Certified Veterinary Technician

Classification Title: Certified Veterinary Technician, C21

Location: 12450 Ulmerton Rd., Largo, FL 33774

Schedule: This position works Saturday and Sundays. Weekdays are negotiable 

 

How would you like a rewarding career in the animal care field where you can make a real difference? If you answered yes, Animal Services may the place for you. Come be a part of a rewarding and fun work environment. We are a state of the art facility that takes great pride in the work we do. We care for over 12,000 animals a year and have one of the best adoption programs around. We are seeking a highly motivated and compassionate individual to join our team.

Pinellas County Animal Services is currently hiring a full-time, Certified Veterinary Technician. This is skilled technical work assisting in medical and surgical procedures. Employees in this class provide medical assistance by administering anesthesia, injections and medication and prepare animals for, and assist in, surgery and post-operative observation. Duties include performing euthanasia on animals; supplies inventory control, security of drugs, laboratory work, and related clerical duties.

 

Our Benefits Rank #1

• 9-11 paid County holidays; 2 floating holidays and 2 personal days (pro-rated); annual leave (accrue 15 days in first year)
• Florida Retirement System: Employees contribute 3% and  the county contributes 6.3% for regular status employees enrolled in the FRS Pension Plan
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan
• See contribution breakdown on FRS
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Health, vision, prescription, dental, life insurance, and a flexible spending account (FSA) option. Click here for more benefits details

Biweekly Medical Plan Premiums

Employee Only: $12.12

Employee and Spouse or Domestic Partner: $139.97

Employee and Child(ren): $111.66

Family: $229.32

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Essential Job Functions

• Assist in surgery, evaluate incoming animals for signs of illness, evaluate animals medically and behaviorally for adoption, foster or rescue placement or euthanasia.  
• Euthanize all non-adoptable animals, give vaccinations, test for heartworms, FIV and FeLEUK.  
• Perform other routine lab work including fecals and skin scrapes.  
• Record and control all controlled substances. 
• Help in adoptions with customers.
• Prepares animals for surgery, outfits operating room with surgical packs, assists veterinarian in surgical procedures, observes and reports animal health changes pre-and post-surgery, maintains surgical data records.
• Administers medications, vaccinations, anesthesia, and oral, intra-muscular, subcutaneous and intravenous injections.
• Enforces, controls and maintains security of drugs and barbiturates, in accordance with federal laws, rules, and regulations.
• Performs pre-surgery physical examinations and evaluations, reports known history of animal, blood work results, and vaccinations.
• Examines, evaluates, and vaccinates impounded animals, determines adoptability, inspects kennel population daily for injuries or illness and reports suspect animals to superior.
• Draws blood for clinic blood banks and performs assigned laboratory tasks.
• Performs related work as assigned or required.

 

Position Specific Requirements

• Possession and maintenance of a valid Florida Veterinary Medical Technician Certification (certification from the Florida Veterinary Medical Association (FVMA) or the Florida Veterinary Technician Association (FVTA) are recognized equally).
• Applicants possessing a Veterinary Medical Technician Certification from another state or graduates of American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited Veterinary Technician programs may be considered for employment but must acquire Florida certification within 6 months.
• Must undergo pre-exposure rabies vaccinations and euthanasia certification within 6 months of hire.
• Possession and maintenance of a valid State of Florida Driver’s License upon hire with eligibility based upon evaluation of a Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) driving report.
• Assignment to work a variety of work schedules including compulsory work periods in special, emergency, and/or disaster situations.
• Physical strength and agility to lift heavy animals, equipment, and supplies.
• Exposure to personal risk during assignments causing periodic contact with hostile or diseased animals.

 

Highly Desirable

• Previous animal handling experience.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook.

 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of veterinary medical/surgical practices, procedures, and laboratory procedures.
• Skill in applying medical and surgical procedures.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to handle and restrain all size animals.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, supervisors, and others.
• Ability to deal effectively, tactfully, and courteously with the public.
• Ability to operate a personal computer and other office equipment to enter and retrieve information, monitor work performed, and communicate information in reports, etc., at a reasonable rate of speed.

 

Physical/Mental Demands

The work is medium work which requires exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 30 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.  Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:  

• Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing or crouching on narrow, slippery, or erratically moving surfaces. The amount of balancing exceeds that needed for ordinary locomotion and maintenance of body equilibrium. 
• Climbing: Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Body agility is emphasized. 
• Crawling: Moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet. 
• Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine. 
• Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips. 
• Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling. 
• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm. 
• Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand. 
• Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees. 
• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles. 
• Pulling: Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion. 
• Pushing: Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward. 
• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction. 
• Visual ability: Sufficient to effectively operate office equipment including copier, computer, etc.; and to read and write reports, correspondence, instructions, etc. 
• Hearing ability: Sufficient to hold a conversation with other individuals both in person and over a telephone; and to hear recording on transcription device. 
• Speaking ability: Sufficient to communicate effectively with other individuals in person and over a telephone. 
• Mental Acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes. 
• Talking:  Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly. 
• Repetitive motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers. 
• Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time. 
• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles. 
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another. 

 

Working Conditions

• Work is performed in an environment where errors can lead to significant physical or mental consequences for self or others.

   

This position has supplemental questions. If unable to complete all questions, you may save your answers as a draft during the application process and return at any time prior to the closing date. Please note that the application is complete upon final submission.