Animal Care Technician

King County Kent, WA Full-time Personal Service

Posted on June 19, 2022

Summary

OPEN UNTIL FILLED - Application review will be continuous and begin on 04/04/2022

*This recruitment will be used to create a referral list for up to 1 year for Career Service,

Term-Limited Temporary, and Short Term Temporary positions*

Are you someone who takes great interest in the health and wellbeing of animals and can also work considerately and effectively with their human owners? Are you interested in being a leader in service excellence, committed to building an enduring legacy of continuous improvement and employee engagement? Are you a team player? Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) is seeking dynamic and experienced Animal Care Technicians! We are seeking to hire Animal Care Technicians (ACTs) immediately and create a pool for future openings.

RASKC provides animal services to 24 cities and unincorporated King County, this includes: rescuing stray, injured, neglected or abused pets; reuniting orphaned pets with families and/or helping them find forever homes through RASKC's pet adoption centers in Kent and Kirkland, including several other partner locations; providing pet licensing services; a wide array of volunteering opportunities and much more. King County is a national leader in improving animal outcomes as a municipal shelter, using data and model practices to maintain a high live release rate (above 90%).

Records and Licensing Services' guiding principles and core values govern our roles and responsibilities as employees. We are actively seeking employees whose behavior is in alignment with our division's core values of; Collaboration, Service-Oriented, Results-Focused, Accountability, Innovation, Fair, Just, and Professional.

Why Regional Animal Services is a Great Place to Work!
Career Service and Term-Limited Temporary employees are eligible for...

Competitive medical, dental, and vision coverage: King County pays 100% of the premiums for eligible employees and family members.
Paid vacation time (in addition to paid holidays)
Paid sick leave
Paid parental leave
Deferred compensation plan
Employer contributions to state pension plan for Career Service
Employees Ten paid holidays and Two additional personal holidays!
Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
Wellness and Employee assistance programs
Employee giving program
And more!

COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
As the only jurisdiction in the world named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.

We have a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change.

To learn more, please visit: http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx

JOB DUTIES:
Scope of Job Duties: To be considered for this opportunity, you must at a minimum demonstrate skill and ability to:

Clean, feed, water and monitor animals held at the Center;
Prepare, clean and sanitize shelter to maintain a healthy and humane environment for animals, employees and visitors;
Vaccinate, and scan for microchips, all dogs and cats on arrival to the Center;
Medicate sick or injured animals as prescribed by a veterinarian, microchip animals available for adoption in the absence of veterinary staff;
Plan, improve, and develop new methods for providing animal care and client communication including; communicating with various Animal Control sections, filing, data entry, and providing excellent customer service to all internal (staff, volunteers, foster parents) and external stakeholders (residents, general public) in person, over the phone or by e-mail while juggling multiple tasks on a daily basis;
Educate the public on animal behavior, care, training, laws and policies; assist potential adopters in selecting animals;
Prepare and issue adoption, redemption and transfer paperwork for the release of animals;
Perform behavior assessments on shelter animals;
Euthanize animals;
Perform other duties as assigned.

EXPERIENCE, QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS:
We are looking for candidates who:

Work directly with animals in an animal shelter, animal control, kennel, veterinary, or zoological stetting;
Handle behavior assessment techniques, proper methods for the care and feeding of animals, cleaning of cages, kennels and treat animals as directed;
Provide excellent customer service to internal and external stakeholders, including responding to complaints and inquiries from the public in a calm, professional and courteous communication style;
Prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment;
Comfortable and proficient in using Office Productivity tools in your daily work (King County uses Microsoft Office intensively) and experience with Chameleon (or a similar data management product such as a veterinary practice management software);
Work with kennel cleaning materials (i.e., bleach, Rescue, and other chemicals as needed)

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

Selected Candidate will need to pass a pre-employment physical (must be able to lift 40 lbs).
Obtain a Euthanasia Drug Certification within one year of employment.. This position is represented by the Animal Control Officers Guild.
This position is covered by the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is overtime eligible and at times may be mandatory.

Are you ready to apply?
The recruitment for this position is open to all applicants. A completed King County Application is required. We highly recommend that you also provide a cover letter addressing why you want to work for RASKC and what it means to you to serve King County residents.

If you have any questions, please contact Lisa McFarlane, Recruiter, by e-mail at lisa.mcfarlane@kingcounty.gov or by phone at 206-263-2915.

To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact your recruiter listed on this job announcement.

APPLICATIONS MAY BE FILED ONLINE AT:
http://www.kingcounty.gov/

King County Administration Bldg. 500 4th Ave. Rm. 553
Seattle, WA 98104
206-477-3404

An Equal Opportunity Employer

Supplemental Information

Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

King County Executive Branch employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are the successful candidate for the position you applied for, the County will send you a conditional offer letter.

As a condition of employment, prior to a final offer of employment, you will be required to:

submit proof of vaccination, or
have an approved request for medical or religious exemption and an approved accommodation. Philosophical, political, scientific, or sociological objections to vaccination will not be considered for an exemption or accommodation.

People are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after receiving the final dose of a vaccination approved by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Executive Branch includes employees in the Executive branch, the Assessor's Office, Elections, the King County Sheriff's Office, and the Executive Office.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:

Medical, dental, and vision coverage: King County pays 100% of the premiums for eligible employees and family members
Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
Retirement: King County employees are eligible to participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
10 paid holidays each year (plus 2 personal holidays)
Generous vacation and paid sick leave
Paid parental leave, family and medical leaves, and volunteer leave
Flexible Spending Account
Wellness programs
Onsite gyms and activity centers
Employee giving program
Employee assistance programs
Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
Training and career development programs

For additional information about employee benefits please visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page.

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails. Also, in the event of any incorrect information in this document, applicable laws, policies, rules, CBAs, or official plan documents will prevail.

NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.

Are you applying to this position as an eligible current or previous King County Employee Priority Placement Program Participant? Is this position the same or lower percentage of full-time when compared to the position held at the point of the notification of layoff? Do you possess the skills and abilities to qualify for this position?

Yes, I was given a layoff notice from my role at King County and I am within two years of the effective date of my layoff. Additionally, the position I was laid off from was the same or a higher percentage of FT status when compared to this one.
No.

If you answered yes to the question above and you are applying for this position as a Priority Placement Participant, to be considered, you must provide the following three pieces of information in the space provided: 1. The title you held when you received your layoff notice 2. The department you worked in 3. The effective date of your layoff

Required Question