Description
- Applications are reviewed on a regular basis and hiring may occur early in the recruiting process. Individuals are encouraged to apply immediately.**
Douglas County Community Services is looking for an individual with hands-on experience in the care of animals to join their Animal Services team as an Animal Care Assistant. This role is responsible for providing for the day to day care of shelter animals and serves a critical role in assisting with the shelter's goal of working to ensure all animals are given the best chance of being placed in good homes. The right person for this position is someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, is skilled in multi-tasking, and has strong customer services skills. If you enjoy working as part of a hands-on team to provide the best care possible for shelter animals, this position could be right for you.
Please note: Animal Care Assistants are scheduled to work one weekend day and holidays on a rotating schedule.
Primary Objectives
Performs intermediate work ensuring that kennels are maintained to a satisfactory standard; Providing for the care of shelter animals; assisting with public education programs and administration of rabies control, enforcement, and responsible pet ownership programs; promoting humane ethics and working to ensure all animals are given the best chances of being placed in good homes; performing related tasks as apparent or assigned.
This is a safety sensitive position and is subject to random and pre-employment drug and alcohol screening.
Supervision Exercised
None
Essential Functions
PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Assists the general public, customers, and/or County employees in person or by phone answering inquiries related to services, programs, and records.
- Assists Office Specialist and Animal Control Officers as needed.
- Cares and feeds all shelter animals to include administration of medications and visual observation to detect illness, disease, allergies, or parasites.
- Cleans and sterilizes all dog and cat kennel areas and performs general grounds keeping.
- Performs various customer service functions: intake of animals to shelter; processes adoptions; releases animals into owner’s custody; produces lost-and-found reports; issues licenses; collects fees; maintains records for all transactions.
- Safely handles, restrains, examines, and exercises animals as required.
- Uses County vehicle to perform various tasks related to job duties.
- Properly vaccinates animals and implants microchips; transports animals to veterinary facilities.
- Performs humane euthanasia using proper techniques and controlled substances.
- Participates in County initiatives and programs to promote adoptions; utilizes and updates social media and online adoption systems.
- Schedules and conducts volunteer orientations; counsels and trains as required.
- Utilizes office computer software (Microsoft Office and County ERP) to prepare and maintain animal shelter statistics and grant reports.
- Represents the County with dignity, integrity, and a spirit of cooperation in all relationships with staff and the public.
- Contributes effectively to the accomplishment of team or work unit goals, objectives, and activities.
Qualifications
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Position requires a High School diploma or GED and one (1) year of experience cleaning and maintaining kennels and providing care for animals within an animal shelter, veterinary office, animal hospital, or pet store; OR an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
- Must obtain Nevada State Veterinary Board Euthanasia Technician certification within six (6) months of date of employment.
CERTIFICATIONS/LICENSES
WORKING CONDITIONS
The characteristics listed below are representative of the physical demands, physical agility, sensory requirements, and environmental exposures required by an individual to successfully perform the essential duties of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.
- This work requires the regular exertion of up to 25 pounds of force, frequent exertion of up to 50 pounds of force and occasional exertion of over 100 pounds of force.
- Work regularly requires standing, walking, speaking or hearing and using hands; frequently requires sitting, kneeling or crawling, reaching with hands and arms, pushing or pulling and repetitive motions; occasionally requires climbing or balancing and tasting or smelling.
- Work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly; hearing is required to receive detailed information through oral communication and/or to make fine distinctions in sound.
- Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, use of measuring devices, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities.
- Work is generally in a loud noise location (e.g. heavy traffic, large equipment).
- Work frequently requires exposure to wet/humid conditions (non-weather) and exposure to outdoor weather conditions; occasionally requires exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals and exposure to bloodborne pathogens (may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment).
- Exposure to animal bites and other related injuries; incumbent must be willing to handle injured, ill or dead animals in potentially hazardous situations.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
i. Continued employment is contingent upon all required licenses and certificates being maintained in active status without suspension or revocation.
ii. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of background/screening.
iii. Douglas County participates in E-Verify and will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each applicant’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. All candidates who are offered employment must complete Section 1 of the Form I-9 along with the required proof of their right to work in the United States and proof of their identity prior to starting employment. Please be prepared to provide required documentation as soon as possible after the job offer is made.
iv. This job description indicates, in general, the nature and levels of work, knowledge, skills, abilities and other essential functions expected of the incumbent. The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. Incumbent may be asked to perform other duties as required.
Douglas County provides benefits to full-time employees. Benefits are prorated for part-time employees working 20–29 hours per week. Part-time employees working 19 hours or less, as well as on-call employees, are not eligible for benefits.
No Nevada State income tax.
Retirement – Public Employees' Retirement System of Nevada (PERS)
Douglas County contributes 36.75% of an eligible regular member and 50% of an eligible
Police and Fire member's salary for retirement.
Deferred Compensation Plans – Employees have the option to participate in a deferred compensation program through VOYA, which is funded by the employee.
Employee Perks
- Vacation: Accrued at the rate of 4.6154 hours per pay period, or 120 hours per year (increase with years of service).
- Sick Leave : Earned at the rate of 3.6923 hours per pay period, or 96 hours per year.
- Holidays: 12 paid holidays per year.
- Employee Recognition Programs
- Annual Gym Membership
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Tuition Reimbursement Programs
Health Insurance
As a Douglas County employee, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package with several medical plan options, plus dental and vision coverage, life insurance, and disability insurance. Benefits start on the first of the month after a 60-day waiting period. To learn more about our health insurance and employee benefits, please visit our website for details.
Compensation
Douglas County uses a Pay for Performance compensation system, where employees receive annual performance evaluations and may be eligible for merit-based salary increases. Qualified employees can earn up to a 3% merit increase on their anniversary date, and may also receive an annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) during the first pay period of each fiscal year, based on the Consumer Price Index, up to a maximum of 5%. In addition, eligible employees who demonstrate exceptional, above-and-beyond performance may receive further compensation through the County’s Recognition of Excellence Program.
01
What is your highest level of completed education?
- High School Diploma or GED
- Technical Certification
- Associates Degree
- Bachelor's Degree
- Master's Degree or Higher
- None of the Above
02
How many years of experience do you possess in cleaning and maintaining kennels and providing care for animals within an animal shelter, veterinary office, animal hospital, or pet store?
- No experience
- Less than 1 year
- 1 year
- 2 years
- 3 years
- 4 years
- 5 years or more
03
Briefly describe your hands-on experience in caring for and handling animals, including when and where you obtained the experience.
04
The Animal Care Assistant must obtain a Nevada State Veterinary Board Euthanasia Technician certification within six (6) months of date of employment. Do you currently have a Nevada State Veterinary Board Euthanasia Technician certification, OR are you willing and able to obtain certification within six (6) months of employment? (Cost of certification and training is provided by the department).
- Yes, I currently have a Nevada State Veterinary Board Euthanasia Technician certification (attach a copy of your certification to your application).
- I am willing and able to obtain certification within six (6) months of employment.
- I do not currently have a Nevada State Veterinary Board Euthanasia Technician certification, and I am not willing and able to obtain certification within six (6) months of employment?
05
Will you be able to provide a current valid Driver's License and DMV history report (10 year) if offered employment?
06
How many years of experience do you possess in record keeping and clerical duties?
- No experience
- Less than 1 year
- 1 year
- 2 years
- 3 years
- 4 years
- 5 years or more
07
Briefly describe your experience with record keeping and clerical duties, including when and where you obtained the experience.
08
How many years of customer service experience do you possess?
- No experience
- Less than 1 year
- 1 year
- 2 years
- 3 years
- 4 years
- 5 years or more
09
Briefly describe your customer service experience, including when and where you obtained the experience.
10
Briefly describe why you are interested in the Animal Care Assistant position with Community Services.
11
Douglas County requires applicants to list all work history from your most current employment to 10 years back. If relevant experience is over 10 years please list it on your application. ***Writing "See Resume" on the application in place of completing your information is not acceptable.*** Have you listed all work history from most current employment through 10 years of work history on your application in addition to listing any relevant experience that exceeds 10 years?
- Yes, I have listed all work history from current to 10 years back.
- I do not have 10 years of work history, but have included all employment history.
- I have relevant experience that exceeds 10 years and I have included the experience on my application.
- No, I have not listed all work history from current to 10 years back.
12
Are you able to perform the essential functions of the job listed on the job description with or without a reasonable accommodation?
13
Douglas County employees are required to uphold the County's Values and are evaluated based upon these Values. MISSION STATEMENT Working together with integrity and accountability, the Douglas County team is dedicated to providing essential and cost-effective public services fostering a safe, healthy, scenic, and vibrant community for the enjoyment of our residents and visitors. VALUES STATEMENT Integrity - We demonstrate honest and ethical conduct through our actions. Accountability - We accept responsibility for our actions. Customer Service - We deliver efficient and effective service with an attitude of respect and fairness. Leadership - We establish the tone and direction for success motivating and inspiring others to accomplish a shared vision. Communication - We ensure open dialogue through proactive listening and sharing of information throughout the organization and the community. Teamwork - We work together to achieve shared goals. Respect - We will treat all citizens, employees, and visitors with respect. Do you understand Douglas County's Mission and Values Statement's and will you be able to uphold them if hired?
