HSNB Career Opportunities

Job Title: Kennel Technician (Part Time)

Department: Administration

Reports to: Transitional Operations Manager or Executive Director

Position Status: Part Time, Non-Exempt

The Humane Society of the North Bay is seeking an experienced and compassionate Part-Time Kennel Technician to join our animal care team.

This is a hands-on animal care position working directly with both large and small dogs and cats in a shelter environment. We are looking for someone who is confident handling animals of different sizes, temperaments, and stress levels and, most importantly, has a strong ability to read animal body language and respond appropriately and safely.

What You’ll Do

Kennel Technicians may be assigned to different areas of the shelter—including large dogs, small dogs, and cats—and should be prepared to work flexibly between departments as operational needs change.

Responsibilities include:

• Providing daily care for shelter dogs and cats
• Safely handling animals of different sizes and temperaments, including large dogs
• Recognizing and responding appropriately to canine and feline body language, fear, stress, and other behavioral signals
• Thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing kennels, cages, animal-care areas, equipment, and supplies
• Feeding animals and providing fresh water and appropriate enrichment
• Administering medications and vaccines according to established instructions and protocols
• Maintaining accurate written records of medications/vaccines administered
• Preparing food according to established instructions and protocols
• Safely handling animals around members of the public and volunteers
• Monitoring animals and communicating behavioral, medical, or welfare concerns to the appropriate staff
• Working collaboratively with fellow staff members and volunteers
• Following established HSNB animal-care, cleaning, handling, and safety protocols
• Assisting with other animal-care responsibilities as operational needs require

Who We’re Looking For

This position requires more than simply being an animal lover. Successful candidates must be comfortable working directly with animals who may be frightened, overstimulated, reactive, or otherwise stressed by the shelter environment.

Applicants should have:

• Meaningful hands-on experience working with dogs and cats
• Strong understanding of canine and feline body language
• Confidence safely handling both small and large dogs
• Ability to remain calm and use good judgment when working with stressed animals
• Willingness to work with both dogs and cats and move between animal-care areas as needed
• Ability to follow established animal-care and safety protocols consistently, accept guidance from management, and follow a chain of command
• Reliability, attention to detail, and a collaborative approach to working with others
• Comfort performing the physical and cleaning responsibilities associated with shelter animal care

Previous experience in an animal shelter, rescue, veterinary practice, boarding facility, or other professional animal-care setting is strongly preferred.

Schedule

This is a part-time position, generally several days per week, to include weekends. Exact days and hours will be determined with the successful applicant based on availability and HSNB’s operational needs.

If you have strong animal-handling skills, understand how to read and respond to animal behavior, and want to provide compassionate care to shelter animals, we would love to hear from you.

Physical Demands

Position requires extended periods of sitting, standing, walking, reaching, twisting, and turning, kneeling, bending, squatting, and stooping in the performance of daily activities. This position also requires grasping, repetitive hand movement and fine coordination in preparing statistical reports and data, using a computer keyboard. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 80 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Hearing is required when providing phone and counter service.

The incumbent is frequently around animals that are agitated or injured and may attempt to bite or scratch. May be required to take on other duties in other areas on days the shelter is busy.

Work Environment

This is an on-site position based at our Vallejo, CA animal shelter.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be exposed to hazards associated with aggressive animals; hazards associated with infected animals; exposure to unpleasant odors and noises; exposure to bites, scratches and animal waste; and possible exposure to contagious diseases.

Note: When duties and responsibilities change, job description will be reviewed and subject to changes of business necessity.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties that you may be asked to perform. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform job-related duties requested by their manager.

Compensation

Compensation is $17/hour, paid bi-monthly.