Animal Care Technician (Possible Contract-To-Hire) – Marion County Animal Services
Marion County is a 100% drug free workplace
This position is recruited and staffed with reSOURCE Government Services, not Marion County Government BoCC
Location: Marion County Animal Services – 6405 FL-40, Ocala, FL 34482
Work Schedule: Mon-Fri OR Tues-Sat; 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, PT or FT available
Pay Rate: $15.00 per hour
*Required: Must be able to clear pre-employment background, drug test, and physical; Must possess a valid and active Driver's License w/ relatively clean driving record*
JOB SUMMARY
Responsible for the safe and humane handling and care of all animals at Marion County Animal Services. Daily tasks include feeding, cleaning, medicating, exercising, enriching, adoption counseling, and providing exceptional customer service.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Cleans and disinfects kennels, cages, and other animal housing areas, including dishes and laundry, as per established SOPs and in alignment with best practices.
- Prepares and provides food, water, and medication to animals.
- Performs routine observation of animals and their cages to monitor food consumption, behavior, symptoms of disease, and condition of animals.
- Administers medications, vaccinations, and preventative medicine; implants microchips. Performs venipuncture to conduct heartworm and other diagnostic testing; prepares and interprets fecal tests.
- Assists with incoming animals. Required to handle scared, fearful, fractious and potentially dangerous animals safely, humanely, and with compassion, in accordance with Fear Free standards.
- Provides daily enrichment; maintains current notes on observed and interactive behaviors of animals. Responsible for identifying changes in health and behavior, and bringing to the attention of the appropriate team members for action.
- May occasionally assist with pre-operative and post-operative care of animals.
- Provides exceptional customer service to members of the general public, volunteers, fosters, partners and other County employees. Personal contact occurs with other employees of the unit, employees of other departments in the County, citizens, and customers of the department. Service is provided in person, online, written, or by phone contact.
- Provides public education to individuals or groups; attends events as a representative of MCAS.
- Attends off-site events, trainings, conferences, events, seminars, meetings, hearings, and other continuing education opportunities.
- May be asked to assist field operations as needed.
- Conducts adoption counseling and responsible pet ownership education, in an empathetic and non-judgmental manner.
- Assists members of the public searching for lost animals and provides additional information and support if their pet is not found at the shelter.
- Performs minor repair and routine maintenance of kennels and cages.
- Transports, unloads and stores food, supplies, disinfectants, and equipment.
- Trained and expected to drive trucks and trailers for the safe transport of animals, equipment, supplies, and other items.
- May assist the front desk area, to provide support during peak periods; performing clerical duties, answering phones, and routine transactions, to include cash handling.
- Performs routine filing and record keeping tasks; must have superior data entry skills and the ability to clearly communicate via written word.
- Communicates effectively and coherently over two-way radio channels while initiating and responding to radio communications.
- Responsible for performing humane euthanasia in a safe and compassionate manner, in compliance with currently recognized gold standard best practices, for animals that have been identified as a threat to public safety and/or suffering physically or mentally.
- May serve as relief driver on the mobile spay neuter clinic, if candidate holds a CDL B license; this is not required.
- Required to work a rotating schedule to include weekends and holidays.
- Required to report to work as scheduled, and to work the entire assigned schedule.
- Required to report to work to provide support, coordination, and completion of duties as detailed by the Florida Division of Emergency Management ESF17 in the event of a disaster, severe weather threat, or other declared emergency; including but not limited to disaster response at the shelter or pet-friendly shelter locations around the County.
- May assist in the care of livestock and/or all other species of animals.
- Performs basic care of county vehicles.
- Implements the organization’s guiding principles and core values.
- Performs other related job duties as assigned.
SUPERVISION
This position occasionally provides direction and supervision to community service workers and volunteers. Provides guidance, advice, and assistance to others on work assignments.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:
High school diploma or equivalent; six (6) months’ experience in a kennel, veterinary clinic, and/or animal shelter preferred; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Licenses or Certifications:
Possession of a valid, State of Florida driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle. Requirement exists at the time of hire and as a condition of continued employment.
- Successful completion of Florida State approved sixteen (16) hour euthanasia technician certification course within six (6) months of appointment.
- Rabies preventative immunization required upon appointment.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
- Ability to write and type routine reports with accurate grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
- Ability to speak communicate tactfully and courteously with members of the public, with customers and employees of the organization.
- Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as proportions, percentages, area, and volume.
- Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
- Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
- Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
- Ability to explain records and procedures to others as lead worker.
- Ability to exercise judgment regarding the use of equipment, tools, or materials.
- Knowledge of drug use regulations, euthanasia and disposal techniques, and bio-hazardous waste disposal.
- Knowledge of shelter policies, procedures, and operations.
- Knowledge of Emergency Management policies and procedures pertaining to animals.
- Knowledge of humane restraint and handling techniques.
- Knowledge of responsible pet ownership, standard vaccine and preventative medicine scheduling, benefits of sterilization, and common shelter pet challenges in the home, along with the skill to effectively convey this knowledge to the public.
- Knowledge of animal types, species, and breed.
- Knowledge of communicable zoonotic disease symptoms.
- Skilled in conflict resolution.
- Ability to identify animals by breed, breed traits, assess behavior, and recognize common health conditions and symptoms of disease.
- Ability to remain calm in stressful situations involving people and animals.
- Ability to take a teamwork approach to the job by cooperating with others, offering to help others when needed, and considering larger organization or team goals rather than individual concerns. Includes participation in building a constructive team spirit where team members are committed to the goals and objectives of the team.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The work is heavy work which requires exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will occasionally be required to climb, balance, and run; will regularly be required to talk or hear; and will frequently be required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle or feel, reach with hands or arms, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and smell.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Work is performed in various indoor and outdoor environments. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will frequently be exposed to outdoor weather conditions, wet or humid conditions, animal waste and/or blood, and cleaning chemicals. May experience high levels of occupational noise exposure while working in the kennels or in the field.
Florida Retirement System (FRS) Employment Disclosure Requirement
All candidates are required to respond to the following questions during the hiring process. Responses must be documented and retained as part of the recruitment record:
- Are you currently or have you previously been employed by an employer covered under the Florida Retirement System (FRS)? This includes the State of Florida or any other government entity, including school districts within the State of Florida.
- If the answer is yes:
- What was your last date of employment with the FRS-covered employer?
- Since leaving that employment, have you taken any distribution from FRS, including a refund of employee contributions?
Failure to provide complete and accurate information may impact employment eligibility.
