Animal Services Assistant - Variable Hour Benefit Eligible

JOB LOCATION

City of Aurora, Colorado

It is an exciting time to work for the City of Aurora, we're growing and looking for dedicated and collaborative individuals to join our team of talented and valued employees. Excellent organizations have a set of principles, or core values, that are used to implement their mission and vision. Those values represent the touchstone for the organization, guiding the decisions of the individuals and the organization. At the City of Aurora, we demonstrate our excellence by modeling the CORE 4 Values of: Integrity, Respect, Professionalism, and Customer Service, and we welcome all who share these values to apply.
 
Why Work for Aurora?

• Make a difference in the lives of real people every day
• Diverse community
• Competitive total compensation package
• Well-Funded General Employees Retirement Plan
• Light rail station minutes away
• On-site fitness center and overall employee well-being programs Internal educational programs to assist with career advancement
• Access to innovation workspaces

PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Salary to be commensurate with experience

The hiring rate for this position$19.08 - $23.85 per hour.

This is classified as VHBE (Variable Hour Benefit Eligible), where the selected candidate can work up to 40 hours per week. The selected candidate will be eligible to elect Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits, accrue paid time off, and receive 11 paid holidays. 

The deadline to submit applications isOctober 15th, 2026. Please note, The City of Aurora will conduct ongoing screenings of applications on a first come, first-serve basis; as soon as we determine to have a qualified pool of applicants, this position may close quickly and without notice. 

OVERVIEW OF POSITION / DEPARTMENT 

The City of Aurora is seeking a skilled Animal Services Assistant to provide humane care and treatment for sheltered animals. This position will be cleaning andmaintaining kennel facilities whilehelping patrons. 

PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES  

• Provides humane care,treatment and safe handling of animals in the shelter including feeding, cleaning,grooming and enrichment 

• Degrease all interior and exterior kennel walls 

• Sweep and mop all floors daily 

• Empty all trash cans each day 

• Wash and sanitize all food containers, waterbuckets and litter boxes 

• Deep clean and sanitize every kennel once it is empty including bedding 

• Wash, dry, fold and put away all laundry daily 

• Dust and cleans all pipes and vents in kennel area 

• Intake animals left in the night drop kennels andsanitizes kennel once empty 

• Intakes animals brought in by the public to include photographing, vaccinating, weighing, data entry and kenneling 

• Performsan initial physical exam to look for injuries or illness and reports to veterinary services, if found 

• Traces microchips and tags for owner contact information on strayanimalsAssists with kenneling and movement of animals and updates animal records to reflect movement or change in status 

• Educate prospective adopters in adoption of suitablepet: reviews and completes adoption paperwork andconducts dog-dog meet and greets 

• Processes animals for release to their owners including verifying ownership, that the animal is cleared to be released to owner and providing owner with all medical paperwork 

• Contacting an Animal Protection Officer if a summons has beeninitiated for the owner of the animal  

• Perform kennel inventory to ensure all animals are accounted for daily 

• Responds to heavy phone call volume and calls back citizens who left messages and documents each phone call in a log 

• Responds to citizen emails 

• Providescitizens information on services offered by Aurora Animal Services 

• Processesall paperwork and data entry for Community Cat Caretakers, Fancier’s Permit applicants, private trappers, guard dog permits    

• Performs euthanasia and related tasks  

• Ability to safely use all shelter equipment efficiently 

• Transports animals and cleans andmaintains the transport vehicle 

• Ability to administer microchips and all vaccinations to animals available for adoption 

• Medicate sick and injured animals as needed 

• Spot clean kennels throughout the day 

• Provide differing enrichment items to the dogs and cats each day andcleans up after or walks dogs 

• Assists in janitorial and light maintenance duties 

• Maintains grounds including picking up trash 

• Organize donated items andplace in theappropriate area for each use 

• Operate and close out the cash drawer daily 

• Bathe dogs as needed 

• Performs other related duties as assigned 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & WORKING CONDITIONS

An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience thatdemonstrates required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered. 

Education:   

• High School Diploma or GED 

Experience:   

• One yearof animal related experience or customer service experience 

Preferred Qualifications:  

• One yearofexperience working in an animal shelter 

• Euthanasia Certificationwithin one year 

Knowledge: 

• General knowledge of companion animal welfare,breeds and species 

Skills:   

• Animal handling skills 

• Providing friendly customer service 

• Excellent interpersonalcommunication skills 

• Strong attention to detail 

Abilities:   

• Establish andmaintain effective working relationships withemployees and citizens 

• Handle sensitive situations with tact and diplomacy 

• Ability to complete work without close supervision 

• Provide humane care and treatmentfor a variety of animals 

• Perform euthanasia 

• Creatively solve problems, negotiate and handle stressful situations in a positive manner 

• Operate a city vehicle 

Licenses and Certifications Required:   

• Valid ColoradoDriver’s License 

WORKING CONDITIONS  

Essential Personnel:  

• When a local announcement of emergency or disaster is declared by theCity, all City of Aurora employees maybe required to work as essential personnel. 

Physical Demands: 

• Mediumwork that involves moving no more than 50 pounds with or withoutassistance at a time 

• Subject to animal bites and scratches 

• May require frequent pushing, pulling,bending and stooping 

• Clear vision to read and interpretnotes and other written documents 

• Speech communication and hearing tomaintain communication with employees and citizens 

• Hand/eye coordination for operation of computer keyboard 

• Foot/eye coordination for operation of a motor vehicle 

• Speech communication and hearing tomaintain communication with employees and citizens 

Work Environment: 

• Works primarily indoorsin a shelter setting with exposure to dust, water, noise, animal dander,odors and fumes, but may occasionally work outside assisting at outreach events 

Equipment Used: 

• Uses standard office equipment including personal computer and common office software such as email, internet, Word,Excel andshelter Chameleon database 

• This position may require the incumbent to use personal equipment (e.g. vehicle, cell phone, tools, etc.) in the course of their employment. 

• This position may require the use ofhand tools and equipment common to kennel operations 

The city of Aurora will implement furlough days (unpaid days off) for most employees in 2026. The scheduled furlough dates are January 16, April 10, July 2, and December 24.

For Veterans preference:  Please show all of your employment history, including military service and related documentation (DD214) on the application.
           
The City of Aurora is an equal opportunity employer.  We are required by state and federal agencies to keep certain statistical records on applicants.  It will not be used in any way to discriminate against you because of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, creed, national origin, disability or military status, gender identity, unless related to a bona fide occupational qualification as defined by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunity Commission.
                                         
Despite the changes in Colorado law, the City of Aurora maintains a drug-free workplace.  A positive test of marijuana is grounds for disqualification and ineligibility for employment with the city for one year or termination once hired.
 

Drug Testing, Thorough Criminal Background Check, and Employment References:
As a condition of employment, all applicants selected for employment with the City of Aurora must undergo a thorough criminal background check. 

Applicants selected for safety-sensitive positions are required to complete and pass a drug screening as a condition of employment. Safety sensitive positions include Civil Service positions within Police and Fire Departments and positions where their job responsibilities have direct and substantial responsibility that would impact the health and safety of others.  

Employment references will be conducted on finalists for City of Aurora vacancies.