Supervising Animal Control Officer-26571106

Salary: $77,833.60 - $95,576.00 Annually
Location : County of San Diego, CA
Job Type: Regular - Full time
Job Number:
Department: Animal Services
Division: Animal Services Admin
Opening Date: 07/14/2026

Job Summary
Supervising Animal Control Officer
Interviews will be conducted on an ongoing basis. All eligible candidates will be contacted by the department to invite them to participate in interviews.
The starting salary for this position will be based on the candidate's qualifications at time of appointment.
Future Salary Increases
** June 25, 2027 - 5.40% increase to base pay (3.00% Across-the-Board + 2.4% Market Adjustment)

In addition to the base salary, employees receive:

• $850 annual uniform allowance (paid within 30 days of start date)
• $300 boot allowance/reimbursement for the hard toe shoes
• Overtime pay for working County-observed holidays
• 4/10 schedules
• 37 paid days off annually

Join the Department of Animal Services and play an integral role in promoting and enforcing animal-related State and Local laws and ordinances, cultivating relationships with the residents of the County of San Diego and ensuring the department's mission to protect the health, safety and welfare of people and animals. Although a working supervisor, the position is primarily supervisory and administrative in nature. Supervising Animal Control Officers help manage shelter operations and staff & volunteers, offer guidance and interpret policy, codes and laws, uphold high quality animal care standards and respond to citizen concerns or complaints and handle complex investigations.

Supervising Animal Control Officers are responsible for a variety of work tasks, to include, but not limited to; supervising & coordinating the daily activities of patrol and shelter staff; training and instructing new personnel; monitoring service call type and volume and deploying resources, as appropriate; interacting and educating members of the public, including conducting presentations; overseeing special work mandates (i.e. Dangerous Dog Task Force-DDTF); coordinating disaster operations; testifying in court on animal control related cases and representing the department amongst various media outlets.

This job opportunity is currently for permanent full-time positions.

Additional information please visit job classification.

Premiums
This classification will be assigned to work Standby Shifts on a rotating basis. Supervising Animal Control Officers are compensated two (2) hours of pay per Standby shift.
Hiring Process and Timeline

In-person/virtual interviews will be on an on-going basis. Job offers for selected candidates will be made shortly after the interviews. Candidates should be prepared to immediately complete background paperwork, upon receipt of a job offer.
The timeline for this recruitment is outlined below. Please note that dates are approximate and are dependent upon the successful completion of each step of the process.

• Job Offer and Background Process begins: Shortly after the interviews. Note: Current County employees may be excluded from additional background screening.
• Pre-employment Medical Screening: Approximately 3 days following successful background investigation results.
• Anticipated Start Date: Start date will be based upon successful completion of medical screening or other mutually agreed upon date.

If you are not selected for this interview process, you may have the opportunity to compete for future vacancies.

Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is an influencer, capable of forming harmonious relationships with staff, volunteers, members of the public and other community partners; has a strong background in managing and mentoring staff; actively pursues ways to incorporate a team approach; has proven work experience exercising sound, independent judgment resulting in positive outcomes; and manages stressful situations with tact and diplomacy; takes pride in encouraging positive conflict-resolution.

Desirable Traits
Our quality candidate is a high performer; demonstrates ethical behavior, supports change, encourages collaboration, seeks inventive solutions and can thrive in ambiguous work environments. Knowledge of best practices in an animal shelter, common diseases and medical conditions and veterinary protocols will also be very helpful. Potential candidates with the ability to learn quickly and retain information about practices, policies and procedures will adapt easily.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Must complete a certified Penal Code 832 course in arrest and firearms, within 6 months of appointment. (NOTE: Any break from law enforcement duties greater than 3 years requires recertification within 6 months of appointment.) AND
2. Must maintain firearms proficiency to use chemical capture equipment or energy conductive devices AND
3. Two (2) years of experience as an animal control officer with the County of San Diego; OR
4. Three (3) years of experience at the level of an Animal Control Officer or Humane Officer in a public agency or humane society.

The Department of Human Resources removes personally identifiable information from all recruitments. This practice, called Blind Applicant Screening, hides a candidate's personal information that could influence or bias a hiring decision. Personal information includes name, phone number, address, gender, age and race. This process helps contribute to a fair and equitable selection process leading to a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
The most highly qualified candidates, based on the evaluation results, will be referred for an interview. Be sure to include your experience in meeting the minimum requirements in both the Work Experience section and the Supplemental Questionnaire section of the Application.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the application Work History and/or supplemental questionnaire.

Working Conditions
Must be able to work rotating shifts (days/evenings/midnights) including weekends and holidays and be available to work overtime when required to meet operational needs. Subject to standby, callback and reassignment to any animal services region as needed.

A valid California Class C driver's license, which must be maintained throughout employment in this class, is required at time of appointment. Employees in this class may be required to use their own vehicle.

May be required to possess and maintain a valid California Class B driver's license to operate department vehicles weighing over 26,000 pounds.
Condition of Employment

As part of the County of San Diego's pre-employment process, prospective candidates will undergo a background check (including fingerprinting) and a pre-employment medical screening prior to beginning County employment. Additional types of background investigations may be conducted based on the job-related activities of the position. Current County employees may be excluded from this process.
Evaluation
Qualified candidates will be placed on a twelve (12) month list based on scores received during the evaluation contained on their employment and supplemental applications. Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you provide on the supplemental application questionnaire will be reviewed using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in the initial screening process your application will be reviewed individually to confirm that the information you provided is accurate and qualifying.

Accommodation
Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of a job, on a case-by-case basis.

01

Are you willing to complete both a Certified Penal Code 832 course in arrest, AND a Certified Penal Code 832 course firearms, within six (6) months of appointment?NOTE: Any break from law enforcement duties greater than 3 years requires recertification within 6 months of appointment.

• Yes
• No

02

Have you already completed either of the below courses and received your certification? A) Certified Penal Code 832 course in arrest B) Certified Penal Code 832 course in firearmsPlease check the box(es) below to indicate any current certifications you have.If yes, please attach verification of your certification(s) to your application.

• Yes, I have completed a Certified Penal Code 832 course in arrest
• Yes, I have completed a Certified Penal Code 832 course in firearms
• No, I do not have either of these certifications.

03

Do you have two (2) years of experience as an Animal Control Officer with the County of San Diego? Please note: your work experience, duties, and dates of employment MUST be verifiable in the employment history section of this application.

• Yes
• No

04

Do you have three (3) years of experience at the level of an Animal Control Officer, or Humane Officer in a public agency or humane society?Please note: your work experience, duties, and dates of employment MUST be verifiable in the employment history section of this application.

• Yes
• No

05

A valid California Class C driver's license, which must be maintained throughout employment in this class, is required at time of appointment. Employees in this class may be required to use their own vehicle.Do you understand this information?

• Yes
• No

06

Employees may be required to possess and maintain a valid California Class B driver's license to operate department vehicles weighing over 26,000 pounds.Do you understand this information?

• Yes
• No

07

Please indicate if you have supervisory experience in any of the following areas. Your supervisory work experience/duties and dates of employment MUST be verifiable in the employment section of this application. Check all that apply:

• Hiring staff
• Training staff
• Maintaining work schedules
• Assigning work
• Reviewing completed work
• Evaluating performance
• Discipline
• No experience

08

Do you have experience taking charge of or overseeing an investigation of a difficult or complex criminal case including misdemeanors and/or felonies? Please note: your work experience, duties, and dates of employment MUST be listed in the employment history section of this application.

• Yes
• No

09

Were you referred by a County employee to apply for this position?Note: effective September 9, 2022, County employees are eligible to earn cash awards for any candidates they refer to hard to recruit positions that are then hired.

• Yes
• No

10

If you responded "Yes" to the above, in the space provided please list the name of the County employee that referred you.
11

How did you hear about this job opportunity?

• San Diego County website
• Governmentjobs.com
• Veteran Outreach / FFSC
• Family, Neighbors, Friends
• County Employee Resources Group
• College/University Career Site
• County Social Media
• Voice and Viewpoint
• California Animal Welfare Association
• Department of Animal Services Social Media
• National Animal Control Association
• Other