Animal Care Technician

Foothills Animal Shelter•Golden, CO

7d•$19•Onsite

About The Position

Foothills Animal Shelter seeks an Animal Care Technician who finds purpose in the daily, hands-on work of caring for shelter animals and is ready to show up — reliably, independently, and with genuine dedication — for the animals who need it most. Who We Are As an open admissions shelter, we are committed to being here for families and their pets in Jefferson County, Colorado. We identify as a socially conscious shelter, caring for over 9,000 dogs, cats, and small animals every year with a compassionate team of staff and volunteers who are committed to the physical and emotional wellbeing of every pet we serve. What You Bring You are reliable. You show up on time, follow through on your assigned tasks, and complete your work without being reminded. You pride yourself on your dependability. You work well on your own. Give you a task list and a set of procedures, and you’re off — no hand-holding required. You manage your time, own your areas, and get things done. You are built for physical work. You thrive when you’re on your feet and in motion, and you take pride in the effort it takes to keep a shelter clean, safe, and running smoothly. You pay attention to the animals in your care. You notice when something seems off — a change in behavior, a dog who isn’t eating, a cat who seems unwell — and you speak up. You are a team player. You treat colleagues and volunteers with patience and respect, and you contribute to a positive workplace culture where everyone is working toward the same goal. You are comfortable with the emotional realities of shelter work. You can face difficult situations — sick animals, hard outcomes — with professionalism and compassion, and you don’t let the hard days diminish your commitment to the ones who need you.

Requirements

Prior experience in a physical work environment preferred
Prior experience in animal sheltering or similar professional animal care field preferred
Must obtain Fear Free Shelter certification 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 manage time effectively, prioritize tasks, and complete all assigned duties within each shift without direct oversight
Ability to multi-task and maintain composure in a fast-paced environment
Ability to maintain confidentiality when dealing with proprietary information and sensitive situations
Ability to communicate and collaborate with a variety of people and personality types
Ability to read, interpret, and consistently apply written standard operating procedures (SOPs) with minimal direction
Basic proficiency with computers; ability to learn and use cloud-based shelter management software for daily recordkeeping
Ability to maintain professional composure and emotional resilience when working with sick, injured, or at-risk animals
Ability to stand and walk for full shift on hard surfaces with no sedentary work
Ability to bend, twist, kneel, and squat frequently throughout the shift
Ability to lift, carry, and move up to 50 pounds regularly throughout the shift
Ability to handle dogs of all sizes on leash, including dogs weighing over 100 pounds
Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions year-round including heat, cold, rain, and snow
Ability to push and pull loaded carts, kennels, and equipment regularly throughout the shift
Ability to perform repetitive physical tasks including scrubbing, mopping, and resetting kennels throughout the full shift
Ability to reach above shoulder height and below knee level frequently throughout the shift
Ability to work in confined spaces including animal kennels and housing areas
Ability to work safely on wet and slippery floor surfaces throughout the shift

Responsibilities

Clean, sanitize, and reset animal kennels and housing areas every day — this is the heart of the role, and you do it thoroughly, consistently, and with care.
Feed, water, and provide enrichment to the animals in your assigned areas, ensuring every animal has what they need to stay healthy and comfortable.
Provide hands-on daily care for dogs, cats, and any other animals in your assigned areas, following established procedures and reporting any health or behavioral concerns to your supervisor.
Serve as a positive, cooperative presence for the volunteers you work alongside, offering guidance and setting a good example.

Benefits

Let’s start with the obvious: we offer truly meaningful work that positively impacts the lives of thousands of animals each year.
You will work with a team of animal welfare professionals who work hard, care deeply, and are 100% dedicated to the well-being of our shelter animals.
We strive for a healthy work-life balance, offering generous time off benefits.
Full-time employees enjoy six paid holidays, additional floating holidays (awarded annually on your employment anniversary), three weeks of accrued vacation, and paid sick leave.
Part-time employees working at least 20 hours per week enjoy floating holidays (awarded annually on your employment anniversary), vacation accrual, and sick leave accrual.
Full-time employees are eligible for a full spectrum of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, health savings accounts, and flexible spending accounts.
Currently, two of our medical plans and our dental and vision plans are offered at no cost for employee-only coverage.
Upon satisfaction of eligibility requirements, full-time and part-time employees may participate in our retirement plan with up to 4% employer match and immediate vesting.
Foothills Animal Shelter is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer.
Full-time employees become eligible for medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, and an array of supplemental benefits after 60 days of employment.
Foothills offers coverage of the premiums for employee-only 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, employees who complete eligibility requirements may enroll in a 401K retirement plan that we will match up to 4%.
Part-time employees earn sick time each pay period.
Part-time employees who are regularly scheduled at least 20 hours per week also accrue vacation time each pay period.
After six months of employment, employees who complete eligibility requirements may enroll in a 401K retirement plan that we will match up to 4%.