Care & Enrichment Technician

ASPCA • Pawling, NY

3d • $24 - $26 • Onsite

About The Position

The individual in this role is responsible for providing sheltering that is conducive to the behavioral and medical health of resident animals. Care & Enrichment Technicians ensure a safe, healthy, clean, and enriched environment, and assist in providing the mental and physical activities animals need to regain and maintain their wellbeing. Successful candidates for Care & Enrichment Technician are adaptive, resilient, collaborative, curious, and capable of prolonged physical activity. The person in this role must be comfortable working with dogs with significant behavioral and medical needs. Care & Enrichment Technicians report directly to Manager, Care & Enrichment and have no direct reports.

Requirements

• High School Diploma, GED or equivalent experience required
• Professional, academic or volunteer animal care experience with dogs is required
• Valid driver’s license and ability to pass a motor vehicle history check demonstrating safe driving
• Dependable and ability to demonstrate regular and reliable attendance
• Fluent in the use of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Able to regularly witness animals suffering medically and/or behaviorally
• Comfortable with humane euthanasia in theory and in practice
• Displays concern for the safety and well-being of self, animals and others, especially under stress
• Fosters collaboration by creating strong connections with colleagues at all levels and in all areas
• Builds strong work relationships based on trust, respect, and listening to understand
• Freely and generously shares knowledge, skills, and expertise with others
• Demonstrates genuine interest in the thoughts, ideas, and expertise of others
• Proactively problem-solves and takes appropriate initiative to implement solutions
• Flexible; can easily adapt to changes and help others do the same
• Resilient; bounces back from difficult and disappointing situations quickly
• Artfully flexes coaching styles to best support diverse individuals
• Cultivates a climate in which diverse perspectives are solicited, encouraged, valued, and respected
• Ability to set a clear direction and inspire others to work towards shared goals
• Sets a high standard by exemplifying transparency, integrity, honesty and strong ethical principles
• Unafraid of hard conversations and approaches them openly, quickly, and kindly
• Views conflict as generative, using disagreement to drive innovation, improve communication, clarify and articulate values, and build stronger relationships
• Ability to maintain an open mind regarding changes and be willing to learn, implement, and teach new protocols
• Work takes place in a variety of environments and weather conditions, including indoor climate-controlled spaces and outdoors where surfaces may be wet or uneven and extreme heat, cold, or precipitation is possible
• Work occurs in noisy environments
• Work involves exposure to chemical and biological hazards such as medications, cleaning products, urine, feces, blood, and sharp objects
• Ability to work in a physically demanding environment that requires standing, walking, bending, squatting, and/or kneeling for extended periods of time
• Ability to lift and carry animals (50 pounds unassisted, 100 pounds with assistance) and equipment, such as food bags, bedding, and cleaning supplies
• Comfort and ability to handle and restrain animals safely and humanely, particularly in stressful situations
• Ability to wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment, including but not limited to disposable coveralls, respirators or face masks, and booties
• Language: English (Required)
• High School Diploma, GED, or Equivalent Experience (Required)

Nice To Haves

• 6 months of professional or volunteer animal care experience with dogs is strongly preferred
• Animal shelter experience with dogs strongly preferred; dog boarding or veterinary clinic experience with dogs preferred
• Previous experience working in an animal shelter preferred
• Fear Free® Shelter Program certification (approximately 5 hours) required or completed within 60 days of hire
• Familiarity with shelter software systems or Salesforce a plus

Responsibilities

• Maintain working knowledge of all Care & Enrichment daily protocols
• Maintain working knowledge of relevant regulatory requirements, and keeps accurate records of compliance activities
• Clean, sanitize, and prepare animal housing areas according to established protocols
• Perform repeated daily checks of animal holding areas, spot cleaning, feeding, watering, and providing enrichment according to relevant protocols
• Create and maintain safe and comfortable enriched kennels for all dogs
• Provide enrichment activities according to the daily enrichment schedule
• Provide food, water, and medication based on veterinary orders and behavior modification plans
• Monitor the eating, drinking, and elimination habits of every animal
• Monitor the population for signs of physical or mental decline, promptly reporting concerns through the appropriate channels
• Assist in overseeing volunteers as they perform animal related tasks, providing coaching and encouragement; demonstrate respect and gratitude for volunteer support
• Assist with handling and documentation during dog playgroups
• Assist with the transport of dogs to and from emergency and specialty veterinarians, and between ASPCA facilities as needed
• Assist with the physical movement of animals into and out of the shelter using low-stress animal handling techniques and following applicable organizational policies and protocols
• Collaborate with behavior and veterinary team members, working together to ensure open and ample communication, excellent care, and close monitoring of every animal in the shelter
• Send timely medical and behavior observation reports and actively engage within and across teams to implement interventions
• Attend all required huddles throughout the day, reporting on progress, asking for or providing assistance as needed
• Attend and participate in training classes as scheduled by the Manager, Care and Enrichment
• Continually support teammates, working together to stay on track in order to best serve the animals
• Keep animal care and enrichment equipment and supplies organized, efficiently located, and in good repair, reporting missing, broken, or inadequate tools to management
• Monitor the inventory and conditions of animal care and enrichment supplies, requesting additional supplies before stock is depleted
• Be willing to deploy locally or nationally as part of an ASPCA response when the opportunity arises and approved by the Manager, Care and Enrichment.
• Maintain meticulous records for every animal in appropriate databases
• Attend and meaningfully contribute to all relevant R&R Center and ASPCA meetings
• Accurately track and report time worked, time off, and work-related expenses
• Responsibly steward R&R Center assets

Benefits

• Affordable health coverage, including medical, employer-paid dental, and optional vision coverage.
• Flexible time off that includes vacation time, sick and bereavement time, paid parental leave, 10 company paid holidays, and paid personal time off that allows you even more flexibility to observe the days that mean the most to you.
• Competitive financial incentives and retirement savings including a 401(k) plan with generous employer contributions — we match dollar for dollar up to 4% and provide an additional 4% contribution toward your future each year.
• Robust professional development opportunities including classes, on-the-job training, coaching and mentorship with industry-leading peers, internal mobility, opportunities to support in the field, and so much more.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED