Animal Health Technician

San Francisco Animal Care and Control

Job Description

Department: City Administrator
Job class: 3375-Animal Health Technician
Salary range: $73,060.00 - $88,868.00
Role type: Permanent Civil Service What does this mean?
Hours: Full-time
Exam type: Position Based Test
Rule: Rule of the List What does this mean?
List type: Entrance

About:
This is a Position-Based Test conducted in accordance with CSC Rule 111A.

Specific information regarding this recruitment process is listed below:

Application Opening: Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Application Deadline: Apply Immediately. Application filing will be open at least through Wednesday, July 31, 2024 and will close any time thereafter.
Company Description

The San Francisco Department of Animal Care & Control (SFACC) is a taxpayer-funded, open-admission animal shelter. Since 1989, SFACC has provided housing, care, and medical treatment to wild, exotic and domestic stray, lost, abandoned, sick, injured, and surrendered animals. SFACC’s doors are open to all animals in need regardless of species, medical, or behavioral condition. 

The shelter also enforces all state and local Animal Control and Welfare laws and is the first responder for animals in natural disasters and citizen emergencies. 

• SFACC shelters homeless, neglected, and abused animals and provide humane education and many other services to the community. 

• SFACC is the local agency that investigates animal cruelty, enforces animal welfare laws, rescues injured and orphaned wildlife and birds, and aids domestic animals in distress. 

• SFACC aims to adopt, re-home, or reunite domestic animals with their guardians and to release wildlife to their native habitat.     

Work Location: Animal Care & Control, 1419 Bryant Street, CA 94103.

Working Hours: 5 days/week, including holidays and weekends.

Role description
Under general supervision of a Veterinarian, assists in providing paraprofessional medical care and treatment to all animals; monitors the general health of the animal population at the shelter and administers emergency treatment, first aid and follow-up care to those in need.

Examples of Important and Essential Duties:

1. Under general supervision and direction of the supervising veterinarian, checks and monitors the general health of shelter animals, including those that may be isolated or quarantined; evaluates problems or symptoms reported by staff, checks for injuries, observes for signs of illness or unusual behavior.

2. Conducts basic physical screening exams and triage, and provides for treatment according to pre-established guidelines and/or in consultation with supervising veterinarian, including referral to emergency clinic if necessary.

3. Under general supervision and direction of the supervising veterinarian, renders emergency treatment, first aid, apply casts and splints, and follow-up care to all animals in need; provides necessary care and treatment to alleviate problems detrimental to impounded animals' health and well-being.

4. Administers prescribed medications and immunizations; provides dental care, including cleanings and extractions, and skin care; documents condition, treatment and/or disposition of animal.

5. Assists the veterinarian in surgery; ensures that all equipment and instruments are at hand, operable and sanitized; may induce and/or monitor anesthesia. Suture cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues, gingiva, and oral mucous membranes.

6. Performs a variety of diagnostic procedures, including collecting and labeling cultures, samples and skin scrapings for analysis, taking and developing x-rays and conducting laboratory tests.

7. Maintains inventory of all pharmaceuticals, equipment and supplies; orders, and receives pharmaceuticals, equipment and supplies; and maintains order of storage area.

8. Properly kennels and provides care and feeding to animals in vet room, including those needing special attention such as quarantine cases.

9. Performs euthanasia of animals in accordance with established laws and departmental policy by injecting animals with controlled substances or using induction chamber for gas euthanasia; may administer Schedule 2 barbiturates and/or narcotics.

10. Maintains accurate and legible case files and records; documents information regarding the condition, care, disposition and/or euthanasia of animals; uses a computer to input, update and access information regarding shelter animals and to produce written documents.

11. Provides information and responds to inquiries from the public regarding proper care of animals, animal care services, lost animals, redemption and adoption of animals.

12. Assists in instructing shelter staff in proper care and feeding of a wide variety of animals, basic animal health practices and procedures, and signs of common health problems.

13. Conducts physical exams and screens animals for suitability for adoption based on established policies and procedures.

14. Performs related duties as assigned.

How to qualify
Minimum Qualifications

Experience:
One year of experience working with a variety of animals in an animal shelter, kennel or Veterinary Hospital Facility.

AND

License and Certification:
Valid current certification as a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) issued by the Veterinary Medical Board of the State of California.

Note(s):

One-year full-time employment is considered equivalent to 2000 hours (2000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on 40 hours work week). Any overtime hours that you work above forty (40) hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time employment.
The above minimum qualifications reflect special conditions associated with the position(s) to be filled. They may differ from the standard minimum qualifications associated with this class code.
Applicants must meet minimum qualification requirements by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.
Verification:
Please make sure it is clear in your application exactly how you meet the minimum qualifications. Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Please review our articles on Employment Application and Minimum Qualifications and Verification of Experience and/or Education for considerations taken when reviewing applications.

Note: Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores. Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

What else should I know?

Selection Procedure/Examination Requirements
After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process:

Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (MQSQ):
Candidates will be required to complete a MQSQ as part of the employment application at a later time. This MQSQ is designed to obtain specific information regarding an applicant's experience in relation to the minimum qualifications for this position. The MQSQ will be used to evaluate if the applicant possesses the required minimum qualifications.

Supplemental Questionnaire (Weight 100%):
Candidates deemed to meet the minimum qualifications will participate in a supplemental questionnaire evaluation designed to measure their relative knowledge, skills and abilities in job-related areas, which may include, but not be limited to: knowledge of animal behavior, anatomy and physiology; diseases and their symptoms common to domestic animals and wildlife; methods for safe, effective and humane handling of domestic and wild animals; basic diagnostic procedures; animal emergency and first aid procedures; techniques for administering medications and treatments to animals; laboratory testing procedures; general surgical procedure; procedures for safe and humane euthanasia; pharmaceuticals and equipment used in an animal health facility; work-related safety standards and procedures. Ability to observe, evaluate and effectively respond to the condition of animals; interpret and implement rules, policies and procedures governing the care, treatment impoundment, release and euthanasia of animals; effectively prioritize and complete tasks and assignments with minimal oversight and within established timeframes; clearly and accurately document and maintain work-related information and records; use a computer to access, input and retrieve information and produce written reports; speak clearly and effectively to communicate technical and work-related information in a manner that is understandable to the listener; listen and effectively elicit information; develop and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, staff and members of the public; deal courteously and effectively with individuals from a variety of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, including individuals who may be angry or distraught; perform general labor duties for extended periods of time; handle dangerous, aggressive, sick or injured animals; lift, carry and restrain animals and objects weighing up to 60 pounds. A passing score must be achieved on the supplemental questionnaire in order to be ranked on the eligible list.

Eligible List/Score Report:
A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be 6 months and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

To find Departments which use this classification, please see: https://sfdhr.org/sites/default/files/documents/Forms-Documents/Positio….

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights:
Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. Clerical errors may be corrected by the posting the correction on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov.

The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 111A.35.1. The standard for the review of such appeals is ‘abuse of discretion’ or ‘no rational basis’ for establishing the position description, the minimum qualifications and/or the certification rule. Appeals must include a written statement of the item(s) being contested and the specific reason(s) why the cited item(s) constitute(s) abuse of discretion by the Human Resources Director. Appeals must be submitted directly to the Executive Officer of the Civil Service Commission within five business days of the announcement issuance date.

What else should I know?
Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

Information About the Hiring Process
Conviction History
Employee Benefits Overview
Equal Employment Opportunity
Disaster Service Worker
ADA Accommodation
Veterans Preference
Seniority Credit in Promotional Exams
Right to Work
Copies of Application Documents
Diversity Statement
Applicants may be contacted by email about this announcement and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email is not blocked by a spam filter.

Applicants will receive a confirmation email from notification@careers.sf.gov that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records.

Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

Exam Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the exam analyst at Gina.Lapez@sfgov.org.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.

This is a full time job