Washington County Animal Services, located at the Bonnie L. Hays Small Animal Shelter in Hillsboro, Oregon has an exceptional opportunity for a Certified Veterinary Technician to perform specialized technical work related to the medical care and treatment of animals in our veterinary clinic. You will also assist our staff Veterinarian with medical procedures and the day-to-day functions of the shelter.

If you are passionate about your career and contributions that you make on a day-to-day basis providing medical care and treatment to animals and have considered continuing your profession in the public sector within a municipal animal shelter, your talents will bring value to the services we provide to animals and people residing in Washington County. You will be a part of collaborative efforts with community partners throughout the Portland metropolitan area. Through outreach and education, we are working together to prevent animals from needing our services in the first place, and just as significant, providing excellent care and shelter to the animals that do come to us.

* Effective 5/24/2025, this recruitment will open continuous until filled. Applications will be reviewed as received, and the posting may be closed at any time without further notice. Washington County reserves the right to make a hiring decision at any point during the posting period. *

** It is anticipated that the first initial application screening will start the week of 6/16/2025 for the applications submitted by Sunday, 6/15/2025. This posting will remain open, and applications received after 6/15/2025 may be considered if needed. **

Bonnie L. Hays Small Animal Shelter cares for lost animals, finds homes for abandoned pets, licenses dogs, enforces animal cruelty laws and protects our citizens from dangerous animals. Last year, we provided care for stray and injured animals in our shelter, responded to more than 7,000 citizen calls, answered over 50,000 phone calls from community members and maintained some of the highest return-to-owner rates in the country! We work closely with our animal welfare partners to place animals in new homes with fantastic success and many happy placement stories.

Washington County is the second largest county in Oregon with a population of more than 601,500 people. We provide services for an estimated 145,000 dogs and 115,000 cats and their owners in an area that encompasses 727 square miles.

About the Opportunity:
In this role, you will assist the Shelter Veterinarian in tasks involving animal care, anesthesia, triage, and population medicine. You will maintain equipment and stock supplies used for medical care and husbandry of animals housed at the shelter. You will also triage animal emergencies and transport animals to other facilities or veterinary clinics. You will participate in daily cleaning, husbandry, training of volunteers/other staff, protocol development, and safety activities as needed. Additionally, you will respond to County requests for emergency response during emergency activation.

Who we are looking for:
The ideal candidate will be a self-motivated, independent worker with proficiency as a certified veterinary technician, ideally working in the animal shelter setting. They will have the ability to perform a multitude of tasks which include both direct patient care as well as maintenance of medical supply inventory and equipment. They will also have competencies to play a role in emergency and disaster trainings and real-life situations that require the assistance of animal medical personnel.


Why Washington County?
Are you interested in challenging, meaningful, and rewarding work? Join Washington County in our commitment to advancing racial equity. Our Board of Commissioners worked closely with various community stakeholders and subject matter experts to develop an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Resolution. Adopted in February 2020, this resolution commits to the equitable delivery of Washington County’s services, resources, and opportunities for growth and development to every county resident.

Check Out Our Award-Winning Benefits & Wellness Program on the "Benefits" tab above!

To review this classification including full duties, please use this link: Veterinary Technician.

Education and Experience:

• Two (2) years of professional training or course work in the animal health field; AND
• Two (2) years of work experience in an animal health-related field including the care, handling, or training of dogs and working with the public.

ADDITIONAL LICENSES, CERTIFICATES, PHYSICAL ABILITIES AND SPECIALTY REQUIREMENTS

• Possession of a Certified Veterinary Technician license issued by the Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board.
• Possession of, or the ability to obtain, a Euthanasia Technician Certification issued by the Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board.
• Must possess a driver's license valid in the State of Oregon and have an acceptable driving record. To review the Driver's License and Record Policy for Washington County, please use this link: Driver's License & Records Policy-Vehicles
• Please be advised that this position is required to pass a criminal background check post offer.
• Must be able to pass a post-offer physical capacities test (PCT) including a medical check and drug screening prior to appointment.
  • For more information on the physical requirements, please visit the Job Task Analysis.

Please be clear and specific in the applicable sections of the employment application about how your background is relevant. This information must also be consistent with your supplemental question responses. Please note: Answers to the supplemental questions are typically evaluated separately from your application.


Washington County is committed to using a Merit-based System in which recruiting, selecting, and advancing employees is based on their relative knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Our commitment to you:

Washington County values a culture of equity, diverse perspectives, and life experiences. Our organization embraces innovation, collaboration and work-life harmony. We offer job stability, a comprehensive benefits package, and an opportunity to serve and support our diverse community. We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity and an inclusive workforce. Women, minorities, veterans, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Selection Process

1. Apply today! In lieu of a resume, we ask that you complete and submit an online application, which will be used to screen for minimum qualifications (MQs) and to determine starting pay in accordance with the provision of the Oregon Equal Pay Law.
2. MQ Review: Human Resources will conduct the first initial application screening for MQs beginning the week of 6/9/2025 and further screening may be conducted continuously depending on the business need. Additional preferred qualifications screening may be applied prior to the interview step depending on the number of applications received.
3. Panel Interview(s): Generally, the top 6 – 8 candidates will be invited to participate in a panel interview.
4. Conditional Offer: A successful candidate will be required to successfully clear a driving record check, a third-party background check, and physical capacities test (PCT) including a medical check and drug screening as pre-employment conditions.

Veterans' Preference
If you are a Veteran and would like to be considered for a Veterans' preference for this recruitment, please review the instructions using this link: Veterans' Preference Points.

Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act
Reasonable accommodation is available to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing this application or participating in the selection process for this recruitment. To obtain confidential assistance please contact Human Resources 503-846-8606, or e-mail: Careers@WashingtonCountyOR.gov at least 48 hours before any step in the recruitment and selection process for which you feel you need accommodation.

Status of Your Application
You will be advised by e-mail of your status at each step in the application process, from initial application to final employment disposition. Please note that Washington County communicates with all candidates via email. If you "opt out" or "unsubscribe" from email notifications in NEOGOV, it will impact our ability to communicate with you about this and other recruitments.

Questions (?) Regarding This Recruitment
Yeji Seo, Talent Acquisition Business Partner
Yeji_Seo@WashingtonCountyOR.gov

Additional Resources:
New to GovernmentJobs.com?

• Visit https://www.GovernmentJobs.com/home/ApplicationGuide for a comprehensive, step-by-step guide on the application process.
• For technical support, contact Government Jobs' Live Application Support at 855-524-5627.