Animal Care Technician

Position Description

If you're looking to be a part of a collaborative environment where your skills can make an impact, explore our current opportunities in creating a better future for public health.

About Harris County Public Health:

Harris County Public Health (HCPH) includes a network of more than 1,100 public health professionals working together to improve health outcomes for the third most populous county in the United States. HCPH provides a multitude of services such as medical and dental services, community programming, and health education for the approximately 2.3 million people in unincorporated Harris County. Through its core values of innovation, engagement, and health equity, HCPH strives to bring meaningful solutions to public health issues while keeping Harris County healthy and vibrant.

Position Overview:

Under the supervision of the Kennel Supervisor, the Animal Care Technician is responsible for cleaning and sanitizing animal holding areas as required. The Animal Care Technician will be responsible for counseling citizens interested in pet adoptions, searching for lost pets, assisting in photographing animals and accurate data entry of animal and citizen information. This position also involves witnessing the humane euthanasia of animals.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Responsible for daily sanitation and maintenance of animal holding pens and cages.
• Responsible for the daily feeding and watering of all animals in the shelter.
• Assists in reviewing health status of animals and advises veterinary staff of any medical problems with animals in the shelter.
• Humanely transports animals from unloading areas or reception area and ensures that animals are assigned kennels.
• Assists citizens and fosters search for lost or adoptable pets, counsel new adopters on responsible pet ownership, and approves/rejects adoption applications.
• Assists Kennel Supervisor with humane euthanasia as required.
• Assist in daily task of photographing and updating information in database, on animals to be placed on the Internet.
• Data entry.
• Cleans, stores and maintains all equipment necessary for feeding, watering and care of animals.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) 274-5445 or email ADACoordinator@bmd.hctx.net.

This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Requirements

Education:

• High school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent.

Experience:

• At least one (1) year experience working in an animal shelter, animal care environment, or pet ownership.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Must have working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint).
• Must be comfortable working with animals.
• Must be willing to assist the supervisor with humane euthanasia of animals.

Core Competencies:

Organizational Leadership

• Understands the organizational mission
• Understands ethics and public good; is concerned with public trust
• Demonstrates respect for the opinions and beliefs of others

Collaboration

• Contributes to an inclusive workplace where equity, diversity, inclusion, and individual differences are valued and leveraged to achieve the vision and mission
• Demonstrates a sense of responsibility for the success of the group
• Collaborates with others to improve quality and address needs

Innovation

• Ability to adapt to change

Interpersonal Abilities/Personal Characteristics

• Treats others with courtesy, sensitivity, and respect
• Behaves in an honest, fair, and ethical manner
• Assesses and recognizes own strengths and weaknesses
• Uses sound judgment
• Self-motivated
• Organizes and maintains work environment to allow for maximum productivity

Communication

• Communicates clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing

NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation, but ONLY the information stated on the application will be used for consideration.

General Information

Position Type, and Typical Hours of Work:

• Full-Time
• 40 hours per week.
• This position requires flexibility in schedules.

Work Environment:

• This job operates in an animal shelter environment.

Physical Demands:

• Will be required to bend, lift, stoop and stand for long periods of time.
• Frequent lifting of animals or materials up to 50 pounds.
• Consistently exposed to animals and animal allergens under conditions with limited alternatives available.

Location:

• Veterinary Public Health- 612 Canino Road, Houston, TX 77076

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.

BENEFITS

Harris County offers a competitive benefits program, including comprehensive group health and related benefits plan as well as defined benefit retirement plan.

The following list of benefits is offered only to employees in regular (full-time) positions:

• Medical Coverage

• Dental Coverage

• Vision Coverage

• Wellness Plan

• Life Insurance

• Long-term disability

• Employee Assistance Program

• Ten (10) days of vacation each year for the first five (5) years of service

• Accrual rates increase based on years of service

• Eleven (11) County-observed holidays and one (1) floating holiday

• Professional development opportunities

• Dependent Care Reimbursement Plan

• Healthcare Reimbursement Account

• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan

The following benefits are also available to regular (full-time) employment and may be available to part-time employees:

• Retirement Pension (TCDRS)
• Flexible schedule (varies by department)
• Transportation Assistance (Metro RideSponsor Program)

In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, Group Health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the County's behalf as needed.

For plan details, visit the Harris County benefits website:

https://benefitsathctx.com/

01

Which of the following best describes your highest level of education completed as it relates to this position?

• High School or GED diploma
• Associate Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree or higher
• None of the above

02

Which of the following best describes your experience working in an animal shelter, animal care environment, or pet ownership? (To be considered, the qualifying experience must be documented in your application's employment history)

• Less than one (1) year
• One (1) year or more
• I do not have this experience

03

Please provide details about your verifiable experience working in an animal shelter, animal care environment, or pet ownership. Do not use "Please see Resume" or "See Resume" (To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your application's employment history) Please include your (a) role(s), (b) types of organizations, (c) scope of duties and responsibilities If you do not have this experience, please type "None" in the space provided.

04

Are you comfortable working with animals?

• Yes
• No

05

Are you comfortable assisting with humane euthanasia of animals?

• Yes
• No

06

Which of the following describes your level of proficiency using a personal computer and common office software such as MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook). Please select your level of proficiency based on the following descriptions: Advanced: A person with this level of skills is able to produce very large, complex formal documents that require a table of contents, footnotes, endnotes, bookmarks, and other special elements; a wide range of graphic effects, and use advanced techniques for analyzing and manipulating data. Has full mastery of Macro commands and skills to tie the objects together into a cohesive system by using Macros and Visual Basic for Applications code. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons. Intermediate: A person with this level of skills is able to customize toolbars, import and insert graphs, embed Excel data, and elaborate reports. Understands the concepts of databases and is able to work with charts and to use the list management capabilities of Excel. Able to use complex query techniques, create efficient forms and reports, and create Macros to automate these forms. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons. Basic: A person with this level of skills is able to use basic formatting, editing, printing functions, and understands the document page setup. Has the ability to enter and correct data, modify a workbook, format a worksheet, and use printing functions. Understands the different database concepts and structures and is familiar with data validation and is able to create a simple presentation in PowerPoint, run it, and print it. Entry Level: A person with this level of skills has the ability to open, create, save and modify documents in Word, send and receive email in Outlook and create spreadsheets in Excel. Format documents for printing, comfortable using the printer menu to preview documents. Has ability to change the font, the margins, insert or delete pages and use the built-in spellchecker and grammar check.

• Advanced
• Intermediate
• Basic
• Entry Level
• Not proficient

Required Question

Agency Harris County

Address 1111 Fannin St

Ste. 600

Houston, Texas, 77002

Phone 713-274-5445

Website https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/harriscountytx