Animal Care Technician I/II

Job Description:

Animal Care Technician I/II

Description

Description

Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) is an open admission, life-saving, municipal animal welfare agency committed to protecting and improving the lives of animals and residents throughout Ventura County. At VCAS, you’ll be part of a mission-driven team that provides compassionate care and vital services including animal sheltering, pet adoptions, lost & found, field services, cruelty investigations, pet licensing, TNR surgical services, low-cost vaccination clinics, volunteer and foster programs, and emergency disaster response.

We are dedicated to enhancing the health, safety, and well-being of animals in our care and within our community. Through timely, compassionate service, education, and outreach, we empower our community to become active partners in animal welfare, while safeguarding the health and safety of the people of Ventura County. The incumbent will work primarily at the Camarillo shelter. Rotations at the Simi Valley shelter may be required.

Join VCAS and be part of a team where your passion and skills can create a lasting impact for both animals and people every day.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
Each successive level in the Animal Care Technician series is distinguished by scope of independence and responsibility. The level of the position within the series is commensurate with the complexity of the assigned tasks.
The Animal Care Technician classification series is distinguished from the Animal Control Officer classification in that Animal Control Officers are primarily assigned to field operations and work independently.

Animal Care Technician I ($23.00 - $32.21 Hourly) - This is the entry-level classification in the series. Under immediate supervision, the Animal Care Technician I learns to treat, care for, feed, and enrich impounded animals; ensure kennel facilities meet operational standards; provide intake and reunification services; offer adoption counseling; and may assist in humane euthanasia in accordance with laws and policies. Incumbents receive in-service training in shelter procedures, breed identification, behavior characteristics, safe animal handling, restraint, sanitation, and relevant ordinances, while assisting higher-level technicians as they progress toward journey-level competency. Assignments and advancement are subject to management discretion and approval.

Animal Care Technician II ($25.84 - $36.18 Hourly) - This is the journey-level classification in the series. Under general supervision, the Animal Care Technician II provides care, feeding, treatment, and enrichment for impounded animals; ensures kennel facilities meet operational standards; offers intake, reunification, and adoption counseling services; and performs humane euthanasia in accordance with established laws and departmental policies. Incumbents perform the full spectrum of animal shelter duties with reduced supervision and demonstrate independence in their work. This classification is distinguished from the Animal Care Technician I by the exercise of sound judgment in handling a wide variety of animals and a working knowledge of state laws and local ordinances governing animal care, and from the Senior Animal Care Technician, which assumes a leadership role over lower-level staff.

NOTE: If appointed at the lower level, incumbents may be promoted to the higher level without further examination upon meeting the minimum requirements, demonstrating satisfactory performance, and in accordance with business needs of the department.
VETERANS' POINTS: This is a trainee/entry level classification (Animal Care Technician I ONLY) , and Veterans' Points may apply to eligible candidates.

EDUCATIONAL/BILINGUAL INCENTIVE: Incumbents may be eligible for an educational incentive of 2.5%, 3.5%, or 5% based on completion of an Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's degree that is not required for the classification. Incumbents may also be eligible for bilingual incentive depending upon operational need and certification of skill.

DEPARTMENT/AGENCY: Animal Services

Animal Care Technician I and II are represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and are eligible for overtime compensation.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
OPENING DATE: Tuesday, June 09, 2026
CLOSING DATE: Continuous and may close at any time; therefore, the schedule for the remainder of the process will depend upon when we receive a sufficient number of qualified applications to meet business needs.
REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS: Applications will be reviewed on a weekly basis beginning the week of June 15, 2026.

Examples Of Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Cleans, disinfects, and maintains sanitary conditions of all kennel areas, onsite Veterinary Hospital, enrichment items, and laundry facilities;
• Prepares food, feeds, enriches, and provides daily care for impounded animals;
• Observes animals for signs of illness or unusual behavior; documents observations and notifies peers and management; facilitates movement of injured or ailing animals with Veterinary hospital staff;
• Assists veterinarian with vaccinations and minor treatment of infirm, injured, aged, immature, diseased, and feral animals;
• Prepares animal(s) for discharge and walks/carries to owner’s vehicle;
• Utilizes Animal Services Records Management Software systems, to process and track animal service activities such as kennel admission and departure dates, animal information and contact records, photographs, behavior profiles, clinic operations, veterinary record-keeping, etc.;
• Facilitates inventory and flow of animals to ensure adequate space is available for newly impounded animals;
• Mediates and de-escalates customer complaints; communicates and works closely with management, supervisors, and staff when handling sensitive cases;
• Assists with front office and dispatch duties by responding to inquiries from the public regarding care and retention of animals;
• Provides adoption counseling services by facilitating a positive interactive adoption experience for prospective adopters and animals;
• Performs kennel enrichment programs and may assist in playgroups;
• Responds to public inquiries concerning reclaims, surrenders, adoptions, license fees, and vaccinations; and
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Animal Care Technician IImay also (in addition to the duties above):

• Assists with training lower level staff/volunteers assigned to shelter operations; inspects and reviews the work done to ensure cleaning and disinfecting protocols have been carried out according to department standards;
• Humanely euthanize animals in accordance with established laws and departmental policies;
• Administers treatments and special dietary supplements for the humane care of animals;
• Recognizes individual animal behavior and has ability and responsibility to convey observations into the shelter management software;

Typical Qualifications

These are entrance requirements to the exam process and ensure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.

EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE:

Animal Care Technician I:
No experience or training is required; however, applicants must demonstrate an aptitude and willingness to perform duties as defined by the knowledge and abilities outlined above.

Animal Care Technician II:

• Any combination of experience which has led to the acquisition of the required knowledge and abilities related to the area of assignment
• One (1) year experience (full-time regular employment) in caring and handling animals in an animal control/regulatory agency, veterinary office, animal care facility, or animal hospital

OR

• One (1) year experience as an Animal Care Technician I OR Animal Control Officer I with the County of Ventura

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must possess or obtain a valid California driver license by date of hire and maintain thereafter.
• Must be able to drive assigned County vehicle when needed.
• Must be able to stand for long periods of time, bend, stoop, reach, and lift/carry animals and equipment weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Must be willing and able to work rotating shifts, including days, evenings, nights, weekends, holidays, stand-by for emergency calls, and work in all weather conditions.
• Must be willing and able to work at various locations throughout Ventura County.
• Must be proficient with the Department's shelter software program (Chameleon) within the first six (6) months of hire or promotion.
• Incumbents may be required to wear a uniform during work hours.
• Must successfully complete a Department approved training course leading to a certificate in Euthanasia by Injection within six (6) months of hire or promotion (Level II).

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES:

Basic knowledge (ACT I) to knowledge (ACT II) of:

• Practices, methods, and materials used in cleaning and disinfecting animal facilities;
• Physical and behavioral characteristics of common breeds of animals;
• Caring for, feeding, and safe handling of domestic and wild animals;
• Causes and symptoms of common animal illnesses and zoonotic animal diseases;
• Equipment utilized to restrain, feed, care for, groom, and release various types of animals;
• Best practices in customer service;
• Departmental policies and procedures, rules and regulations, state laws, and local ordinances governing the care and housing of animals;
• Euthanasia techniques.

Ability to learn (ACT I) and ability to (ACT II):

• Interpret, understand and apply departmental policies, procedures, rules, regulations, state laws, and local ordinances governing the care and housing of animals;
• Utilize department’s management software program;
• Identify and recognize illness, habits and behaviors of various animals;
• Recognize signs and symptoms of zoonotic diseases;
• Operate equipment used for handling, restraining, receiving, feeding, caring for, grooming, and releasing various types of small and large animals;
• Assist the veterinarian in treating injured animals;
• Euthanize animals;
• Understand and follow oral and written directions;
• Recognize problems and exercise rational judgment in formulating solutions;
• Speak and write effectively;
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with the public, department personnel, volunteers, and other agencies;
• Work independently with minimal supervision;
• Take action in maintaining herd health to prevent cross contamination.

Supplemental Information:
Work is performed outdoors, regardless of weather conditions, requiring moderate to heavy physical activity and includes exposure to dangerous and/or diseased animals. Incumbents must be patient and tolerant of loud environments (barking), animal waste, odor, and hair.

Recruitment Process

FINAL FILING DATE: This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested. Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, California, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date.

To apply online, please refer to our website at www.venturacounty.gov/jobs . If you prefer to fill out a paper application form, please call (805) 677-5184 for application materials and submit your application to County of Ventura, Human Resources - Health Care Agency, 646 County Square, Ventura, CA 93003.

LATERAL TRANSFER OPTION: If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible. If interested, please click here for additional information.

NOTE TO APPLICANTS: It is essential that you complete all sections of your application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately to demonstrate your qualifications. A resume and/or other related documentation may be attached to supplement the information in your application and supplemental questionnaire; however, it/they may not be submitted in lieu of the application and supplemental questionnaire.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE - qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this examination at the time of filing. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the examination process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from consideration.

APPLICATION EVALUATION - qualifying: All applications will be reviewed to determine whether or not the stated requirements are met. Those individuals meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the screening and selection process.

WRITTEN EXAMINATION - 100%: A un-proctored, online, internet-based job-related written examination will be conducted to test applicants' knowledge of general animal knowledge, best customer service practices, and animal care and handling. Applicants must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.

Candidates successfully passing the written examination will be required to demonstrate their physical ability to perform job-related duties prior to being hired.

PERFORMANCE EXAMINATION - Pass/Fail: Applicants will be required to complete several job-related tasks where essential job duties and the job environment are simulated. The method of completing the tasks, the time required, and the final product will be scored and evaluated. Events may include, but are not limited to, animal handling (both dog and cat) and lifting. Applicants must pass the exam to qualify for placement on the eligible list.

Candidates must sign a waiver to participate in the performance examination.

ELIGIBLE LIST
Candidates successfully completing the examination process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of six (6) months.

The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed-Term), Intermittent, and Extra-Help vacancies for this and similar vacancies within the Ventura County Animal Services. There are currently Two (2) vacancies. One (1) Regular, Full-Time vacancy and one (1) Regular, Fixed-Term vacancy with an anticipated end date of June 11, 2028.

NOTE: Fixed Term positions are Regular positions for a specific duration of time.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A thorough pre-employment, post offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information, and driving record may be required for this position.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Esmeralda Oseguera by email at [email protected] or by telephone at (805) 477-7268.

YOUR BENEFITS AS A COUNTY OF VENTURA EMPLOYEE

Service Employees International Union (LOCAL 721)

(SEIU)

To learn more about Benefits, Retirement, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), see links below.

• Benefits website or you may call (805) 654-2570.
• Retirement FAQ's
• Memorandum of Agreement

Union Codes: UPA, UPC, UPE, UPH, UPI, UPJ,UPT, UWS

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

Salary:

$47,840.00 - $75,258.54 Annually