Animal Handling Trainer

Posting Date

04/02/24

Application Deadline

04/13/24

Pay Range

Full Pay Range: $19.00 - $28.00 per hour

Salary offers are based on the candidate's equivalent experience and internal equity with other employees within the same job classification. The position is eligible for overtime compensation.

Job Type

Unclassified

Department

Animal Care and Control

About the Position

The Animal Handling Trainer is responsible for the hands-on training and education of Maricopa County Animal Care and Control staff and volunteers regarding animal handling, behavior, dog-to-dog introductions, enrichment, and fear-free methodology. The incumbent will mentor all shelter staff, volunteers, and fosters and will train, educate, and give constructive feedback on canine body language, proper handling techniques, and defensive handling. The Animal Handling Trainer will assist the Animal Behavior Administrator in rolling out and training new behavior processes and procedures to staff.

Join us today and make a difference in the lives of dogs by teaching them to trust and relax and by preventing fear and aggression with our positive and fun training methods. Apply now!

About Us

Maricopa County Animal Care & Control employees are committed to animal welfare and strengthening the human-animal bond in our community, and we are always looking to add talented individuals to our team, either at our West or East Valley Animal Care Centers. As one of the nation's largest open-admission shelters, we work with our community to serve the animals and people of Maricopa County. Our adoptions, shelter, clinic, and animal services officer teams learn firsthand about proper care of homeless and stray animals and work hard to help find them new homes.

Proud to Offer

• Perform work with a greater purpose

• Growth and stability since 1871

• Opportunities for growth and development within Maricopa County

• Exceptional work-life balance

• Low-cost, high-value healthcare for you and your qualifying dependents

• Maricopa County participates in the Arizona State Retirement System; this defined retirement benefit requires a 12.29% monthly contribution rate and includes a 100% employer match on Day 1

• Paid vacation, sick, and parental (birth/adoption) leaves

• Extensive wellness program with $60 monthly medical premium discounts

• Employee discounts for goods and services

• Learn more at

We Require

• Two years of working in an animal shelter, animal rescue, or similar facility with dogs of a variety of sizes, temperaments, and dispositions.

• One year of working directly with volunteers

• One year of training or mentoring staff or peers

• Six months performing dog-to-dog introductions

• High School Diploma or GED

We Also Value

• Animal behavior certifications such as CCPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, KPA-CTP, CTC or equivalent

Job Contributions

• Provide hands-on animal handling training and constructive feedback to employees of various divisions regarding animal handling, fear-free handling, animal behavior, and animal care

• Maintain a training schedule with all new hires to provide designated hands-on animal handling training and ensure staff is reaching specific milestones within their first 90 days

• Schedule and conduct hands-on animal-handling training with MCACC volunteers and fosters

• Train selected staff in dog-to-dog introductions and behavior evaluations

• Properly document all training and feedback given to staff and volunteers.

• Assist with behavior evaluations and dog-to-dog introductions when time is available.

Working Conditions

• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.

• May be subject to extreme temperatures, wetness/humidity, respiratory hazards, and noise and vibration

• Fast-paced animal shelter environment with exposure to extreme and varying temperatures, dogs and cats with unknown temperaments and behaviors, excessive noise, animal waste and fluids, deceased animals, cleaning chemicals, and zoonotic diseases

• Regularly required to stand and walk on all types of surfaces, sometimes slippery, rough and/or uneven

• Fear Free Shelters Certification, or obtain within 90 days of hire

• Must possess, or have the ability to obtain by time of hire, a valid Arizona driver's license

Selection Procedure

• Only the most qualified candidates will be considered

• Consideration will only be given to candidates who submit online applications

• Candidates will be contacted primarily through email and their Workday online application profile

• Must pass a pre-employment background and/or fingerprint investigation as required by statute or policy, including drug and alcohol testing requirements for positions designated as safety-sensitive

Maricopa County is an equal opportunity employer.

Apply Now!