.BenefitsWe are excited about the opportunity of having you as a prospective new employee! You probably already know our county is a wonderful county to live in, but did you know it is also a wonderful place to work? Below are a few of the reasons why we love working for Guilford County. We offer Health Insurance (UnitedHealthCare) to all benefitted employees working a minimum of 20 hours per week. The shared cost of the premium is based on scheduled/budgeted hours. If you are a full-time employee working 40 hours a week you can expect to pay less than $35 a month for medical coverage, dental coverage for $4 a month and vision coverage for $5 a month. That's less than $45 a month for medical, dental & vision coverage; that's unheard of. Telehealth UHC Virtual Visits are available to you with no copay or out of pocket expense. We are excited to inform you Guilford County has an Employee Wellness Center (24/7 access) with strength training equipment, cardio machines and a group exercise room with virtual or in person coaching from our Wellness Specialist! Employee Assistance Program, 100% funded by the county. A superb benefit for you and your family absolutely free. Confidential help with personal or work-related issues. 13 paid holidays, 12 sick days, and 12 vacation days a year. That's 37 paid days a year, totaling almost 2 months of paid time off. Employer contributes 5% into your 401(k) - no match required. Enrollment in the State Retirement Plan by contributing 6%. Longevity pay beginning at five years of service. We provide a $10,000 Life and AD&D benefit to eligible employees. Flexible spending accounts (FSA) allow you to set aside tax-free dollars for health care and dependent care. Voluntary Life, AD&D, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability.