Animal Care Specialist (Animal Welfare & Enforcement)

Class Summary

Gwinnett County Animal Welfare & Enforcement Division over sees the public safety for residents and domestic animals in Gwinnett County. This includes Day/Evening Road Officers, and management of the Animal Shelter. The Division also works with private contractors for full time veterinary services in the kennel and partners with UGA, GVMA, and Gwinnett Tech for learning opportunities.

The Animal Care Specialist (ACS) is responsible for the behavioral assessment and analysis of animals which includes creating a comprehensive enrichment and behavior program intended to prevent bites, mental decline, and ultimately a non-live outcome. The ACS is expected to work with management staff to develop assessment schedules to include initial temperament assessments and reassessments as needed. Incumbents are also responsible for developing timely and precise behavior analysis, study, and follow-up for animals that are less easily adopted. This position requires timely planning and creation of an improvement plan for the specific animals and follow up and reassessments be done according to an established schedule and for improvements or declines in behavior to be documented and subsequent plans and enrichment ideas implemented, as needed.

This position is responsible for performing a wide variety of animal care support duties including daily enrichment exercises for the animals; conducting and implementing play-group schedules and activities; assisting rescue Organizations, Foster Programs, and Community Outreach Volunteerism; and supporting and reporting to the Assistant Manager of Kennel and Shelter Operations. Additional duties include maintaining resource database, events calendar, and creative messaging; and relationship building including volunteers, staff, and residents within the animal welfare community of Gwinnett County.
This job is a safety sensitive position that will require a pre-employment drug test and subsequent random drug and alcohol testing in accordance with Gwinnett County Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace.

The Grade for this position is B23(3).

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED;
• Three years of Animal Care or Animal Welfare experience;
• Or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above.
• Valid Georgia Driver's License;
• Euthanasia Certificate must be obtained within six months of employment;
• Previous experience working in an animal care environment is preferred;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills preferred;
• Excellent verbal communications, public speaking, and event tabling preferred;
• Must be able to work rotating shifts, including weekend/holiday rotation, and on-call status.

For information related to the position specific Essential Duties, Knowledge and Skills, and Physical Requirements

NOTE: The class specifications listed on this site are not the official class specifications for Gwinnett County and are subject to change.

Benefits Offered:

• Health, dental, vision, prescription drug insurance plans
• Flexible Spending Accounts for Medical and Dependent Care
• HSA/HRA available
• Basic, Optional and Dependent Life Insurance
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• On-site Medical Wellness Center
• Holidays: 12 holidays per year
• Annual leave (vacation): 13 day accrual per year
• Sick leave: 13 day accrual per year
• Immunizations (Flu Shots, Tetanus, etc.)
• Wellness Incentive Programs
• Annual Wellness Fair
• Financial Education Programs
• Funeral Leave
• Longevity Pay after 3 years (full-time status)
• Tuition Reimbursement after 2 years (full-time status)
• Employee assistance program
• Uniforms and equipment furnished
• Employee discount programs
• Retirement Benefits include:
  • Defined Contribution Retirement Plan
    
    • Employees can choose a contribution rate of 5.0% or 7.5%
    • Gwinnett County will contribute 7.0% of your pensionable earnings per pay period.
    • An employee is fully vested in 5 years. An employee can retire if he/she has reached the age of 55 and the sum of his/her age and years of service equals 65.
  • Deferred Compensation Plan
    
    • If you contribute at least 3% of your base pay to the 457(b) plan, Gwinnett County will contribute an additional 1% to your Defined Contribution Retirement Plan (this is in addition to the 7% described above).