Equine Animal Care Specialist

San Diego CA

Description

Iron Oak Canyon Ranch Equine Animal Care Specialist Job Posting February 2021 Large horse boarding facility in Spring Valley, CA (technically Rancho San Diego) owned by former professional zookeeper and exotic animal trainer is looking for one or more part-time equine animal care specialists to provide the daily care and facility upkeep for about 80 privately-owned horses. An equine animal care specialist’s primary duty is cleaning stalls and maintaining the facility, but may also include feeding horses or other, possibly hands-on, experience with horses or exotic animals. Additional hours may be assigned based on operational needs and performance. Job Description: The part-time Equine Animal Care Specialist is in charge of taking excellent care of our boarders’ horses by ensuring that their stalls are free of manure and old hay on a daily basis, replacing dirt in stalls as needed, keeping facility aisleways and public areas clean of debris, hay, weeds, and other obstacles, feeding them the correct and appropriate amounts of hay, ensuring they receive needed supplements and medications, and ensuring the daily health of the animals. Job duties may also include dragging arenas and round pens, cleaning out storm drains, replacing dirt and material in aisleways, minor vehicle maintenance and upkeep, PVC water line replacement and repair, corral panel and shelter maintenance, and additional duties as assigned. The Equine Animal Care Specialist will check automatic waterers daily for function, report possible animal feed and health issues, injuries, and other potential problems or needs to their supervisor, without prompting. The ideal candidate for this position is motivated, reliable, and flexible; shows initiative, efficiency, and the ability to work quickly while maintaining safety and quality of care standards, and following our animal care motto to always do better. Pay rate: $13.00-$14.00 to start depending on experience and performance. After passing a 90-day probation period, employees are eligible for a raise based on performance, initiative, and reliability. After performance-based goals are met, employees are also eligible for additional training and opportunities such as equine handling and groundwork, animal behavior/ training lessons, or the opportunity to work with other animals on-site (birds, reptiles, other livestock). Candidate Requirements: -Must have some equine experience or professional animal care experience -Must have valid CA driver’s license -Must be willing to operate 4x4 gas-powered golf cart, electric golf cart, and mid-size tractor with loader bucket (training provided) -Prefer to have experience connecting, disconnecting, pulling, and backing up medium-sized trailers, but able to train the right candidate(s) -Must be able to sit, stand, stoop, turn their neck in both directions, safely lift, move, and manipulate loads of up to 100 pounds unassisted, monitor surroundings for unsafe conditions, follow directions from lead and supervisor and correct work as needed, observe and follow animal behavior aggression/ fear warning signs. Hiring Process: Job posting will remain up until filled, but we are posting a soft deadline of 2/19/21 for applications due to our immediate need to hire. All candidates that pass the application review phase will be brought in for a paid working interview. Things you need to know before you apply: -This is a non-smoking, drug and alcohol-free facility -This is a very physically intense job, involving the cleaning of up to 40 stalls plus other areas of the ranch daily, and/or lifting bales and flakes of hay repetitively. -Work occurs rain or shine, hot or cold, on weekends and holidays. We typically try to make this as painless as possible, but it’s important to know going in. -Candidates must be detail oriented and show initiative where appropriate. -This position does not involve riding horses, but working student opportunities in our lesson barn may be available -We are a small, family-owned operation. Reliability and flexibility are hugely important -We are very busy. Please do not apply if you are the type to not show up for obligations with no notice or communication, or to call out sick frequently. To ensure that you have read the entirety of this ad before applying, please attach your resume with relevant experience and include a brief explanation of why you want this job in the body of your email.