Description

Animal Behavior Technician Position Announcement

The Humane Society for Southwest Washington is seeking a candidate to join our Animal Care Team. This is a full-time, FLSA nonexempt opportunity reporting to the Animal Care Manager for the Dog Team.

Since 1897, The Humane Society for Southwest Washington (HSSW) has been caring for the animals of Southwest Washington and the surrounding area. We are a donor-supported non-profit with public contracts. Our mission is to rescue, return, restore, rehome, and reconnect one animal at a time. We also own and operate ReTails Thrift Store - the premiere Clark County thrifting experience. Proceeds from ReTails support animal care and shelter operations. 

Path Forward 2025 is an exciting and ambitious strategic plan focused on five strategic pillars: lifesaving pathways for animals, keeping people and pets together, thriving workforce, mission expansion and leveraging technology. Through these efforts we will build a community low-cost veterinary clinic, behavior and education center and improve animal spaces. We will expand programs and resources for the community allowing people and pets to stay together. People bring our mission to life each day. We are committed to a diverse, healthy, and engaged team of employees and volunteers who strive for excellence, treat one another with kindness, and provide quality and compassionate care for the pets and people we serve. 

Our Ideal Co-worker 

• Displays interest, enthusiasm, and an affinity for collaborating with people.
• Demonstrates an attitude in being of-service; good judgment; a positive outlook; and, ideally, a sense of humor.
• Works well in teams and demonstrates a sincere interest in helping others succeed.
• Is committed to achieving excellence individually and as a part of the team.
• Exhibits adaptability, curiosity, flexibility to change, open to new ideas, and encourages others to understand changes in work tasks, situations, and environment as an opportunity for transformation.
• Is committed to personal and professional development through life-long learning.

Animal Behavior Technician

The Animal Behavior Technician applies advanced knowledge and experience to pathway plans for dogs displaying behavior concerns and creates behavior management plans for adoption candidates. The position takes a one-team approach in working with fellow staff and volunteers and requires a person with effective verbal and written communication skills. 

Essential Duties and Primary Responsibilities

• Answer adopter inquiries and questions regarding dog behavior and provide information resources to address concerns.
• Provide individualized direct behavioral advice for shelter patrons.
• Conduct animal behavior assessments and perform direct delivery of animal behavior programs.
• Record assessments and program-related information and perform data entry to update animal Shelter Buddy records.
• Participate in the implementation of behavior programs, including documentation and program evaluation.
• Supports positive reinforcement as the only training method used by HSSW.
• Contribute to initiatives to improve processes and procedures.
• Assist with the identification and training of behavior department volunteers.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities

• Actively support staff, volunteers, and workforce partners to promote the development of skills related to the advancement of our goals and mission.
• Always represent HSSW in a professional and courteous manner. Providing quality service to customers, volunteers, and staff recognizing their individual contribution to the success of our organization.
• Maintain a positive, cooperative relationship with all departments and staff, volunteers, and workforce partners to promote a team effort in evaluating and managing each animal’s health and behavior.
• Follow all safety guidelines to ensure a safe work environment. Take immediate action to address any safety concerns or noncompliance of safety rules that could put an employee, volunteer, workforce partner, client, animal, or the organization at risk.
• Perform other duties you see the need for.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Safely perform physical work for duration of 8-10-hour shift.
• Demonstrated ability to safely handle a variety of companion animals. 
• Displays advanced knowledge of canine body language with ability to articulate in both professional and layman terms.
• Minimum two years of animal handling experience in applying scientifically backed behavior management techniques.
• Minimum one year of customer service experience
• Minimum one year’s experience training, teaching, or coaching others.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule that may include weekends, on-call status.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a demanding environment with diverse populations.
• Demonstrated ability to utilize Microsoft suite of products.
• Excellent people skills with a high degree of social and emotional intelligence.
• The ability to work in an emotional field where a positive attitude, sense of humor and understanding how to recognize and address compassion fatigue are essential.

General Expectations

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills. 
• Create, promote, and follow safety guidelines to ensure a safe work environment. Promotes integration and utilization of volunteers and workforce partners.
• Is visible to staff, volunteers, and workforce partners; communicates with supervisor and directors on significant developments within the department.
• Promotes communication and cooperation between HSSW departments.
• Exercises good judgment when working with the public, volunteers, workforce partners, and staff.
• Committed to maintaining the integrity of the HSSW’s mission and adoption program.
• Knowledge and practical experience in reward-based training.
• Committed to achieving excellence individually and as a part of the team.
• Adheres to organizational policies and procedures.
• Acts as a positive role model for other employees.
• Maintains a positive and respectful attitude.
• Demonstrates flexible and efficient time management and ability to prioritize workload.
• Consistently reports to work on time prepared to perform duties of position.
• Meets department productivity standards.

Compensation and Benefits

Hourly pay starts at $18.35 within a pay range that extends to $19.65 per hour. Pay increases are obtained depending on core competencies, experience, attitude, work ethic, commitment to teamwork, learning ability, skill level, and organizational budget.

Full-Time Employee Benefits

In addition to serving in an organization with a compassionate and strategic purpose; full-time employees currently enjoy health, dental, and vision insurance benefits that become effective the first of the month after hire. A matching percentage 401 (k) retirement plan that begins the first month after hire, has a 3-year graded vestment schedule and a ROTH contribution option. An employee assistance program for all household member access is also available. A Section 125 FSA Cafeteria Plan for out-of-pocket health and/or dependent day care expenses and numerous employee discounts that include partner organizations and access to affordable life, disability, and accidental supplemental insurance. As a 501c3 non-profit organization, full-time employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness with the potential to eliminate student loans within 10 years! 

Paid Time Off (PTO) benefits -This PTO-4 position accrues PTO at a rate of .046 for every hour worked. Working 40 hours per week equates to about 96 hours per year. HSSW’s Paid time off plan includes bereavement, pet bereavement leave, and jury duty pay. Additional Paid time off for full-time employees includes the ability to build a long-term sick leave bank and 48 hours of Floating Holiday annually.

 HSSW’s Organizational Culture

• Vision: A community where everyone loves and cares for animals.
• Mission: Rescue. Return. Restore. Rehome. Reconnect. One animal at a time.
• Values: Compassion, Collaboration, Excellence, Service, Integrity.

We endeavor to seek excellence in all we do; we strive to maintain a positive attitude while doing it; we seek out opportunities to be in-service to one another; we depend on teamwork and collaboration in setting and achieving goals. With integrity as a core value, we expect everyone to set a positive example of excellence, service, compassion, integrity, and collaboration.

Requirements

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

This position requires you to be comfortable speaking with people and to groups of people. Work duties and tasks may require walking, standing, sitting, stooping, squatting, bending, typing, speaking, seeing, listening, utilizing arms, hands & fingers for grasping, lifting, operating computers, answering telephone, and in working with animals. Position may call for repetitive use of hands to perform tasks in addition to operating computers, telephone, and computer keyboard for extensive periods of time. Reasonable accommodations may enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Additional physical requirements may include occasional lifting of up to fifty pounds with assistance. This position may require work on weekends, evenings, and on-call.

Work is performed in an animal shelter that operates seven days per week, with exposure to environmental conditions that include working with and/or near animals, with exposure to animals with questionable temperaments and potential exposure to fractious animals, high noise levels, zoonotic diseases, animal bites and scratches, cleaning chemicals, allergens, and potential exposure of infectious diseases to personally owned animals.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees are expected to follow any other job-related duties required by their supervisor. This document does not create an employment contract implied or otherwise, other than an “at-will” relationship.

How to Apply

If HSSW and this job sounds like the right place for you, and you meet the qualifications for this position, click the Apply button to begin your journey today. HSSW participates in E-Verify

For more information visit HSSW.org/Careers

Application Deadline: Open until filled.