Senior Animal Care Attendant

Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
This recruitment will establish an open eligible list that will be used to fill current and future Senior Animal Care Attendant positions. The eligible list established may also be used to fill positions in similar and/or lower classifications throughout the County of Orange.

DEADLINE TO APPLY
This recruitment will be open for a minimum of five (5) business days and will close on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 11:59 P.M. (PT).

OC Animal Care
OC Animal Care's mission is to provide refuge and care for animals, foster the human-animal bond and promote safety in our community to ensure a safe compassionate community for all. OC Animal Care promotes responsible pet ownership; health and safety of people and animals and spay/neuter programs. OC Animal Care provides temporary shelter and medical care for lost, owned, or stray animals and opportunities for adoption for these animals.
   
OC Animal Care (OCAC) was founded in 1941 in the City of Orange in Orange County, California as a rabies control center with only 25 dog kennels. Since then, OCAC has expanded to play an important role in Orange County's animal care community. OCAC serves 15 cities and the unincorporated areas of Orange County with its expanded programs and services.
   
OCAC's goal is to deliver prompt, temporary care, and refuge to homeless animals, reunite animals with their owners, facilitate adoption, ensure public safety, and enhance the human-animal bond in the community. The shelter is designed to provide a positive experience for animals and people alike and is the backdrop for the adaptive animal programming continually developed by OC Animal Care to provide enrichment, engagement and adoption services for the animals in its care.

Click here for more information on OC Animal Care.
Click here for more information on the County of Orange. 



THE OPPORTUNITY
The Senior Animal Care Attendant receives animals delivered by the public or impounded by county or city patrol activities and records pertinent information. The incumbent maintains assigned shelter area in a neat, orderly manner throughout the day, assists veterinary staff, cares for animals in designated areas and works proficiently with the shelter software.
 
Additional duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Assists veterinarian with vaccination shots, exams, housing, humane euthanasia and first aid care
• Works independently and prioritizes tasks according to daily workflow
• Interacts safely and professionally with coworkers, supervisors, and the public
• Cleans and disinfects kennels, cages, corrals and equipment
• Cares and feeds diverse animals, including reptiles, and livestock
• Assists in the release of animals to owners
• Answers questions related to the adoption of animals
• Works with computer programs to document animal information
• Makes minor repairs to shelter facilities

OC Animal Care provides service 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Incumbents should be prepared to work rotating shifts, including days, nights, weekends, and holidays on a four day per week, 10 hours per day schedule, or five day per week, 8 hours per day schedule, or another schedule as assigned. Incumbents may be drafted for mandatory overtime in the event of an emergency, disaster, or during periods of unexpected staffing shortages.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS AND CORE COMPETENCIES
In addition to the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidate will possess one (1) or more years of experience working with Chameleon or other shelter software.
 
In addition, the ideal candidate will also have extensive experience in the following core competencies:
 
Technical Expertise

• Working with computers and computer programs such as Chameleon, and other shelter software, Microsoft Word and Outlook and can read, understand, and implement academic material
• Demonstrating strong writing skills
• Working knowledge of the animal control or animal welfare industry
• Working experience in animal behavioral evaluation or assessment
• Handling of domestic or wild animals including maintenance and care
• Maintaining sufficient content and knowledge to perform all aspects of the job effectively

Oral Communication & Writing Skills 

• Exchanging accurate and concise information with others both orally and in writing
• Relaying confidence when communicating information; clearly and concisely composes written documents to convey information with accuracy
• Following written and oral instruction effectively
• Interpreting and applying oral/written instructions
• Listening actively to others for full understanding of what is being communicated
• Communicating with members of the public in a variety of situations displaying social skills, awareness, and tact

Customer Service & Problem-Solving Skills

• Providing courteous and professional customer service to all clients
• Applying knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services including complex problem solving to manage stressful situations effectively
• Applying knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, and other office procedures and terminology
• Anticipating and meeting customer (internal/external) needs in all situations

Organizing & Planning Skills

• Demonstrating organizing and planning skills to ensure high productivity and efficiency
• Working independently and managing time to effectively prioritize multiple and competing tasks
• Meeting departmental and project goals and deadlines by prioritizing workload and projects

Leadership Skills

• Managing and guiding group efforts effectively by influencing, motivating, guiding and directing others toward meeting business objectives
• Mentoring, training, and providing appropriate level of feedback

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Graduation from high school or the equivalent.

Two years of work experience in an Animal Shelter, Humane Society or high-volume veterinary hospital.
Or
Two years of work experience as a County of Orange Animal Care Attendant.

Please click here for details on the Senior Animal Care Attendant classification, including the physical, mental, environmental and working conditions.

NOTE: Foreign degrees require an evaluation of U.S. equivalency by an agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (N.A.C.E.S.).

RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Human Resource Services (HRS) will screen all application materials to identify qualified applicants. After screening, qualified applicants will be referred to the next step and notified of all further procedures applicable to their status in the competition.

Application Screening (Refer/Non-Refer)
Applications and supplemental responses will be screened for qualifications that are highly desirable and most needed to successfully perform the duties of this job. Only those applicants that meet the qualifications as listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the next step.

Recorded Structured Oral Interview | rSOI (Weighted 100%)
The recorded Structured Oral Interview (rSOI) is a timed, recorded assessment conducted via an online platform.  Applicants will answer job-related questions on video, which will be reviewed and rated by a panel of subject matter experts using standardized evaluation criteria. Only the most qualified candidates will advance to the next step in the recruitment process or will be placed on the eligible list.  

Eligible List
Once the assessment has been completed, HRS will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.

Based on the County's needs, the selection procedures listed above may be modified. All candidates will be notified of any changes in the selection procedures.

Veterans Employment Preference
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please click here to review the policy.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION 

The County of Orange is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Individuals who require a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should notify the recruiter listed on the job posting as soon as possible. Documentation supporting the accommodation request may be required.

EMAIL NOTIFICATION  
Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account.    

NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply. Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com" and "ocgov.com." If your email address should change, please update your profile at www.governmentjobs.com.     

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions. 

For specific information pertaining to this recruitment, contact Jamiee Lang at [email protected] or (714) 480-2738.