Animal Technician jobs in Jefferson, CO

POSITION SUMMARY
The Animal Care Technician ensures that all animal housing areas are clean, disinfected, and maintained per the Shelter and Pet Animal Care Facilities Act (PACFA) standards. This is the position for you if:

• You enjoy a fast-paced, physical work environment! Our animal care technicians work 10-hour shifts, and most report walking 5-10 miles in a single shift. Animal care is a great workout, with lots of squatting, bending, lifting, pushing/pulling, and other physical activity.
• You love working with animals! Our animal care technicians provide direct animal care, and every moment of their day is focused on ensuring the animals in our care have clean and comfortable housing with access to food, water, and enrichment.

MISSION
Foothills Animal Shelters mission is: Providing support to our surrounding community through education, services that strengthen the human-pet bond, and humane care for the animals we serve.

VALUES
All employees and volunteers are expected to embody the Shelters Values which are to have honesty and integrity in all that we do, with the following values as our guide:

• Stewardship: Assume responsibility and ownership for our actions within our shelter and our community;
• Positive Culture: Create a safe, supportive environment for the health, wellbeing, and development of staff and volunteers;
• Openness: Nurture an innovative, inclusive, and creative environment that cultivates conversations and relationships that actively work towards the future;
• Team Oriented: Build relationships, embrace teamwork, and foster collaboration in pursuit of our Mission.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Animal Care

• Thoroughly clean and sanitize animal kennels and other work areas daily.
• Provide adequate food and water to shelter animals daily.
• Follow safety procedures and ensure a safe kennel environment for animals and people.
• Operate dishwasher and laundry machines and distribute clean product.
• Clean crates, cages, litterboxes, and other animal equipment.
• Provide guidance for animal care volunteers in a cooperative and friendly way.
• Communicate supply needs to the animal care supervisor or manager.
• Support enrichment programs to reduce stress of the animals in our care.
• Take immediate action to address hazardous situations.
• Promote teamwork by demonstrating a cooperative, flexible, adaptable and helpful attitude with all staff and volunteers.

Other Duties

• This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice

QUALIFICATIONS

• Prior experience in a physical work environment preferred.
• Fear Free Shelter certified or become Fear Free Shelter certified within 60 days of employment.
• Knowledge of or the ability to learn general principles of animal care.
• Knowledge of or the ability to learn methods of kennel cleaning & maintenance.
• Ability to make recommendations for continuous quality and process improvement.
• Strong commitment to the welfare and proper treatment of animals.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Ability to work 10 hour shifts spent standing, walking, bending, twisting, kneeling, squatting and lifting.
• Availability to work Saturdays or Sundays.
• Noise, odors, chemical fumes, animal hair and dander are encountered due to equipment and animals.
• Subject to animal bites and scratches.
• Must be able to manage the emotional aspect of end-of-life services and humane euthanasia, and support employees in high-emotion circumstances.
• Able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs.
• Able to handle animals of all sizes on leash.
• Frequent standing on concrete floors, bending, and stooping.

EQUIPMENT USED

• Computer using Microsoft Office, e-mail, and cloud-based data management software
• Maintenance/cleaning equipment and tools
• Animal handling equipment and tools: leashes/leaders, hide boxes, shields, behavior assessment tools.

About Foothills Animal Shelter: As an open admission shelter, our doors are always open to pets in Jefferson County and we are committed to serving our community as a socially-conscious shelter. We care for more than 8,000 dogs, cats, and small animals every year with a compassionate team of staff and volunteers. We are a community resource and offer a variety of services including pet adoption, Jefferson County pet licensing, vaccinations, microchipping, and lost and found pets. The Shelter is established under an intergovernmental agreement between Jefferson County, the City of Arvada, the City of Lakewood, the City of Wheat Ridge, the City of Golden, the City of Westminster and the City of Edgewater.

Benefits: Foothills Animal Shelter offers a competitive total compensation package. Full-time employees become eligible for medical, dental, vision, life insurance, long term disability, and an array of supplemental benefits after 60 days of employment. Foothills offers 100% coverage of the employee-only premiums for employee medical, dental, vision, and long-term disability plans. Full-time employees earn sick and vacation time each pay period, plus six recognized holidays. After six months of employment with 500 hours of service, employees are eligible for a 401K retirement plan that we will match up to 4%.