Animal Care Technician

University of Miami • Miami, FL

152d

About The Position

The University of Miami/UHealth Department of SCCC has an exciting opportunity for a Full Time Animal Care Technician to work at the UHealth medical campus in Miami, FL. The Animal Care Technician assists in the development and production of research models and facilitates the design and performance of scientific research. Moreover, the incumbent maintains daily operations and performs procedures related to new and on-going core activities.

Requirements

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum 1 year of relevant experience.
• Skill in completing assignments accurately and with attention to detail.
• Ability to analyze, organize and prioritize work under pressure while meeting deadlines.
• Ability to process and handle confidential information with discretion.
• Ability to work evenings, nights, and weekends as necessary.
• Commitment to the University’s core values.
• Ability to work independently and/or in a collaborative environment.

Nice To Haves

• American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) certification at the Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) level is preferred.
• Previous animal care and small animal colony management experience are preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assists with ordering and purchasing of supplies and the maintenance of animals.
• Maintains institutional biosafety and animal care protocols.
• Assists with client relations, invoicing, and monitoring core utilization.
• Performs routine maintenance and repair of equipment and facilities.
• Completes animal surgeries, injections, irradiation, blood sampling, biopsies, and euthanasia.
• Records and organizes experimental results.
• Maintains current knowledge of methods and techniques related to the assigned field of research.
• Adheres to University and unit-level policies and procedures and safeguards University assets.
• Ensures animal rooms are kept clean and organized.
• Cleans and sanitizes cages according to prescribed standards.
• Liaises with departmental veterinary resources and other lab members to maintain general animal facility organization and cleanliness.
• Maintains lab, storage areas, and treatment rooms on a daily basis including sweeping and mopping floors; sanitizes equipment and instruments according to established procedures.
• Provides food, water, and basic husbandry care for a small animal species.
• Receives and verifies shipments against purchase orders, bills, and other documents; stores animal feed and supplies in a neat and orderly manner; rotates feed as required to ensure freshness; monitors feed supplies to ensure adequate availability.
• Observes animals on a daily basis to assess health, environmental conditions, and social environment; monitors animals for impact of research and advises team members/veterinary staff of the same.
• Performs pre-surgical treatments under a researcher's direction, including identification of the correct animal and administration of drugs at the proper dosages; prepares animal for surgical procedures according to established sterile standards, and assists in complex surgical procedures.
• Maintains and sterilizes equipment.
• Supports all aspects of colony management and associated technical procedures, including preparation and administration of compounds (intravenous, oral gavage, intraperitoneal), genotyping, as well as non-invasive imaging of mice.
• Collects biological samples (e.g., blood, tissues) and participates in their analysis.
• Facilitates team workflows in collaboration with team members to ensure that tasks, priorities, and goals are completed and coordinated with management.
• Helps to develop, adapt, and implement new animal-related procedures.
• Performs routine maintenance and/or basic mechanical repair to mobile caging, racks, tables, and automatic watering equipment.
• Maintains cage cards, animal histories, and other records as required, including the collection and analysis of data for experimental purposes.
• Maintains accurate records for quality control, quality assurance and research data.
• Maintains database records.
• Practices safety, environmental, and/or infection control methods.
• Assists with lab management duties; ensures equipment is operated and maintained according to manufacturer's instructions; ensures supplies are adequate for the work to be performed.

Benefits

• Competitive salaries.
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, tuition remission and more.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees