Adoptions Counselor

at Pima County Government in Tucson, Arizona, United States

Job Description

Job Description Summary 

Department - Pima Animal Care Center

Job Description

OPEN UNTIL FILLED

Job Type: Classified

Job Classification: 5931 - Animal Care Technician I

Salary Grade: 1

Pay Range

Hiring Range: $15.75 - $18.51 Per Hour 

Full Range: $15.75 - $21.26 Per Hour

Salary offers are based on the candidate's equivalent experience and internal equity with other employees within the same job classification. 

The first review of applications will be on 05/02/2025.   

Pima Animal Care Center (PACC) is the open-admissions animal shelter for Tucson and Pima County, taking in around 20,000 pets each year and providing a full range of animal services covering a 9,000-square-mile area.  

We are looking to add Adoption Counselors to join our Adoptions and Behavior Teams. Our adoption counselors provide exceptional customer service to help place shelter animals with the best owners. They lead customers through meet and greets with shelter animals and dog-to-dog introductions to see if a shelter dog is a good fit for their existing dog(s). Adoption counselors work mainly with cats and medium to large dogs and provide behavior evaluations and playgroups with large dogs. 

This position works both indoors and outdoors in all weather conditions and requires weekend availability.

PACC is open seven (7) days a week and has full-time staffing as early as 6:00 am until 8:00 pm. Schedules rotate regularly. This position requires flexibility to work across all shifts (days, evenings, rotating) and workweeks (Monday-Friday, weekends, rotating schedules, etc.).

Essential Functions:

As defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, this classification may include any of the following tasks, knowledge, skills, and other characteristics. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by incumbents of this class. Work assignments may vary depending on the department’s need and will be communicated to the applicant or incumbent by the supervisor.

• Provides humane care and safe handling for a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, and small pets, while monitoring behavior and health;

• Works outdoors in all weather conditions and safely handles live animals, including those that may be injured, frightened, or offensive, using appropriate techniques to minimize risks to self and others;

• Demonstrates excellent customer service to the public and volunteers by answering questions, addressing concerns, and guiding decisions regarding intakes, outcomes, redemptions and animal care in adherence to PACC policies;

• Handles animals for behavioral assessments and playgroups, identifying placement or behavior concerns, and participates in decisions regarding outcomes, including euthanasia;

• Accurately organizes and documents information on animal behavior, history, medical records and outcomes, utilizing shelter software and other systems for recordkeeping, communication, and scheduling;

• Administers vaccinations and medications under veterinary guidance, assesses animals for signs of illness or injury and documents and communicates health concerns;

• Facilitates adoption and foster processes by assisting with enrichment, behavioral evaluations, animal meet and greets, matchmaking and note reviews;

• Supports intake and admissions by providing correct intake pathways, checking animals for health concerns, identifying ages/breeds and finding kennel placements;

• Maintains a clean and sanitary facility, including kennels, workspaces, public lobbies, and treatment spaces;

• Frequently lifts and carries heavy objects, bends, stoops, reaches, and performs other physical tasks as required;

• Safeguards and accounts for scheduled drugs and funds received for PACC services;

• Operates County-owned vehicles to transport animals and supplies.

Minimum Qualifications:

High school diploma or General Education Development (G.E.D.) certificate.

(Relevant experience and/or education from an accredited college or university may be substituted.)

Qualifying education and experience must be clearly documented in the "Education" and “Work Experience" sections of the application. Do not substitute a resume for your application or write "see resume" on your application.

Preferred Qualifications: (Be specific in describing your experience in your application. Ensure the descriptions provided illustrate your competencies, specifically addressing the required and preferred qualifications.): 

• Experience working, volunteering, or interning in an animal shelter, boarding facility, animal clinic setting, or other relevant animal care setting.

• Customer service experience.

• Animal handling experience with dogs and/or cats.

• Bilingual (English/Spanish).

Selection Procedure: 
Pima County Human Resources Department reserves the right to admit to the selection process only those candidates that meet the minimum/desired qualifications. All applications will be assessed based on an evaluation of the listed education and experience. Candidates meeting the minimum/desired qualifications may be further evaluated/scored against any advertised Preferred Qualifications. The hiring authority will interview and select the successful candidates from a referral list provided by Human Resources. Additional assessments/testing may be required as part of the selection process.