Veterinary Technician

University of North Texas System•Fort Worth, TX

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Veterinary Technician supports the health, welfare, and responsible use of animals in biomedical research under the care of the Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine. The role provides technical support, training, and accurate documentation while maintaining research integrity and high standards of humane animal care and use. The Veterinary Technician collaborates and communicates with veterinary, animal husbandry, research, and administrative staff. The Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine provides research bio-resources, veterinary and personnel training, and expertise in laboratory animal medicine and technology. It supports research and teaching while promoting humane animal care and use in accordance with applicable regulations, accreditation standards, and University policies. The position is based at University of North Texas Health in Fort Worth. The regular schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with some rotating weekend on-call duties. The position includes physical work such as lifting up to 50 pounds, moving between worksites, working in confined spaces, and exposure to chemicals, noise, fumes or airborne particles, and moving mechanical parts or vibration.

Requirements

Registered Veterinary Technician certification and five years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Ability to achieve LAT or LATG certification within two years.
Attention to detail and accuracy in completing assignments.
Effective oral and written communication skills.
Ability to work as part of a team and independently with moderate supervision.
Ability to use logic and reasoning to assess alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Ability to recognize when something is wrong or likely to go wrong.
Ability to select appropriate training or instructional methods and procedures when learning or teaching.
Ability to react quickly and calmly in emergency situations.
Knowledge of, or ability to learn, policies, procedures, and guidelines established by professional organizations and governing agencies.

Nice To Haves

Completion of an AVMA-accredited veterinary technician program.
RVT or equivalent certification.

Responsibilities

Understand approved research studies and protocols to ensure appropriate animal care while preserving research integrity.
Learn how study procedures and genetic manipulations may affect animal health, and comply with applicable regulations, policies, and guidelines.
Assess animal health and pain using independent judgment and established standards of care; respond proactively and provide or coordinate treatment under veterinary direction.
Administer medications through oral, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous, and other approved routes.
Conduct daily clinical rounds to monitor treatments, health concerns, and post-operative recovery, and provide emergency care as needed or directed.
Prepare animals for and assist with veterinary medical and surgical procedures, including anesthesia preparation, monitoring and recovery, wound management, and euthanasia.
Perform examinations and coordinate routine maintenance such as nail trims, bathing, and hair brushing for applicable species.
Obtain fluid or tissue samples, process diagnostic samples in-house, and prepare samples for outside laboratory submission.
Maintain and review accurate, timely medical, treatment, intake, housing, enrichment, and electronic records.
Use and maintain veterinary equipment, potentially including anesthesia machines, ventilators, infusion and syringe pumps, stereotaxis equipment, suction, warming devices, and microscopes.
Maintain pharmacy and clinical supplies, dispense pharmaceuticals, order and stock supplies, maintain controlled substance records, prepare and autoclave instrument packs, and keep clinical areas clean and organized.
Participate in scheduled weekend and holiday coverage and support the veterinarian on call as assigned.
Provide husbandry coverage when operationally needed, including animal health observations, feeding and watering, cage changes, cage washing, sanitation, and related documentation.
Perform technical services that may include anesthesia preparation, monitoring and recovery; breeding colony support; animal identification; injections; sedation; euthanasia; tissue collection; and other approved procedures.
Accurately document time spent on treatments, supplies, and technical services for billing purposes.
Assist with training departmental staff, research personnel, and students.
Provide scheduled or requested instruction on restraint, identification, injections, tissue collection, anesthesia, asepsis, safety, clinical assessment, euthanasia, and other techniques that support animal welfare and quality research.
Prepare for and assist departmental leadership during AAALAC International, USDA, IACUC, and other regulatory or oversight visits.
Follow applicable regulations, policies, institutional procedures, and occupational health and safety requirements; identify and communicate potential compliance concerns.