PAWS is currently hiring for a part time or full time Animal Care Technician!

An integral member of PAWS’ Grays Ferry facility, the Animal Care Technician position supports PAWS’ rescue, adoption/foster, medical, and community support programs. PAWS serves thousands of cats and dogs (and some small animals!) every year. Animal Care Technicians take an individual approach to the mental and physical wellbeing of each animal in our care. In doing so, Animal Care Technicians ensure each animal’s stay at PAWS is as healthy, positive, and stress-free as possible. Animal Care Technicians are also the caretakers of PAWS’ facility and equipment. Animal Care Technicians represent PAWS through regular interactions with the public – adopters, foster parents, volunteers, and customers – and strive to provide a welcoming and personable experience for them at all times.

Principal Duties:

• Keep all areas of the facility clean, neat, and safe. This includes maintaining bathrooms, kitchen, outdoor spaces, and other general use areas, as well as general supplies and equipment.
• Feed and care for animals with strong attention to detail regarding each pet’s medical and behavioral plan.
• Prepare kennels for new arrivals with the goal of creating a low-stress, welcoming environment for the animals.
• Clean animal housing areas according to established protocols, ensuring that each animal’s mental well being is attended to while minimizing risk of disease transmission.
• Receive, sort, and distribute donated items, referencing PAWS’ wishlist and assessing donated items’ condition when deciding whether to keep donations for shelter use, give away, or discard.
• Maintain accurate identification including collars, identification tags, and cage cards during each animal’s stay at the facility.
• Assist in animal socialization and enrichment, including but not limited to preparing and dispensing enrichment, one-on-one time and attention, walks, play time, and participating in training and behavior modification under the direction of the animal care manager.
• Rapidly identify medical and behavioral issues that need to be brought to the attention of the immediate supervisor or the clinical staff. Record interactions with animals per established procedures and policies.
• Communicate inventory and supply needs to the animal care manager, and assist in keeping supply logs updated as needed.
• Transport animals throughout the facility as needed.
• Promote a humane and caring attitude toward all animals and treat all animals with compassion at all times, including those that are sick, injured, stressed, or reactive. Adhere to fear free, force free handling and restraint practices under the guidance of the animal care manager and clinic staff.
• Maintain a calm, pleasant, tactful, and professional demeanor at all times when dealing with coworkers and the public, even in stressful situations such as euthanasia.
• Work courteously and cooperatively with volunteers to ensure that all established procedures and policies are followed. Welcome new volunteers and help train them under the guidance of the volunteer manager.
• Partner collaboratively with staff in other departments to advance PAWS’ lifesaving mission.
• Foster a welcoming, positive environment for clients, volunteers, foster parents and staff.
• Assist in the preparation of animals for medical treatments, surgery, off-site adoption events, and transfers to foster homes, adoptive homes, and PAWS’ adoption locations.
• Provide medication (including medicated baths) to animals, as appropriate and needed under the direction of clinical staff.
• Follow established procedures governing safe work practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• Must be 18 years of age or older.
• Two years of public contact work or volunteer experience, preferably working with animals.
• Ability to work with and around animals including sick, injured and/or stressed animals, including those with the propensity to scratch or bite.
• Ability to lift and move objects and animals weighing up to 50 pounds for short distances.
• Allergies that are aggravated when handling or working with animals may be a disqualification.

Preferred Experience, Qualities, and Abilities:

• Reliability and punctuality are crucial – the animals at PAWS rely on staff to be present and on time for their care.
• Strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills.
• Ideal candidate is personable, patient, and able to get along well with a variety of people.
• Flexible, committed to teamwork, and willing to adapt to unplanned changes in workflow.
• Strong sense of initiative, identifying tasks that need to be accomplished, staying busy during downtime, and prioritizing tasks appropriately.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and accommodate varied work assignments.
• Affection and compassion for animals, concern for their welfare, and a willingness to accommodate animals in the workplace.
• Comfort and ability to work with animals of unknown disposition and those who may exhibit medical or behavioral challenges to handling.
• An empathetic, non-judgmental attitude, and experience supporting community members in crisis, and community members who may be struggling with socioeconomic challenges.
• Ability to communicate respectfully with a culturally diverse staff, volunteers and community in a professional, pleasant, courteous and tactful manner at all times.
• Ability to read, write and understand English.

Hours:
This is an hourly position. Typical shift times are 9am-5pm. PAWS is open seven days a week, so at least
one weekend day worked is required. Daily reporting hours and days of the week will vary according to
the needs of the organization and may include weekend, night and holiday work.

Compensation:
Compensation is based on experience.

Immediate Supervisors:
Dog Program and Animal Care Manager
Director of Operations

Employment:
There is no minimum period of employment guaranteed or implied by acceptance of an employment
offer. It is the policy of PAWS that non-exempt positions are governed by the needs of the agency, which
means that employment is for no specified term and PAWS may terminate that employment at any time if it is reasonable related to meeting PAWS’ goals, for failure to meet goals, or for any infractions of
PAWS’ rules. The Executive Director has final authority over these decisions and determinations.

Introductory Assessment Period:
The introductory assessment period runs from the date of hire for three months thereafter. For
employment in any position with PAWS, this introductory assessment period is the period during which
the specifics of the job are learned. During this period, either the employee or PAWS may end the
employment relationship without notice or prejudice.

Interested? We want to hear from you! Please send us your resume and cover letter via this form.