Animal Care Assistant

Animal Care AssistantAre you looking for a position with a work/life balance? Do you want to earn four (4) weeks off during your first year of employment? Do you want low and no cost health insurance options? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you need to complete your application now. Work for the city you love!!!The Animal Care and Protective Services Department is actively seeking three (3) Animal Care Assistants.Did you know as a City of Jacksonville employee, you would also have twelve (12) paid holidays and a personal leave day as well? In addition to health insurance, dental, vision, life insurance and flexible spending plans are also available. City of Jacksonville employees are also eligible for Federal Student Loan Forgiveness after ten (10) years of public service and on-time payments.This is service maintenance work in maintenance of kennel facilities; care and feeding of sheltered animals; and performance of related clerical and customer support work. Work requires knowledge of standardized work routines and procedures used in the care of animals and maintenance of kennel facilities. Work schedule involves some weekend, holidays, and rotating shifts. Contacts with others require skills in understanding and influencing people and are important in providing services. Skills of persuasiveness, assertiveness, and sensitivity to others point of view are often required to influence behavior, change an opinion, or turn a situation around. Work is performed following established routines, standing instructions, and established procedures. The work is patterned involving similar situations and generally requiring only the choice of the correct procedure. Work is performed in an animal shelter environment, where there are some risks and hazards due to the handling of vicious, ill, infectious, and rabid animals, and exposure to offensive odors, chemicals, and other airborne nuisances but the hazards are known, somewhat predictable and mostly controllable. Work is also in field involving the removal and transportation of dead animals where the hazards are known, somewhat predictable and mostly controllable. Operates standard office equipment such as a personal computer, two-way radio, euthanasia equipment, and animal restraint equipment. The physical demands consist mainly of standing, walking, sitting and sometimes lifting objects weighing more than 50 pounds. The work is performed under general supervision where the work assignments are subject to instructions and established work routines, and the worker is given latitude to rearrange the sequence based on changing work situations, or workflow.Examples of WorkCleans and disinfects animal runs, kennels, cages, receiving areas and holding areas to ensure the health and well-being of the animal population.Feeds and cares for animals in shelter provides daily enrichment and monitors and reports illness and stress related behavior concerns following the Fear Free Shelters training program.Performs euthanasia as taught by the FACA (Florida Animal Control Association) approved class and in compliance with the ACPS euthanasia protocol.Facilitates animal interactions with potential adopters and answers questions regarding animal personality and history to ensure that pets are matched with compatible adopters.Maintains inventory of food, cleaning, and care supplies.Retrieves and places animals in appropriate areas for holding period, redemptions, medical examinations, shots, etc.Trains and guides new coworkers.Enters and retrieves data on animals housed at facility using personal computer.Provides customer assistance and information concerning animals and adoption policies.Reports to work location during emergency circumstances such as actual and anticipated natural and man-made disasters.Operates standard office equipment such as personal computer using word, spreadsheet, database, and other related software, two-way radio, euthanasia equipment and animal restraint equipment.Demonstrates proficiency in the City of Jacksonville's competencies.Performs related work as required.Knowledge, Skills and AbilitiesKnowledge of standardized work routines and procedures used in the care of animals and maintenance of kennel facilities Knowledge of City's Customer Service Policy.Ability to handle or restrain large and sometimes dangerous animals.Ability to respond to and resolve complaints relating to animal care issues.Ability to prepare and maintain records and reports using a computer.Ability to compute arithmetic calculations of whole numbers and decimals.Ability to read, comprehend, and follow written and verbal instructions in English.Ability to perform euthanasia as taught by the FACA (Florida Animal Control Association) approved class and in compliance with the ACPS euthanasia protocol.Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.Ability to operate standard office equipment such as a personal computer using word, spreadsheet, database, and other related software, two-way radio, euthanasia equipment, and animal restraint equipment.Open Requirements/Supplemental InformationAbility to read and write English. LICENSING/CERTIFICATION/REGISTRATION :Euthanasia Technician Certification must be obtained prior to completion of probation and must be maintained. OTHER REQUIREMENTS :The probationary period for this class is six months.This classification performs safety-sensitive functions and is subject to pre-employment, random and other drug/alcohol testing programs as set forth in the City of Jacksonville's Drug Free Workplace Policy (0401).ACPS is part of the City of Jacksonville's emergency response operations. When pet friendly emergency shelters are open, all full-time employees are required to report and carry out duties as assigned for the duration of the emergency. Depending on the nature of the emergency, this may require working around the clock for several days on short notice.