JOB LOCATION

15750 E 32nd Ave Aurora, Colorado 80011-1518

City of Aurora, Colorado

It is an exciting time to work for the City of Aurora, we're growing and looking for dedicated and collaborative individuals to join our team of talented and valued employees. Excellent organizations have a set of principles, or core values, that are used to implement their mission and vision. Those values represent the touchstone for the organization, guiding the decisions of the individuals and the organization. At the City of Aurora, we demonstrate our excellence by modeling the CORE 4 Values of: Integrity, Respect, Professionalism, and Customer Service, and we welcome all who share these values to apply.

Why Work for Aurora?

Make a difference in the lives of real people every day
Diverse community
Competitive total compensation package
Well-Funded General Employees Retirement Plan
Light rail station minutes away
On-site fitness center and overall employee well-being programs Internal educational programs to assist with career advancement
Access to innovation workspaces

PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Salary to be commensurate with experience

The hiring range for this position is $19.08- $23.85/hourly

This is classified as VHNE (Variable Hour Non-Benefit Employee), where the selected candidate will work less than 29 hours per week. This position does not provide medical benefits. This position earns sick leave in accordance with the Healthy Families and Workplace Act.

This job announcement is for collecting candidate applications for current and future Animal Services Assistants. Applicants will be contacted only when a position need is identified, and their qualifications match the position's needs. **

Overview Of Position / Department

The City of Aurora is seeking a skilled Animal Services Assistant to provide humane care and treatment for sheltered animals. This position will be cleaning and maintaining kennel facilities while helping patrons.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

Provides humane care, treatment and safe handling of animals in the shelter including feeding, cleaning, grooming and enrichment
Degrease all interior and exterior kennel walls
Sweep and mop all floors daily
Empty all trash cans each day
Wash and sanitize all food containers, water buckets and litter boxes
Deep clean and sanitize every kennel once it is empty including bedding
Wash, dry, fold and put away all laundry daily
Dust and cleans all pipes and vents in kennel area
Intake animals left in the night drop kennels and sanitizes kennel once empty
Intakes animals brought in by the public to include photographing, vaccinating, weighing, data entry and kenneling
Performs an initial physical exam to look for injuries or illness and reports to veterinary services, if found
Traces microchips and tags for owner contact information on stray animals
Assists with kenneling and movement of animals and updates animal records to reflect movement or change in status
Educate prospective adopters in adoption of suitable pet: reviews and completes adoption paperwork and conducts dog-dog meet and greets
Processes animals for release to their owners including verifying ownership, that the animal is cleared to be released to owner and providing owner with all medical paperwork
Contacting an Animal Protection Officer if a summons has been initiated for the owner of the animal
Perform kennel inventory to ensure all animals are accounted for daily
Responds to heavy phone call volume and calls back citizens who left messages and documents each phone call in a log
Responds to citizen emails
Provides citizens information on services offered by Aurora Animal Services
Processes all paperwork and data entry for Community Cat Caretakers, Fancier’s Permit applicants, private trappers, guard dog permits
Performs euthanasia and related tasks
Ability to safely use all shelter equipment efficiently
Transports animals and cleans and maintains the transport vehicle
Ability to administer microchips and all vaccinations to animals available for adoption
Medicate sick and injured animals as needed
Spot clean kennels throughout the day
Provide differing enrichment items to the dogs and cats each day and cleans up after or walks dogs
Assists in janitorial and light maintenance duties
Maintains grounds including picking up trash
Organize donated items and place in the appropriate area for each use
Operate and close out the cash drawer daily
Bathe dogs as needed
Performs other related duties as assigned

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & WORKING CONDITIONS

An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that demonstrates required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.

Education:

High School Diploma or GED

Experience:

One year of animal related experience or customer service experience

Preferred Qualifications:

One year of experience working in an animal shelter
Euthanasia Certification within one year

Knowledge:

General knowledge of companion animal welfare, breeds and species

Skills:

Animal handling skills
Providing friendly customer service
Excellent interpersonal communication skills
Strong attention to detail

Abilities:

Establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees and citizens
Handle sensitive situations with tact and diplomacy
Ability to complete work without close supervision
Provide humane care and treatment for a variety of animals
Perform euthanasia
Creatively solve problems, negotiate and handle stressful situations in a positive manner
Operate a city vehicle

Licenses And Certifications Required:

Valid Colorado Driver’s License

WORKING CONDITIONS

Essential Personnel:

When a local announcement of emergency or disaster is declared by the City, all City of Aurora employees may be required to work as essential personnel.

Physical Demands:

Medium work that involves moving no more than 50 pounds with or without assistance at a time
Subject to animal bites and scratches
May require frequent pushing, pulling, bending and stooping
Clear vision to read and interpret notes and other written documents
Speech communication and hearing to maintain communication with employees and citizens
Hand/eye coordination for operation of computer keyboard
Foot/eye coordination for operation of a motor vehicle
Speech communication and hearing to maintain communication with employees and citizens

Work Environment:

Works primarily indoors in a shelter setting with exposure to dust, water, noise, animal dander, odors and fumes, but may occasionally work outside assisting at outreach events

Equipment Used:

Uses standard office equipment including personal computer and common office software such as email, internet, Word, Excel and shelter Chameleon database
This position may require the incumbent to use personal equipment (e.g. vehicle, cell phone, tools, etc.) in the course of their employment.
This position may require the use of hand tools and equipment common to kennel operations

The city of Aurora will implement furlough days (unpaid days off) for most employees in 2026. The scheduled furlough dates are January 16, April 10, July 2, and December 24.

For Veterans preference: Please show all of your employment history, including military service and related documentation (DD214) on the application.

The City of Aurora is an equal opportunity employer. We are required by state and federal agencies to keep certain statistical records on applicants. It will not be used in any way to discriminate against you because of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, creed, national origin, disability or military status, gender identity, unless related to a bona fide occupational qualification as defined by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunity Commission.

Despite the changes in Colorado law, the City of Aurora maintains a drug-free workplace. A positive test of marijuana is grounds for disqualification and ineligibility for employment with the city for one year or termination once hired.

Drug Testing, Thorough Criminal Background Check, And Employment References:

As a condition of employment, all applicants selected for employment with the City of Aurora must undergo a thorough criminal background check.

Applicants selected for safety-sensitive positions are required to complete and pass a drug screening as a condition of employment. Safety sensitive positions include Civil Service positions within Police and Fire Departments and positions where their job responsibilities have direct and substantial responsibility that would impact the health and safety of others.

Employment references will be conducted on finalists for City of Aurora vacancies.

City of Aurora

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