Veterinary Research/Health Technician 1

Oregon Health & Science University•Beaverton, OR

34d•Onsite

About The Position

The Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) is seeking a Veterinary Research Support Technician 1, Equipment Sanitation Technician. This role is crucial for providing research support, routine health care, and husbandry for laboratory animals at the ONPRC. The primary responsibility is to ensure laboratory animals have sanitized primary housing in accordance with federal regulations and guidelines. This includes performing research support tasks, routine health care, and manual and technical husbandry tasks directly related to animal care. The position involves cleaning, sanitizing, and sterilizing animal primary housing and equipment following strict protocols. Specific tasks may vary based on animal populations, care requirements, service needs, and staffing, and may require working during non-regular hours, including weekends, holidays, or overtime. Duties require a professional demeanor and interaction with investigative staff. This classification is distinguished by increased responsibility and accountability for animal care and research protocols.

Requirements

High School diploma or GED
Six months experience providing paid or voluntary care for animals.
Possession of a valid Driver's License and ability to drive DCM/ONRPC vehicles on and off campus as required.
Professional and service-oriented attitude.
Ability to consistently interact with research investigative staff, supervisors and co-workers, in a positive and constructive manner, to provide research support in a professional manner, and with a service-oriented attitude.
Ability to use proper techniques to safely perform standard clinical procedures, including ability to accurately calculate medication dosages.
Possess sufficient dexterity and manual skills to safely perform (or learn to perform) basic animal husbandry and animal handling (using proper techniques).
Ability to use computer keyboard.
Ability to read, write, and follow oral and written instructions.
Ability to communicate effectively in oral and/or written formats with both technical and professional staff.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in related field preferred.
18 months of experience in the health care of experimental animals in a research setting and/or as a veterinary technician or assistant highly preferred.
Certification by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science at the Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician level (ALAT), or Certified Animal Health Technician (AHT), or equivalent combination of training and experience desired.

Responsibilities

Responsible for, assist with, coordinate, and complete a large volume of tasks following various clearly defined and established research protocols and procedures while balancing the requirements of equipment sanitation in support of laboratory animals used in research.
Participate in the development, coordination and implementation of institution-wide animal care and use procedures.
Implement established procedures and policies governing the safe and humane care and use of laboratory animals.
Safely perform (using proper techniques), equipment sanitation, standard veterinary procedures, including but not limited to venipuncture, medication dose calculations, administration of medications via intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, and oral routes; collect body fluids.
Exchange non-human primate cages by removing animals from cages using a transfer box.
Transfer animal to clean cage.
Transport dirty cages and/or racks to designated wash area.
Clean and sanitize cages, racks and/or group housing enclosures. Includes operation of a mechanical cage washer, lift trucks, forklifts, pressure washers, and foamers.
Perform routine sanitization of animal primary housing, shelters, equipment and facilities. Includes sweeping, mopping, scrubbing, washing and disinfection of floors, walls, ceiling, sinks and other equipment.
Operate floor scrubbers, autoclaves, forklift, lift trucks and pressure washers, foamers, and dispensing units.
Inspect cages and/or racks for damage; remove damaged cages and/or racks and report the needed repairs.
Recognize and report problems with facilities (i.e., inappropriate room temperatures, leaking or broken water pipes, plugged drains, damaged surfaces, etc.).
Perform simple facility maintenance tasks, including but not limited to replacing drinking water valves, replace lighting, etc.
Feed and water animals.
Participate in general animal health surveillance by observing animals in all housing configurations, recognizing abnormalities in physical condition or behavior, and reporting and recording observations to the clinical veterinarian or research staff.
Perform animal health procedures such as weighing, TB testing, and blood collections.
Capture, restrain, identify, and sex common varieties of laboratory animals, and the transport animals in support of veterinary, husbandry or investigative procedures.
Complete and submit data processing forms.
Using computer keyboard, access and/or input information from the computerized animal record files.
Assist with acquisition and maintenance of all appropriate regulatory, research, and animal records and reports.
Other duties as assigned.