Animal Services Counselor - In Person Hiring Event (Finance)
In-Person Hiring Event on Monday, July 28th, 2025, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. PST at San Jacinto Valley Animal Shelter
581 S. Grand Ave. San Jacinto, CA 92582
The County of Riverside seeks candidates to fill positions throughout Riverside County. A list of eligible candidates will be established to fill current and future vacancies.
The Riverside County Department of Animal Services has multiple opportunities for Animal Services Counselors. Animal Services Counselor positions will be assigned to a team within Animal Services, the teams within the Department are Volunteer, Adoption, Rescue/Transport, and Foster. Positions and Teams can be based out of one of four shelters in Riverside County, including Jurupa, San Jacinto, Coachella Valley and Blythe. This recruitment may be used to fill positions for various locations.
How to Participate: To secure your spot for an in-person interview, you must apply by 11:59 p.m. PST on Sunday, July 13th, 2025. Interviews for this hiring event are by invitation only.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION BELOW
**ALL APPLICANTS WILL BE EVALUATED AGAINST THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS PRIOR TO THE EVENT**
The Animal Services Counselor (ASC) position is a busy and fast paced role. The ASC will be overseeing high volume animal intake and assisting with improving animal outcomes for the Department of Animal Services; coordinating spay/neutering of animals for outreach adoptions and transporting animals to outreach events; assisting the animal foster program, managing volunteers, giving presentations, and assisting with preparing manuals. Other duties may include data entry, event planning, supervising volunteers, conducting tours, and interviewing/training volunteers.
This position requires occasional overtime and availability on weekends.
Competitive candidates will possess more than six months of community or volunteer organization experience, excellent customer services skills, and experience leading or managing a small group of volunteers or staff. Some experience using Chameleon software, Volgistics (volunteer management software), and/or performing data entry for a large organization is highly desired.
The Animal Services Counselor is a first professional level classification and reports to a supervising or manager level position. This class is characterized by the responsibility for coordinating the animal intake and improving animal outcomes of shelter animals and participating in the Animal Services Community Outreach & Education Division activities.
Meet the Team!
The Riverside County Department of Animal Services has a vision for promoting an environment of responsible pet ownership through progressive animal welfare initiatives, community outreach, and humane education in a culture of compassion, creativity, and integrity. The Department of Animal Services believes the character of their organization is best reflected in the strong dedication of each one of their employees who strive to meet the highest standards of performance and compassion on behalf of the animals and people that they serve. The Department of Animal Services operates four shelters located in Blythe, Jurupa Valley, San Jacinto and Thousand Palms.• Participate in Animal Services Community Outreach & Education Division activities; answer questions concerning age, breed, characteristics, and care and treatment of animals; responsible for knowing which animals are available for adoption, return-to-owner, etc., and knowing the temperaments and personalities of these animals.
• Assist and counsel owners and members of the public in the admittance and surrender of animals through proper interviewing techniques and completion of necessary paperwork; obtain accurate information regarding animal temperament, living habits and training, medical conditions, behavior, age, breed, and any relevant information from the relinquishing party; assist owners with alternative options to surrendering an animal.
• Prepare reports, maintain records, and fill out forms concerning activities; assist with the training of new staff and/or volunteers.
• May be assigned to any shift and required to be available as needed.
• May be specifically assigned as an Adoption Partner Coordinator and act as point of contact for rescue groups (adoption partners), coordinating the adoption of shelter animals to adoption partners and developing/maintaining relationships with adoption partners, and other related activities as assigned.
• Participate regularly in community events or animal adoption events that frequently occur on weekends; coordinate spay/neutering of animals in anticipation of outreach activities.
• Act as a fully participating member of the Community Outreach and Education Division and of the Adoption Team and work collaboratively and supportively with the Animal Care Technicians.Recruiting Guidelines
OPTION I : Experience: Six months performing animal care duties in a public or non-profit animal control program.
OPTION II : Experience: One year of paid or voluntary experience in a veterinary office, animal grooming, animal board and kennel facility, or similar setting which included the care of animals.
OPTION III: Experience: Two years of experience within a customer service environment.
ALL OPTIONS : Knowledge of: Techniques and procedures for the safe, humane, and efficient handling of animals; laws and ordinances governing the licensing and treatment of animals; the symptoms of common animal diseases; common breeds of domestic animals and appropriate practices for their care and feeding.
Ability to: Establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relations with the public, adoption partners and other employees; handle animals humanely and safely; manage difficult to place animals; read and comprehend laws and regulations pertaining to animal control; clearly explain animal services to the public; exercise tact and good judgment in dealings with the public; recognize symptoms of rabies and other animal diseases; keep statistical records; lift and handle cats, dogs (including large breeds) and other animals.
Other Requirements
License: Possession of a valid California Driver's License may be required.
This position may require working in an environment with exposure to animal smells, dander, excrement, fluids and wounds.County Of Riverside Benefits:
Click here to learn more! This recruitment is open to all candidates.
For specific questions regarding this position, contact Amanda Campos at acampos@rivco.org .
