Animal Care Technician III

University of Wisconsin Madison•Madison, WI

16h•Onsite

About The Position

The Dairy Cattle Center, part of the Integrated Dairy Facilities for the Department of Animal and Dairy Science at UW-Madison, is a leading industry facility on the UW-Madison campus housing 84 lactating cows. This facility is crucial for supporting the university's teaching, research, and outreach missions, offering unique opportunities for individualized nutrition-based research, as well as research on mammary and reproductive physiology, and transition cow management. It also provides intensive hands-on learning experiences. This position is involved in all aspects of research dairy operations, including milking, feeding, cleaning, handling, and animal health observations. As a lead worker in the absence of management, this role requires the ability to maintain operations with limited supervision. The incumbent will lead the collection and processing of composite milk samples and other research data according to established standard operating procedures. Additionally, this position will work closely with student employees, providing leadership, training, and assistance with daily farm operations.

Requirements

Demonstrated knowledge of milking procedures and milk quality standards (e.g., preparing cows for milking, identifying abnormal milk, and following sanitation protocols)
Experience maintaining responsibility for recognizing changes in dairy cattle health and behavior (e.g., signs of illness, lameness, reduced milk production, decreased feed intake, etc.)
Experience using Microsoft Word and Excel to log data, send emails, and maintain digital records.
Experience following detailed written protocols and verbal instructions in a research or agricultural setting (e.g., collecting samples, recording observations, and completing assigned tasks)
Experience leading others and working with a variety of stakeholders (e.g., training employees, assisting students, collaborating with faculty, interacting with visitors, etc.)
Ability to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, including extended periods of standing, lifting and moving supplies, and working in varying weather conditions and barn environments.

Nice To Haves

Experience handling and restraining dairy cattle (e.g., moving animals through milking facilities, sorting cattle, and assisting with routine procedures)
Experience collecting and recording animal or research-related data (e.g., milk samples, body weights, health observations, and treatment records)
Experience operating and performing minor maintenance on farm equipment (e.g., milking equipment, tractors, skid steers, and utility vehicles)
Experience involving dairy cattle reproduction, lactation, or performing advanced animal care procedures (e.g., administering treatments, assisting with artificial insemination, and neonatal calf care)

Responsibilities

Prepares food and formulas and feeds animals according to established schedules and specifications
Tracks inventory levels of animal supplies and places replenishment orders
Cleans and maintains organization of animal holding spaces
Observes animal behavior, performs animal care, and reports concerns to the appropriate entities to contribute to the health and well-being of animals in support of research and instruction
Collects samples from animals and administers medications, injections, and treatments according to established protocols and procedures to be used for diagnostic and research
Maintains organization of and updates records related to work unit procedures
Leads the day-to-day operational activities of an animal care work unit and facilitates staff training as needed
Inspects, maintains, and initiates complex repairs to equipment to ensure optimal and safe operation