Salary: $17.84 – $23.85 Hourly
Location : Medford, OR
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 8206
Department: Health and Human Services
Division: Animal Services
Opening Date: 05/05/2023
Closing Date: Continuous
Job Description
Jackson County Employment Opportunity.
Jackson County Animal Services is looking to add two shelter technicians to our shelter team. The positions provide routine exams, health and behavioral evaluations, and work closely with our veterinarians to care for animals at the shelter. This is a fast paced and somewhat demanding kennel environment that requires the ability to be flexible and work closely with all members of the team.
Jackson County strives to recruit, hire and retain the best employees!
Pre-Employment Requirements and/or Preferences
- The schedule may include a variety of shifts and will include nights and/or weekends.
- Pass a criminal background check prior to hire.
- Submit an acceptable DMV certified court print prior to hire. click on the following link to review
- Pass a pre-employment drug screen, which includes screening for Marijuana. Click on the link to review
- This position is represented by union group SEIU
Job Duties and Requirements
I. Position Summary
Provides for the humane care, handling and monitoring of animals housed at the shelter and evaluates the suitability of dogs and cats for the adoption program. Performs work under immediate supervision, progressing to general supervision as the incumbent becomes able to independently perform the full range of duties associated with this level and to work with the animals often not in proximity to their supervisor. Performs duties under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian in accordance with the Oregon Veterinary Medical Practice Act as needed.
II. Examples of Essential Position Duties (The following duties represent some of the principal job duties; however, they are not all-inclusive. Other duties may be required or assigned.)
- Conducts intake, safety/behavior and medical evaluations of animals for obvious health problems and general conditions; may administer vaccinations, and medicates animals as needed at intake and during their stay at the shelter; determines list of animals requiring exams or rabies vaccinations by medical staff; transports animals.
- Assesses animals for behaviors and traits that affect adoptability; conducts playgroups to assess dog-to-dog interactions; conducts hands-on exam of animals suitable for adoption; creates behavior modification and training plans for dogs with behavior challenges.
- Monitors animal population on a daily basis to ensure health status, proper nutrition and behavior. Communicates with cleaning staff, volunteers, medical staff, administrative staff, and management regarding animal needs.
- Works with other staff, volunteers, and medical staff to evaluate the effectiveness of all medical and behavioral treatment plans.
- Tracks and maintains detailed documentation of all assessments and observed behaviors, behavior modification, enrichment activities, medications and medical exams in shelter’s management computer system.
- Identifies and recommends animals to be euthanized; performs approved, humane euthanasia procedures on animals; prepares records of euthanasia performed.
- As needed, works with medical staff to perform exams, in-house medical testing, treatments and minor surgical procedures as allowed by the Oregon Veterinary Medical Practice Act; enters medical information into shelter’s management computer system.
- Adheres to regulatory requirements, collective bargaining agreements, County and departmental policies and procedures, required trainings, as well as safe work practices.
- Develops and maintains effective internal and external working relationships at all levels.
- Has regular and reliable attendance. Overtime may be required.
III. Minimum Requirements(Performance of the essential duties of this position includes the following requirements, physical demands and/or working conditions)
Education and Experience
- High school diploma or equivalent AND a minimum of one year experience (paid or unpaid) working with animals AND one year of responsible employment that includes working directly with others and multitasking; OR
- Any combination of education and experience which provides the applicant with the desired skills, knowledge, and ability required to perform the job.
License, Certificate or Other
Requires possession of a valid driver’s license and an acceptable driving record. Possession of a Certified Euthanasia Technician certificate issued by the State of Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board within six months of hire.
IV. Other Requirements
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Requires a working knowledge of methods of safe and humane animal care and handling; knowledge of use of euthanasia drugs, including calculation of proper dosage, record keeping and storage; ability to select and humanely euthanize animals as required; knowledge of physical characteristics, temperament, care, training, and handling considerations for dogs and cats; familiarity with other domestic animals; knowledge of methods and techniques for cleaning and disinfecting animal kennels; experience administering vaccines and medications to both dogs and cats. Ability to constantly be exposed to animals; ability to compassionately care and handle animals; ability to handle large animals, including during stressful situations; safely and effectively manage aggressive and/or infectious animals; ability to prepare and maintain accurate reports, records, and inventories; ability to understand and carry out both oral and written directions and to communicate effectively orally and in writing; ability to enter data efficiently and accurately into the shelter’s management computer system in a timely manner; ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work; ability to use and operate a variety of office machines, equipment, and tools including computers and peripheral equipment; ability to interpret and explain department policies and procedures as necessary.
Physical Demands (Performance of the essential duties of this position includes the following physical demands)
Requires the ability to think and act quickly in emergencies; effectively deal with personal danger; requires the ability to exert moderate to extensive amount of physical effort involving stooping, crouching, climbing, and lifting; must maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for making observations and communicating with others. Requires the ability to exert a moderate amount of physical effort in sedentary to light work involving moving from one area of the office to another; sufficient hand/eye coordination to perform semi-skilled repetitive movements, such as typing, filing, data entry, and use of office equipment such as typewriters and computers. Requires driving.
Working Conditions (Performance of the essential duties of this position includes the following working conditions)
Work may be conducted in a noisy, crowded area, with exposure to uncomfortable physical conditions, including heat, cold, wetness, strong odors, and strong and/or toxic chemicals. Includes exposure to animals and may include exposure to disruptive people.Must be willing to work various shifts that may include nights, weekends, and holidays.
V. Additional Information
This classification description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties, knowledge, skills, abilities, or requirements, as any one position in this classification may be assigned some or all of these duties, in addition to other duties not explicitly listed here. The various duties, responsibilities and/or assignments of this position may be unevenly balanced and change from time to time based upon matters such as, but not limited to, variations in the shift, work demands, seasons, service levels and management’s decisions on how to best allocate department resources. Any shift, emphasis or rebalancing of these assigned duties, responsibilities and/or assignments does not constitute a change in the job classification. The County shall schedule employees and determine FTE consistent with its determination as to efficiency of operations, financial advantages to the County, and/or effective service to the public.
Equal Opportunity Employer
JACKSON COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Jackson County does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or disability. Women, minorities and the disabled are encouraged to apply.Upon request, special accommodations and/or assistance will be gladly provided for any applicant with sensory or non-sensory impairments. Because of the Immigration Reform Act of 1986, persons hired by the County must be able to present acceptable documents verifying identity and authorization to work in the United States. For a copy of Jackson County’s Equal Employment Opportunity Plan, visit our web site at or call 541-774-6036.
Jackson County Benefit Summary – SEIU
Jackson County provides an excellent, generous and comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees and their dependents, as applicable.
This overview provides highlights of the comprehensive benefits package Jackson County SEIU employees receive. If any statement conflicts with the applicable plan documents, Codified Ordinance, Jackson County policies, and/or collective bargaining agreement, the applicable documents will govern.
Insurance
• Health Insurance – Regular full-time employees and their eligible dependents receive medical insurance, including prescription and chiropractic, dental, and vision coverage at a cost to the employee of $22.82 per paycheck ($49.45 per month) toward the monthly composite premium. Regular full-time employees may not waive coverage. Regular part-time employees may enroll in the full plan, with a prorated composite premium depending on their full-time equivalent (FTE), or may elect to waive benefits. Coverage begins on the first of the month following an employee’s date of hire.
- Wellness Center by CareATC – In addition to health insurance, certain primary care medical services, lab services, and prescription medications are offered at no out-of-pocket cost for the employee who is enrolled in the County’s health insurance plan, and their eligible dependents at the wellness center.
• Group Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment – Fully funded for regular full-time employees (prorated for regular part-time employees), employees are eligible the first of the month coinciding with 30 days from date of hire. The benefit is equal to two times the employee’s annual salary rounded to the next higher $1,000, to a maximum of $500,000. Insurance in excess of $50,000 is a taxable benefit.
- Long-Term Disability – Fully funded for regular full-time employees (prorated for regular part-time employees), employees are eligible the first of the month following date of hire. The benefits are payable after a waiting period of 60 days at a rate of 66 2/3 percent of base salary, up to a maximum monthly benefit of $12,000.
• Voluntary Accidental Death and Dismemberment – Regular employees may choose to participate in additional AD&D coverage through payroll deduction, and have the choice of plan and coverage amounts.
Leaves
• Vacation – Regular full-time employees earn vacation leave at a rate of 15 to 27 days annually depending upon years of County service. Regular part-time employees earn vacation leave on a prorated basis. Employees can carry forward up to two times the annual vacation accrual (prorated for part-time employees). Vacation leave cannot be used during the first six full months of regular employment. Twice per fiscal year, employees may request to be paid for vacation accruals, provided specific requirements are met.
Years of Service Annual Vacation Accrual 0 to 5 years 15 days (4.62 hours/pay period) Over 5 through 10 years 18 days (5.54 hours/pay period) Over 10 through 15 years 21 days (6.47 hours/pay period) Over 15 through 20 years 24 days (7.39 hours/pay period) Over 20 years 27 days (8.31 hours/pay period)
• Sick Leave – Regular full-time employees earn sick leave at the rate of 3.70 hours per pay period (12 days annually), which starts to accrue during the first pay period. Regular part-time employees accrue sick leave on a prorated basis. Accrued sick leave may be used as soon as it is accrued.
• Holidays – Regular full-time employees receive ten paid holidays annually (prorated for regular part-time employees), New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr’s Birthday, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Holidays that fall on a Saturday will be observed on the previous Friday and holidays that fall on a Sunday will be observed on the following Monday.
• Personal Leave – Each fiscal year on July 1, full-time regular employees receive one personal leave day (eight hours; prorated for regular part-time employees based on the position’s FTE as of July 1). Employees must be employed on July 1 to be eligible to receive the personal leave day. Personal leave is used in 15-minute increments. If it is not used, it does not roll over to the following year.
Retirement
• Oregon Public Employees’ Retirement System – Jackson County participates in the State of Oregon Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS). PERS has Tier One, Tier Two, and the Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan (OPSRP) pension programs, as well as the Individual Account Program (IAP). Tier One covers members hired before January 1, 1996; Tier Two covers members hired between January 1, 1996 and August 28, 2003; and OPSRP covers members hired on or after August 29, 2003.
IAP contains all member contributions (6% of covered salary, currently County-paid) made on or after January 1, 2004. The legislature created the IAP in 2003 to provide an individual account-based retirement benefit for new workers hired on or after August 29, 2003, and for Tier One/Tier Two members active on or after January 1, 2004. The IAP benefit is in addition to the member’s other retirement program benefit (i.e., Tier One, Tier Two, or OPSRP). Employees are automatically vested in their IAP account when their account is established.
IAP Redirect – Per Senate Bill 1049 (2019) contributions remain at the rate of 6% however, a portion of that 6% is redirected to the Employee Pension Stability Account (EPSA). 2.5% is redirected for the Tier 1 and Tier 2 members and 0.75% is redirected for OPSRP members. The rest of the county-paid contribution is directed to the employee’s IAP. Employee’s may choose to make voluntary contributions for the amount of the redirect through the Oregon PERS Online Member Services (OMS) at www.oregon.gov/PERS.
Salary Limit – Beginning January 1, 2020, SB 1049 changed the definition of “salary” for PERS purposes and created new limitations on annual and monthly “subject salaries.” Your salary is used to determined member Individual Account Program (IAP) contributions, employer contributions to fund the pension program, and the final average salary used in calculating retirement benefits under formula methods. The 2022 limit $210,582 per year. The limit is prorated when members work fewer than 12 months in a calendar year.
OPSRP is designed to provide approximately 45 percent of an employee’s final average salary at retirement (for a general service member with a 30-year career or a police and firefighter member with a 25-year career).
OPSRP General Service: Unless employees are in a police or firefighter position, they are considered a general service member. In addition to other retirement programs or any social security benefit, when employees retire, if vested, PERS will calculate monthly benefit using the following formula:
1.5 percent x years of retirement credit x final average salary. Normal retirement age for general service members is age 65, or age 58 with 30 years of retirement credit.
General Service Benefit Calculation Example (employees can estimate benefits using any number of years and any final average salary):
Final average salary: $45,000
Retirement credit: 30 years as an OPSRP member
30 (years) x 1.5 percent = 45 percent
45 percent x $3,750 (final average monthly salary) = $1,687.50
Single Life Option monthly benefit = $1,687.50 ($20,250 annual benefit)
• Voluntary Deferred Compensation Program – Jackson County offers regular employees the option to enroll in IRS Section 457 Deferred Compensation Retirement Plans. The employee defers compensation through voluntary payroll deductions into this supplemental retirement plan. The 457 plan is a separate retirement plan from PERS.
Other Benefits
• Voluntary Direct Deposit – An employee may choose to have their payroll check automatically deposited into their bank account. Employees can choose up to four accounts to receive direct deposit funds. Most banks allow participation of this program.
• Voluntary Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Section 125 Plan – The FSA is a tax-free regular employee-funded account. Regular employees may choose to participate in pre-tax health insurance premiums, out-of-pocket unreimbursed eligible health care expenses, dependent care expenses, and qualified transportation expenses, in order to have “before-tax” dollars deducted from their paychecks.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – The County has two fully-funded Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) to offer. Employees can utilize both. The EAP is a FREE and CONFIDENTIAL benefit that can assist you and your eligible family members with personal problems, large or small. The EAP provides confidential services to help people privately resolve problems that may interfere with work, family, and life. The EAP is offered to regular employees, their dependents, and any household members. Services include up to four face-to-face counseling sessions per issue per year, 24/7/365 crisis access to counselors, and convenient access to on-line consultations with licensed counselors.