Animal Care Technician at Southern Research

General Summary

This position is responsible for providing animal care and husbandry. The Animal Care Technician in the animal facility has a basic understanding of the principles involved in providing animal care and husbandry and a proven ability to work well in a team setting. This position is a member of an animal care team led by the Group Leader. This position reports directly to the Supervisor, Veterinary Services who will have direct management responsibility.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

· Handles and works with laboratory animals and the equipment, supplies, and materials required to provide for humane conditions.

· Executes key activities to maintain the care of laboratory animals, including but not limited to:

o Cleans cages, equipment, and work area, and decontaminates animal rooms, this includes operating sanitizing equipment.

o Provides support to the animal care facility. This includes, but is not limited to: vermin control, measuring and recording facility environmental factors (light intensity, directional airflow, quantitative airflow, water sample collection, timer checks, etc.), air filter changes, and lab cleaning/decontamination.

o Provides clean housing, feed, water and appropriate enrichment for animals housed in the facility.

o Gathers experimental data by measuring and recording body weights and temperatures, qualitative and quantitative food and water consumption, and observation of physical condition.

o Transfers animals and animal identification to clean caging/racks, and materials from storage to work areas.

o Transports laboratory equipment and materials to and from animal rooms.

o Observes animals twice daily and reports abnormal findings to appropriate individual(s).

o Stores feed, bedding, materials and equipment.

o Operates and adjusts animal watering system.

o Provides environmental enrichment and/or socialization to animals as directed.

o Does general handling and restraint of animals.

o Verifies and documents the operational status of various pieces of equipment and environmental conditions in animal facilities.

· Observes appropriate safety and study requirements by reading, understanding, and following Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) and study protocols.

· Assists the supervisor, manager, and veterinarian as necessary.

Requirements/Minimum Qualifications

· High school diploma or equivalent with 1 year of related experience.

· Ability to work overtime when necessary and participate in weekend/holiday rotations

· Demonstrated ability to handle and restrain animals

· Ability to work in a team environment and willingness to learn new tasks

Core Values

Cultivating human connection – putting people first. We know that every individual makes a difference and that no one can do it alone. We believe the world's most powerful resource is human potential. We are an inclusive and courageous team where innovation and diversity of though go hand in hand. We understand that relationships move at the speed of trust.

Operating with precise execution – measuring what matters and owning results as a team. We leverage data to drive decisions that advance science. We recognize the importance of a stable foundation coupled with an agile mindset. We hold ourselves accountable and take pride in our work. We give and receive candid feedback as a gift that keeps us growing.

Harnessing relentless curiosity – our unstoppable, innovative force. We are driven to ask sharp questions and push the boundaries of knowledge. We use creativity and critical thinking as catalysts for finding solutions that change lives. We learn by doing, consistently striving to improve our relationships, training, methodologies, questions and results.

Stewarding a healthy community – implementing sustainable operations for a safe, engaging environment. We don't compromise on safety and health for our employees, customers or community. We believe a healthy community begins with inclusive economic opportunities. We respect the dignity of the patients we ultimately serve. We are motivated to serve communities that are underserved and markets that are overlooked.

Job Specific Behaviors

Attention to detail - Utilizes established monitoring system(s), ensures accuracy of and records data in a timely manner.

Communicates effectively - Creates a team environment in which information flows freely and decision-making is based on a win-win philosophy.

Planning and Organization - Systematically identifies issues to be addressed and present them to the supervisor with possible course of action.

Physical Demands

This position requires significant physical exertion including:

· Standing, walking, or climbing for extended periods of time

· Lifting, pulling, or pushing heavy objects (sometimes in excess of 50 lbs.)

· Perform repetitive and strenuous activities that require standing, stopping, or crouching by bending at the waist or legs

· Clear vision with corrective lenses at 20 feet or more

· Fine motor skills and manual dexterity

· Withstanding exposure to constant and intermittent high noise levels

This position is in a BSL-2/3 animal facility environment and requires the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) including (but not limited to):

· Eye protection (safety glasses and full-face shield)

· Close toed shoes

· Respirator (varies based on tasks and barrier requirements)

· Tyvek/scrub suits

· Nitrile and latex gloves (varies based on tasks)

· Hearing protection (varies based on tasks)

Immunizations are required for this position and are determined by the study/agent. Some examples include Tetanus, Hepatitis B, Smallpox, Polio, and Influenza