Animal Care Specialist

Minimum Qualifications
Education and/or Equivalent Experience:

• Graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent, plus two (2) years of work experience one (1) year experience in a field related to the job.

Licenses or Certifications:

• Valid Texas Class C Driver’s License.

Notes to Applicants
Austin Animal Center Main Building

Who Are We?
Austin Animal Center‘s mission is to enhance the lives of pets and people by preventing animal homelessness, to help lost pets find their way home or find new homes, to provide education and resources to preserve the human-animal bond, and to administer animal-related ordinances to ensure public and animal safety, all while achieving a 95% live outcome rate for sheltered pets.

What is the Job?
The Animal Care Specialist provides animal care and excellent customer service. Animal care responsibilities include management of kennel space by monitoring staff performance with feeding, walking, exercising, and bathing animals; bringing animals to and from kennels during check-in and check-out times; and maintaining the guest buildings as a whole by performing tasks including, but not limited to, sweeping/mopping floors, wiping counters, taking out trash, and checking equipment and supplies.

Providing excellent customer service responsibilities include mediating animal related complaints, maintaining animal service staff work schedules, and training/delegating job duties to animal services staff.

We offer outstanding benefits including several health and welfare benefits such as low-cost medical, dental, vision, paid leave, a highly competitive retirement plan, training opportunities, and more. Please click HERE for more information.

Regarding Your Application: Please be sure to detail on the application all previous employment that you wish to be considered as part of your qualifications. A detailed, complete employment application is required. It helps us to better evaluate your qualifications and will be used to determine salary if you are selected for this position. Be sure to provide job title and employment dates for all jobs you wish to be considered. A résumé will not substitute for a complete employment application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please include contact information from previous employers. A cover letter is also required. In the cover letter candidates should describe, in concise detail, their interest in this position and highlight any prior experience that is relevant to this position.

Driving Requirement: This position requires a Valid Texas Class C Driver License or the ability to acquire one by your hire date. External New Hires must meet the City of Austin’s Driver Record Evaluation ( DRE ) requisite. To be considered for a driving position, applicants cannot have more than three moving violations or a total of six Driver Record Evaluation points within a period of thirty-six (36) months.

If you are selected to interview: Military/Veterans must provide a copy of their DD214 at the time of initial interview to receive military/veteran interview preference.

If you are selected for hire:A Criminal Background check ( CBI ) will be conducted.

Additional Information:The Animal Service Office location is tobacco-free. Use of tobacco products and/or e-cigarettes is not permitted on any ASO worksite - including construction sites, parking lot, or in any personal vehicle located on the premises. This position requires frequent standing, sitting, walking, good vision and hearing, manual dexterity and mobility, availability to work long hours and the ability to lift and carry 50 pounds with or without accommodations.

Please Note this posting may close any time after 7 days.
Pay Range
$22.82 - $25.78
Hours
Wednesday - Saturday:
6:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

The Austin Animal Center is open seven days a week, so schedule will include at least one weekend day and holidays.

Depending on the needs of the organization, weekly schedule may exceed 40 hours.
Job Close Date 10/24/2024 Type of Posting External Department Animal Services Regular/Temporary Regular Grant Funded or Pooled Position Not Applicable Category Technical Location Austin Animal Center, 7201 Levander Loop 78702 Preferred Qualifications
Preferred Experience:

• Prior experience leading a team to include managing schedules, providing regular feedback, delegating assignments and diffusing conflict within a team.
• Demonstrated experience working in a fast paced, high stress environment, prioritizing duties, managing emotions and competing priorities.
• Demonstrated experience providing excellent customer service, problem solving and de-escalating conflicts.
• Experience in an animal-related field including animal husbandry, health, and basic care.
• Experience handling 50+ lbs. dogs with unknown temperament.

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities
Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.


Receives, handles, and kennels animals of all species including those of unknown temperament, aggressive, sick, and injured. Performs basic maintenance to ensure the safety of all employees, the public, and animals. Performs a weekly inventory of supplies and orders. Maintains relevant written and electronic records; enters and retrieves information regarding animals’ behavior, health, and kennel needs. Assists the public with adoptions and finding lost animals by answering questions, providing education, and assisting potential adopters with animal handling and counsel, as needed. Monitors animals’ physical conditions and performs health care as directed by the veterinarian. Performs receiving, reclaiming, animal care, and adoption duties. Manages cage and kennel space by performing daily inventory/health inspections of animals. Attends training, maintains certifications, and trains other personnel on cleaning/disinfection, animal handling, and other animal care duties. Assists other personnel, law enforcement agencies, and other organizations as necessary. Provides animal husbandry; cleans, disinfects, and maintains animal areas to ensure disease management protocol and safety; conducts daily inspections of shelter animals and areas to ensure proper safety, health, and care. Reviews policies and procedures to ensure they are up to date. Facilitates aspects of daily animal care operations, including management of space, creates a staff roster, holds morning team meetings, adjusts daily plans for the unit, etc., as needed/assigned.

Responsibilities- Supervision and/or Leadership Exercised:

• May provide leadership, work assignments, evaluation, training, and guidance to others

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

• Skill in handling conflict and uncertain situations.
• Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing.
• Skill in using computers and related software applications.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective communication and working relationships with city employees and the public.
• Ability to adhere to disease management and safety protocols.
• Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.
• Ability to train others.

Criminal Background Investigation This position has been approved for a Criminal Background Investigation. EEO/ADA
The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application process or have a question regarding an essential job function, please call (512) 974-3210 or Texas Relay by dialing 7-1-1.

The City of Austin will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, religion, veteran status, disability, or sexual orientation. In addition, the City will not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of an individual’s AIDS , AIDS Related Complex, or HIV status; nor will the City discriminate against individuals who are perceived to be at risk of HIV infection, or who associate with individuals who are believed to be at risk.
Information For City Employees: If you are an employee within the department, are in good standing and meet both the minimum and preferred qualifications, then you will receive an initial interview.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
* The minimum qualifications for the Animal Care Specialist position are: Graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent, plus two (2) years of work experience one (1) year experience in a field related to the job. Do you meet these minimum qualifications?

• Yes
• No

* This position requires a criminal background investigation (CBI). By selecting the following, you are acknowledging that you understand if you are selected as a top candidate for this position, you will need a successful CBI to be hired.

• I acknowledge and understand this position requires a Criminal Background Investigation.

* This position requires a valid Texas Class C Driver License. Do you have a valid Texas Class C Driver License or, if selected for this position, do you have the ability to acquire a valid Texas Class C Driver License by your hire date?

• Yes
• No

* The City of Austin Driver Eligibility Standards require that External New Hires meet the City’s Driver Record Evaluation (DRE) requisite. To be considered for a driving position, applicants cannot have more than three moving violations or a total of six Driver Record Evaluation points within a period of thirty-six (36) months. Do you meet this requirement?

• Yes
• No

* Please briefly describe your experience leading a team to include managing schedules, providing regular feedback, delegating assignments and diffusing conflict within a team.
(Open Ended Question)
* Please briefly describe your experience working in a fast paced, high stress environment, prioritizing duties and managing emotions and competing priorities.
(Open Ended Question)
* Please briefly describe your experience providing excellent customer service, problem solving and de-escalating conflicts.
(Open Ended Question)
* Briefly describe your experience in an animal-related field including animal husbandry, health, and basic care.
(Open Ended Question)
* Briefly describe your experience handling 50+ lbs. dogs with unknown temperament.
(Open Ended Question)


Optional & Required Documents

Required Documents Optional Documents Resume

• 

• City of Austin

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