Animal Protection Officer

About the role

The City of Aurora is seeking dedicated and collaborative individuals to join its team of talented and valued employees. The position offers competitive total compensation, including a salary range of $24.55 - $30.69 per hour, and benefits such as a well-funded general employees retirement plan and access to innovative workspaces.

Responsibilities

• Animal Handling: Impounds, confiscates or quarantines stray, injured or aggressive domestic or wild animals; performs euthanasia as required.
• Education: Promotes responsible pet ownership through presentations and community events.
• Investigation: Investigates citizen complaints, conducts inspections, gathers evidence, issues warnings/summonses, writes formal reports, and testifies in court.
• Driving: Operates various City vehicles for daily response to dispatched calls; adheres to vehicle maintenance schedule and performs daily safety checks.
• Other Duties: Dispatches for Animal Protection Officers, inputs, updates, and maintains information about field cases, kennel updates, and animal activities; provides assistance to other animal welfare, law enforcement agencies, and the fire department; performs additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Education: High School diploma or equivalent.
• Experience: Previous animal handling experience, previous ordinance/law enforcement experience, at least two (2) years progressively responsible experience in animal care/control, code enforcement, and/or related work.
• Knowledge: Animal behavior, animal first aid, court procedures, human psychology, general shelter operations, officer safety skills, map reading, active learning, animal handling, communication, judgment, perceptiveness, problem solving, teamwork, and values.
• Skills: Strong interpersonal skills, strong customer service skills, skill in customer relations, crisis communications management, public speaking, de-escalation skills, defensive driving skills, navigation, and ability to perceive and identify public safety hazards and dangerous surroundings.
• Licenses and Certifications: Driver's License with a good driving history; euthanasia certification within a year of employment; state certified officers through the Colorado Animal Welfare organization preferred or ability to obtain it within 18 months of employment; RCB and OC spray certifications within one year.

Benefits

The City of Aurora offers a comprehensive benefits package including a well-funded general employees retirement plan, light rail station minutes away, on-site fitness center, and overall employee well-being programs. Internal educational programs are also available to assist with career advancement.

Pay

The salary range for this position is $24.55 - $30.69 per hour, with the hiring range being determined based on experience.

Schedule

The position requires heavy physical work, including lifting and carrying animals and objects weighing up to 100 pounds, frequent lifting and carrying of objects weighing up to 50 pounds, regular walking and standing, frequent pushing, pulling, bending, kneeling, stooping/crouching, crawling, and climbing. Hand/eye coordination is required for data entry and frequent operation of motor vehicle, radios, cellular phones, and computers. The position may require occasional running and occasional pushing, pulling, bending, and stooping. The incumbent may need to occasionally use personal equipment (e.g. vehicle, cell phone, tools, etc.) in the course of their employment.

Working Conditions

The position involves working in a noisy environment with exposure to noise, dust, chemicals, animal dander, odors, fumes, aggressive/dangerous and sick animals. Extensive time spent driving a City vehicle is required. The position may involve extensive time spent driving a City vehicle. The position may require the incumbent to occasionally use personal equipment (e.g. vehicle, cell phone, tools, etc.) in the course of their employment.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Aurora is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a drug-free workplace. The position requires a thorough criminal background check, a drug screening for safety-sensitive positions, and employment references for finalists.