Animal Care Technician I

Perform a variety of duties to ensure the care, maintenance and husbandry for the rodent population of the Hospital’s Core Animal Facility. This is a 40hr/wk position and may involve working weekends and holidays.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES AND STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE:

Responsibility 1. Maintain animal care and cleanliness of the facility. Weight 80%

Standards:

1.1 Provide daily / as needed care to population of MRC core animal facility.

1.2 Check and fill all water bottles, monitor automatic watering systems.

1.3 Change bedding in pans and cages as needed, directed.

1.4 Sweep and mop all floors in all animal housing rooms.

1.5 Clean all cages, racks and bottles as needed.

1.6 Monitor operations of barrier rack systems and care for transgenic mouse population, following precaution techniques and protocols at all times.

1.7 Record temperature and humidity in all holding rooms, and sanitation cycle temperature strips in log books, for review by inspectors as required.

1.8 Report all animal health problems to supervisor and veterinarian-on-call.

1.9 Report all mechanical problems to supervisor.

Responsibility 2. Maintain equipment and supplies related to animal care. Weight 20%

Standards:

2.1 Assure maintenance (routine as well as service calls) of cage washer, including regular cleaning.

2.2 Assure maintenance of all cages, racks, pans, bottles, sipper tubes, automatic waterers, and filters.

2.3 Monitor inventory of all supplies (including transgenic inventories), and reorder when necessary. Monitor "mill dates" on all food purchases and monitor quality of all bedding purchases, reporting problems to supervisor.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS: High School Diploma or equivalent

LICENSURE: None required.

SKILLS: Familiarity with animal facilities and techniques

EXPERIENCE: Some lab animal experience is preferred but eager candidates without experience will be considered.

WORKING CONDITIONS: Animal facility

• Bending and lifting is required for movement of equipment, food, bedding and animals.
• This is a 40hr/wk position and involves working weekends on a rotating schedule

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EFFORT:

• Good physical condition for heavy lifting. Should be able to lift animal cages in and out of cage washer and lift and stack 50 lb. bags of food and bedding. Position also includes a lot of repetitive motion such as walking and standing 2-4 hours at a time, bending and twisting back, squatting and reaching above shoulder height.
• Good Animal handling skills
• Some computer literacy
• Sound analytical and organizational skills
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Must be able to logically and effectively structure tasks and set priorities
• Ability to identify potential problems and troubleshoot solutions
• The ability to report to work and be retained at work in the event of a disaster, or weather-related event, if necessary.
• The ability to possibly work on weekends, holidays, and off hours.