Animal Care Assistant

Position Information

The County of Sonoma's Animal Services Division is looking to hire a full-time Animal Care Assistant who is passionate about animal welfare!

Starting salary up to $26.55/hour ($55,413/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

About the Position

Animal Care Assistants play an important role in the Animal Services Division. Animal Care Assistants are responsible for the daily care and husbandry of all animals housed within the County of Sonoma animal shelter. In this position, you will:

• Ensure the hygiene, feeding, and hydrating of the animals

• Assist with the intake of animals to the animal shelter

• Work with volunteers

• Provide the animals with animal enrichment

• Stock and inventory all necessary animal care items

• Work in teams to clean the kennels using set protocols

As the ideal candidate to join this team, you will possess a strong work ethic with a passion for the welfare of animals. In addition, you will possess:

• Some experience in animal care in an animal shelter, boarding facility, veterinary clinic, or similar area

• The ability to learn about common diseases in a shelter environment and signs of these diseases

• Excellent communication skills to work effectively with volunteers, staff, etc.

• Knowledge of correct cleaning and lifting techniques

• A sense of pride in your work

• The ability to shift gears quickly and effectively

• Creativity and flexibility in the face of fast-paced situations

• The ability to learn to work in a database and Microsoft Office

Please note: Animal Care Assistants work from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.. Uniforms and safety boots/shoes are required and provided. Animal Care Assistants will be required to work weekends and holidays but not evenings under normal circumstances. Much of the work takes place in an open-air kennel environment which can be hot or cold depending on the time of year.

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Salary Advancement

• A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range

• Paid Time Off

• Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year

• County Paid Health Premium Contributions

• 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options

• Staff Development/Wellness Pay

• Annual benefit allowances of up to $500 and ongoing education/training opportunities

• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement

• County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits

• Retirement

• A pension fully integrated with Social Security

• Paid Parental Leave

• May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment

• Student Loan Debt Relief

• County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

• Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory.

This recruitment is being conducted to fill a full-time Animal Care Assistant position in the Department of Health Services. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Six months of paid or unpaid full-time experience caring for animals. Examples of qualifying experience are: kennel attendant, shelter worker, veterinarian technician, assistant, or helper.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level, including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Working knowledge of: the methods and techniques used in the care of animals; basic animal handling; disease control techniques, practices, methods, and materials used in cleaning animal facilities; occupational hazards of and safety precautions for working around small and large animals.

Ability to: lift, carry, and move up to 50 lbs. without assistance; learn herd health disease transmission and control procedures; recognize common symptoms and common diseases of animals; perform safe animal handling techniques; perform the work in a humane manner; be exposed to the euthanasia of animals by direct injection; perform general labor for extended periods, sometimes under adverse weather conditions; carry out oral and written instructions; properly and legibly complete necessary forms; work tactfully and effectively with co-workers, staff of other agencies, volunteers, inmates, and the general public; operate a personal computer.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.

• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.

• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.

• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Responses to supplemental questions will be used in assessing minimum qualifications. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%). Each application and supplemental questionnaire will be thoroughly evaluated for satisfaction of minimum qualifications and relevance of educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities that relate to this position. Candidates possessing the most appropriate job-related qualifications will be placed on an employment list and referred to the department for selection interviews.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Continuous recruitments may close without notice at any time that a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: SZ

HR Technician: RR