Animal Care Technician I
About The Position
The Animal Care Technician I performs daily work involving the feeding, watering, and handling of conventional and genetically engineered animal models with varying health status. This role is capable of monitoring animals following surgical or invasive procedures, housed in various biosafety levels. The technician performs basic health treatments as directed by the veterinarian, including euthanasia on laboratory animals according to the American Veterinary Medical Associations (AVMA) Panel on Euthanasia. This position also provides veterinary directed care based on clinical needs of animals, understands unique and complex phenotypical behaviors and/or procedure related outcomes in animals, and assesses the breeding performance of animal colonies & evaluates the necessary enrichment and environmental needs to identify potential improvements. The role involves evaluating animal's health and condition each day, reporting abnormalities to the veterinary staff, and monitoring and documenting cage environments that are overcrowded. The technician accurately records daily cage census, animal health observations, weaned cages, and other important animal management practices with minimal errors. Additionally, the role involves changing cages or pens following aseptic and conventional techniques, maintaining animal rooms and facility hallways in a clean state, and assisting in delivering programmatic training while serving as a role model for less experienced staff. The technician provides basic husbandry care to laboratory animals and maintains animal inventory records and room maintenance records.
Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Ability to lift up to 50 pounds
- Ability to stand the duration of shift
- Ability to perform repetitive physical activities such as: pushing and pulling wheeled racks and carts, utilize a ladder or step stool, lift above shoulder level, reaching, stooping, and bending.
Responsibilities
- Performs daily work involving the feeding, watering, and handling of conventional and genetically engineered animal models with varying health status.
- Monitors animals following surgical or invasive procedures, housed in various biosafety levels.
- Performs basic health treatments as directed by the veterinarian including euthanasia on laboratory animals according to the American Veterinary Medical Associations (AVMA) Panel on Euthanasia.
- Provides veterinary directed care based on clinical needs of animals, understands unique and complex phenotypical behaviors and/or procedure related outcomes in animals.
- Assesses the breeding performance of animal colonies & evaluates the necessary enrichment and environmental needs to identify potential improvements.
- Evaluates animal's health and condition each day; reporting abnormalities to the veterinary staff.
- Monitors and documents cage environments that are overcrowded due to multiple litters in one cage, too many adults in a single cage, or animals that are beyond nursing age.
- Accurately records daily cage census, animal health observations, weaned cages, and other important animal management practices with minimal errors.
- Changes cages or pens following aseptic and conventional techniques and assures animals are not contaminated when outside of their primary enclosure.
- Maintains animal rooms (secondary enclosures) and facility hallways in a clean state so that secondary infections or other contamination do not occur.
- Assists in delivering programmatic training and serves as a role model for less experienced staff.
- Provides basic husbandry care to laboratory animals; maintains animal inventory records and room maintenance records.
Benefits
- Additional pay (e.g., shift, on‑call, or weekend differentials) and benefits may apply.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
