Full-Time Pet Care Grooming Technician - 1st shift (7:00AM-3:00PM)

Kennelwood Pet Resorts•St. Louis, MO

About The Position

Kennelwood Pet Resorts is hiring a full-time Pet Care Grooming Technician to provide safe, compassionate, and attentive grooming care for dogs and cats. The technician works hands-on with pets, supports Grooming Stylists, and prepares animals for scheduled services. Kennelwood provides training in its procedures for bathing, drying, brushing, grooming preparation, animal handling, basic grooming services, equipment, sanitation standards, and safety practices. Previous professional grooming experience is not required. The work is active and physical, involving direct animal care as well as cleaning, sanitation, laundry, and maintaining grooming areas and supplies. The listed shift is 1st shift, 7:00 AM–3:00 PM. The position’s expected days are available seven days per week, including holidays; scheduling may also include weekdays, early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and peak grooming periods based on appointments, staffing, seasonal needs, and business demand.

Requirements

Genuinely enjoy hands-on work with animals.
Be patient, compassionate, and attentive when caring for pets.
Be comfortable working with dogs and cats of different sizes, breeds, temperaments, and coat conditions.
Follow detailed grooming and pet-care instructions accurately.
Be willing to learn bathing, drying, brushing, nail care, ear cleaning, and other Groom Tech responsibilities.
Pay close attention to changes in pets’ behavior, skin, coat, or physical condition.
Know when to ask questions or communicate a concern.
Be willing to perform cleaning, sanitation, laundry, and workspace maintenance.
Be dependable, work well as part of a team, and respond positively to coaching and direction.
Be comfortable standing and walking for extended periods and frequently bending, stooping, reaching, stretching, kneeling, and crouching.
Regularly lift, carry, push, pull, or safely handle approximately 40 pounds and occasionally up to approximately 50 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Perform repetitive hand, wrist, arm, and upper-body movements associated with grooming and cleaning tasks.
Work around water and wet or slippery surfaces, barking and other loud noises, animal hair and dander, grooming and cleaning products, animal waste, bodily fluids, and live animals.
Understand that working directly with animals may involve scratches, bites, sudden movement, and other pet-care and grooming risks.

Nice To Haves

A high school diploma or GED is preferred but not required.
Previous experience in grooming, boarding, veterinary care, animal shelters, daycare, training, or another hands-on pet-care environment is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Prepare dogs and cats for scheduled grooming services.
Bathe pets using appropriate shampoos, conditioners, treatments, and techniques.
Dry, brush, and comb pets according to their coat type, condition, and requested services.
Perform trained and assigned basic grooming services, including nail trimming, paw-pad cleaning, ear cleaning, and anal gland expression.
Assist Grooming Stylists with pet preparation and other grooming-related activities.
Monitor pets during grooming for signs of stress, discomfort, illness, injury, or behavioral concerns.
Safely handle, leash, move, and position dogs and cats of different sizes, breeds, temperaments, and activity levels.
Follow individual service instructions and special handling requirements.
Keep grooming areas, tubs, tables, kennels, tools, equipment, and workstations clean, sanitary, and organized.
Complete laundry and maintain clean towels, grooming materials, and other necessary supplies.
Maintain accurate grooming and pet-care documentation and communicate important information to Grooming Stylists and leadership.
Interact professionally with pet parents when assigned and help provide a positive guest experience.
Support other Kennelwood teams and operational responsibilities as needed based on training and business needs.