A rewarding career is waiting for you at Santa Cruz SPCA! 

The Santa Cruz SPCA has been a mainstay serving animals in our community since 1938. Although our organization originally provided animal control services for Santa Cruz County, since 2002 we have been a fully independent nonprofit animal welfare organization focused on cat and dog rescue and adoption, providing a robust curriculum of humane education programs, and offering a variety of programs and services that support keeping pets and their people together. In 2020, amid the global pandemic, we built and opened our brand new animal shelter. This modern, purpose-built facility has given us the ability to expand our impact and help more animals in need. Our vision for the coming years is to double the number of lives saved and touched through our programs.

The Santa Cruz SPCA is seeking team members who are driven to play a role in expanding and refining our operations to achieve this vision! We pride ourselves on being compassionate, collaborative, adaptable and driven by ingenuity. To effectively help needy animals we depend on teamwork between our staff, volunteers, clients, supporters and our community. We welcome feedback, contribution, fresh eyes and a fresh take so we can continually improve our operations. If you are seeking a new role where you can make a true difference in animals’ lives while having an opportunity to contribute to a growing organization, we would love to speak with you! 

Check out the current SCSPCA career opportunities below!

Animal Behavior and Enrichment Specialist – Full-Time

Want to get paid to watch dogs play? Sit down, you’re going to want to read this!

As a Behavior & Enrichment Specialist at the Santa Cruz SPCA, you’ll be spending your workday supporting healthy dog and cat behavior and enhancing every animal’s shelter experience — which includes leading our playgroup program!

A big part of your role will be to build our “people power” by sharing your knowledge with staff, volunteers, and fosters so we can positively impact more animals in need. You will also play a role in counseling pet guardians on what to expect with their new family members. To the right person, there may be nothing in the world more fulfilling than this!

This position will be perfect for you if:

• You have awesome dog and cat handling skills and have 2 years of professional experience working with cat and/or dog behavior.
• You’ve achieved Force Free Dog and/or Cat Behavior & Training Certification or are in progress.
• You know the concepts of animal behavior, animal enrichment, and how they translate in a shelter environment.
• You’re comfortable handling dogs and cats of all sizes, breeds, and temperaments.
• You enjoy assisting people just as much as animals – and understand you can’t help one without the other!
• Teaching others to handle and work with animals leaves you feeling rewarded and invigorated.

If you’ve got the drive (and animal experience), but lack some of the knowledge above, don’t move along just yet! We’re willing to help you get there by supporting your educational efforts and providing opportunities to grow and learn every day.

If you are seeking a new role where you can make a true difference in animals’ lives while having an opportunity to contribute to a growing organization, we would love to speak with you!

The pay range for this full-time, non-exempt position is $20.83 – $28.18/hr (hiring range up to $26/hr), with a full benefits package and opportunities for growth.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab your favorite chew toy, apply now, and help us achieve our vision of doubling the number of lives saved and touched through our programs!

CLICK HERE FOR FULL JOB DESCRIPTION