3411 - Animal Care Technician (Clinic Technician)

Overall Job Objective

Position Description

SALARY REVISED

This position is located in the Pima Animal Care Center. OPEN UNTIL FILLED

Salary Grade: 27

Preference given to current Pima County employees.

Pima Animal Care Center is the open admissions animal shelter for Tucson and Pima County, taking in around 20,000 pets each year and providing a full range of animal services covering a 9,000 square mile area. Animal Care Technicians provide a variety of support throughout the facility including assisting with intake of stray animals and owner surrenders, offering alternatives to shelter intake, discussion-based adoption counseling, and working in the veterinary clinic. This position is for a Clinic Technician.

Duties/Responsibilities

(Work assignments vary and will be communicated to the applicant or incumbent by the supervisor.)

LEVEL I: (Typical work functions expected of Animal Care Technician designated as Level I)

Checks incoming animals for obvious health problems and injuries;
Ensures the humane treatment of all animals in the PACC;
Ensures the accuracy and completeness of documentation concerning incoming animals;
Identifies types of breeds and conditions upon receipt to the PACC;
Vaccinates healthy animals and assists in administering medication to sick animals as prescribed and directed by a veterinarian;
Monitors animal behavior and eating patterns;
Cleans and sanitizes cages, kennels, floors, walls, windows, equipment, and treatment areas to maintain the sanitary conditions of the PACC;
Assists the public with booking-in, redemption, and selecting suitable animals for adoption;
Answers questions and provides information to the public on PACC policies, procedures, and relevant laws and ordinances;
Assists in performing euthanasia of animals, including following safety protocols for use and maintenance of DEA Schedule II drugs;
Reviews and sorts documents, creates new records and inputs and retrieves information using automated systems;
Prepares and updates files, logs, status records, and other documentation to reflect the current status of a process and performs required purges;
Documents information regarding potential or identified owners, interested parties, rescue arrangements and other information on kennel cards and established detailed records of euthanasia and dead-on-arrival cases;
Assists in maintaining accountability of scheduled drugs;
Receives and safeguards funds for PACC services.

LEVEL II: (Typical work functions expected of Animal Care Technician designated as Level II)

All duties and responsibilities identified in Level I;
Assesses newly acquired animals for suitability for adoption;
Administers necessary treatment in accordance with directions received from veterinarian;
Administers medications to sick animals as prescribed and directed by a veterinarian;
Performs animal triage and treatment;
Performs daily health checks on impounded animals;
Performs euthanasia of animals;
Documents pertinent animal health data;
Prepares and processes euthanized, potentially rabid animals for laboratory analysis;
Collects and disposes of dead animals according to shelter procedure and health codes;
Releases designated rescue or special needs animals to appropriate rescue groups or private individuals and records transfer of animals into databases and completes documentation;
Prepares and disseminates animal availability information to interested agencies and individuals;
Maintains and documents communications with rescue entities, other agencies and individuals regarding availability of animals;
Trains Level I employees on Level I tasks;
May serve as Lead Animal Care Technician in the absence of a supervisor.

Level III: (Typical work functions expected of Animal Care Technician designated as Level III)

All duties and responsibilities identified in Level I and II;
Assists the veterinarian in clinical medical procedures such as surgical assistant, surgical anesthesiologist, surgical preparation of patients/animals and equipment, pre and post operation patient/animal care;
Operates anesthesia equipment and performs anesthesia on various species and breeds of animals;
Maintains accountability of DEA controlled pharmaceuticals;
Applies bandages and/or places splints on injured animals;
Receives and safeguards funds for medical procedures;
Trains Level I and II employees on Level I and II tasks.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:

Knowledge of:

• animal breeds, temperaments, and common health problems;
• animal care procedures for assessing and treating sick or injured animals;
• animal shelter/kennel cleaning and maintenance practices and procedures;
• automated record keeping and report preparation;
• animal shelter procedure and practices;
• veterinarian technician animal handling and medical procedures and practices;
• medical testing techniques and use of radiographic equipment;
• techniques of customer service involving stressful situations.

Skills:

• identifying and treating common animal illnesses and injuries;
• following established procedures and documenting work activity;
• performing routine facility and equipment cleaning and maintenance work;
• humane handling and caring for live animals;
• communicating effectively with the public;
• use of automated information system for tracking data and report generation;
• performing euthanasia procedure according to shelter policy and relevant codes;
• safely handling and disposing of dead animals.

Minimum Qualifications

A high school diploma or General Education Development (G.E.D.) certificate.

Qualifying education and experience must be clearly documented in the "Education" and Work Experience" sections of the application. Do not substitute a resume for your application or write "see resume" on your application.

Preferred Qualifications: (Be specific in describing your experience in your application. Ensure the descriptions provided illustrate your competencies, specifically addressing the required and preferred qualifications.):

1. Experience working, volunteering or interning in an animal shelter, boarding/training facility or animal clinic setting.
2. Customer service experience.
3. Veterinary or technician certification from an accredited college program.

Selection Procedure:
Pima County Human Resources Department reserves the right to admit to the selection process only those candidates that meet the minimum/desired qualifications. All applications will be assessed based on an evaluation of the listed education and experience. Candidates meeting the minimum/desired qualifications may be further evaluated/scored against any advertised Preferred Qualifications. The hiring authority will interview and select the successful candidates from a referral list provided by Human Resources. Additional assessments/testing may be required as part of the selection process. Supplemental Information

Licenses and Certificates: Valid AZ driver's license and access to a registered/insured vehicle for business travel is required (business mileage reimbursed) at time of appointment. The successful applicant will be subject to a 39-month DOT Motor Vehicle Record review. Any offer of employment resulting from this recruitment is contingent upon Risk Management's review and approval of the candidate's driving record. Failure to maintain the required licensure shall be grounds for termination.

Special Notice Items: Within nine months of appointment, employees must receive the full series of pre-exposure rabies immunizations. Medical inability to be immunized or previous immunization must be verified by the County Physician prior to employment. Recommended boosters are required for the duration of employment, unless medically excused or physiologically unable to develop immunity. The County requires pre-employment background checks. Successful candidates will receive a post-offer, pre-employment background screening to include verification of work history, education and criminal conviction history. A prior criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify a candidate from employment with the County.

All employees selected for this classification will be initially hired and classified as Level I with progression to Level II and Level III upon satisfactory completion of appropriate training and designation by the appointing authority.

Physical/Sensory Requirements: Physical and sensory abilities will be determined by position. This position will require a post-job offer physical and drug screen. All new hires (and promoted employees) must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment, within 30 days of hire. If you are unable to become fully vaccinated due to a medical disability or religious observance/practice, you must request an accommodation - accommodation forms are located online. For new hires (and promoted employees) hired after October 1, 2021, the applicant must have a full set of COVID-19 vaccines, by the effective date of hire.