The City of Overland Park has a full-time Animal Care Specialist position available in the Parks and Recreation Department.
SUMMARY:
The Animal Care Specialist assists with the animal care operations at the Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead. This role performs routine animal care, including feeding, cleaning, animal waste disposal, and monitoring health and welfare. Additionally, the specialist assists with facility maintenance, provides educational materials to the public, and supports the training and supervision of animal care attendants.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Assists with the animal care at the Farmstead which includes feeding, cleaning, animal waste disposal, health and welfare.
- Assists Animal Care Supervisor and performs animal care such as worming, trimming hooves, beaks and talons, and giving vaccinations and other injections as needed. Observes animals to detect illnesses and injuries. Follows veterinarian recommendation of diagnosis, treatment and medication for animals.
- Assists in maintaining thorough and complete records on all animals to include identification, health, animals on hand, health testing, records, and disposal.
- Assist in planning and reviewing feeding schedules and amounts for all animals. Monitors animal feed supplies. Checks feed supplies; orders supplies when necessary; picks up, loads and unload feed; stores feed properly to prevent spoilage and waste; prepares feed for distribution.
- Assists in planning animal displays and procurement of animals.
- Assists with the programming of farm events.
- Provides educational materials and assistance to the public.
- Ensures a safe environment for animals, visitors, staff and volunteers.
- Assists with maintenance of facilities. Assists in cleaning of work areas and Farmstead facilities to meet the standards of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal Welfare Act.
- Provides general information to the public by answering questions, providing directions, and enforcing policies.
- Provides general information to the public through informal and formal speaking engagements and training sessions.
- Performs general office duties such as answering phones, returning calls, monitoring email, assisting the general public, and organizing and updating files.
- The employee must work the days and hours necessary to perform all assigned responsibilities and tasks. Must be available (especially during regular business hours or shifts) to communicate with, supervisors, visitors , vendors and any other persons or organization with which interaction is required to accomplish work and employer goals.
- The employee must be punctual and timely in meeting all requirements of performance, including, but not limited to, attendance standards and work deadlines; beginning and ending assignments on time; and scheduled work breaks, where applicable.
REQUIREMENTS:
EDUCATION & SPECIAL LICENSE(S)/CERTIFICATIONS:
- Associates Degree or higher in animal husbandry, zoology, biology, or animal care related field.
- Possession of appropriate, valid driver's license.
- Must maintain an insurable driving record.
EXPERIENCE:
- Two or more years of increasingly responsible experience in care and maintenance of animals in farm or zoo related facilities, or an equivalent level of experience.
- Experience in operation of tractor, loaders, backhoes, and dump trucks preferred.
- Effective public relations skills and the ability to work with children.
SKILLS:
- Written and communication skills.
- Attention to detail.
- Basic mathematical and accounting skills.
- Human relations/Interpersonal skills.
- Analytical skills, including research skills, ability to interpret data, ability to conceptualize, ability to analyze information, and ability to write formal recommendations based on findings.
- Organizational skills.
- Leadership skills, including strategic planning skills, goal-setting skills, assessment skills, collaboration skills, and complex decision making skills.
- Working knowledge of windows-based PC software applications such as Google based processing.
- Time management skills.
MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Ability to read and comprehend City, state, and federal regulations.
- Ability to prioritize work.
- Ability to recognize and protect confidential information.
- Ability to train and guide others.
- Ability to read and understand technical manuals concerning animal care, equipment repair and maintenance, and plant care.
- Ability to work independently.
- Alpha and numeric recognition.
- Knowledge of animal care and grooming.
- Ability to work in a hectic environment with many interruptions.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Ability to reach, stand, crawl, bend, stoop, climb, push and pull.
- Exposure to extreme environmental conditions.
- Exposure to loud noises.
- Exposure to heights.
- Ability to lift 25 pounds and transport 20 feet.
- Ability to work in confined spaces.
- Ability to distinguish smells.
- Ability to operate various hand and power tools, such as router, drill circular saw, shovel, rake, hoe, hand mower, weedeater, rototiller, chain saw, power pruner, and leaf blower.
- Ability to operate City vehicles and large equipment, such as truck, front-end loader, skid loader, and riding mower.
- Ability to speak to individuals or groups for an extended period of time.
- Ability to restrain animals ranging in size from rabbits and eagles to midsize domesticated animals.
- Ability to administer animal vaccinations and perform routine care of animals.
- Visual acuity to identify animal health variables and abnormal physical and health conditions.
- Ability to operate various office equipment.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY (Direct & Indirect):
- Direct: None.
- Indirect: Part time, seasonal employees and volunteers.
The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.
No City residency requirement.
Must successfully pass a background check, drug screen, physical exam and essential functions test.
Normal Work Hours: Variable schedule - full time (mgr to provide more details)
PAY RATE - GRADE A: $19.36 - $21.51 Per Hour
Application Deadline: Open until filled
Benefits: Full-time
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the United States and proof of eligibility must be provided if selected for hire.
EO/M/F/D/V
