Animal Lab Tech II - Comparative Medicine

Cedars-Sinai•Los Angeles, CA

5d•$25 - $34

About The Position

The Animal Laboratory Technician II (ALTII) is an advanced-level position for technicians experienced in laboratory animal husbandry. The role applies relevant laboratory animal medicine standards, rules, and regulations and performs husbandry for all species housed in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center facilities, along with veterinary-related procedures after training by Clinical Staff. The department supports biomedical research through consultation, training, veterinary care, and facility maintenance while maintaining high standards of ethical and humane animal care. Duties include daily animal health observations and reporting, sanitizing primary enclosures, checking food and water, maintaining animal rooms, and barcoding animals for census. The ALTII must be proficient in husbandry for all animals housed in Comparative Medicine and knowledgeable about its standard operating procedures, policies, and procedures. The role also supports training, vendor deliveries, inventory audits, environmental enrichment, and related vivarium operations.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED.
Assistant Laboratory Animal Tech (ALAT) certification from AALAS.
Valid and current driver's license.
Three years of Laboratory Animal Science experience.
Ability to learn, apply, and maintain compliance with rules and regulations governing the care and use of animals in research.
Ability to provide or support excellent, accurate work; recognize and address flaws or errors; and document tasks in an orderly, timely, and accurate manner.
Ability to convey and receive written and verbal information with varied audiences and in different formats.
Ability to follow written and oral instructions in English.
Ability to handle multiple demands and manage complex, competing priorities.
Knowledge of Microsoft Windows and ability to learn other systems supporting vivarium operations.
Proficiency in husbandry of all animals housed in Comparative Medicine and knowledge of CM standard operating procedures, policies, and procedures.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree with relevant coursework in laboratory animal sciences.
Laboratory Animal Technician (LAT) certification from AALAS.

Responsibilities

Perform routine and special feeding, watering, safe handling, and enclosure changes for all species housed in the vivarium, including USDA-covered species.
Process research staff service requests for special diets and medicated water.
Assist clinical and research staff with animal handling and provide trained basic, intermediate, and advanced rodent treatments, including SQ and IP injections and topical applications.
Perform veterinary-related tasks after training by Clinical Staff and maintain required clinical records; perform rodent breeding tasks as needed.
Provide species-specific environmental enrichment, support enrichment initiatives, assess new items, and provide feedback for all species.
Receive animals from vendors and assist the Animal Care Coordinator with delivery reports and identification of obvious health abnormalities or discrepancies from the ordered type, quantity, or sex.
Scan animal cage-card barcodes for billing and census purposes, participate in census reconciliation, and issue census reports as needed.
Work with ALTIII to audit inventories of feed, bedding, supplies, and equipment.
Store and dispense special diets ordered by Research Staff, including labeling, assigning secondary containers, and following proper storage conditions.
Assist with decontamination of vivarium spaces after training and proficiency assessment.
Support ALTIII and Supervisors with on-floor training for laboratory staff, including use of Animal Transfer Stations and Biological Safety Cabinets, micro-isolator technique, facility workflow, and large animal species techniques.
Assist ALTIII and Supervisors with training new CM employees classified as ALTI and ALTII.
Independently identify additional tasks that need to be performed beyond those assigned.