Husbandry Technician II - Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

The duties and responsibilities contained in the job description are intended to be examples of the accountabilities for which the person in the position will demonstrate competency through performance. The job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list. Duties and responsibilities are subject to change and other duties may be assigned as necessary.

Position Summary:

Under direct supervision from the Animal Facility Manager, and sometimes with instruction from the Lead Husbandry Technician, the Husbandry Technician II will be responsible for husbandry activities related to the care of laboratory research mice and rats. This position involves a range of tasks and functions that are typically essential to continue critical vivarium operations.

Duties and Responsibilities:

All tasks are performed according to institute and industry SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)

Husbandry Duties (approximately 80%)

• Checks cages daily for adequate food and water and replenishes feed and water bottle as needed
• Changes cages following the 10-day cage change cycle
• Checks cage cards for accuracy of information and corrects information as needed
• Maintains animal room activity logs and husbandry records
• Maintains changing hoods, ventilated animal housing racks and related work equipment.
• Performs daily animal health checks and reports observed health conditions to Laboratory Animal Technicians (LATs)
• Restocks room supplies and maintains common use storage and procedure support areas
• Cleans and maintains assigned animal rooms, surrounding support areas and procedure labs
• May perform routine animal health treatments
• May perform technical procedures such as blood collection and injections
• May cross-train with LAT staff, and perform breeding colony maintenance procedures, such as weaning mouse litters and ear notching mice

Cage Room Duties (approximately 20%)

• Assists with cage washrooms as needed or when scheduled
• Washes rodent cages and related caging accessories
• Operates the tunnel washer and rack washer machines
• Organizes the cleaned caging and accessories
• Prepares caging for autoclaving and operates the steam autoclave
• Operates the bedding dispenser and adds nesting material to bedding filled cages
• Participates in required EH&S and department training courses
• Prepares cleaning solutions and labels stock solutions with preparation date
• Performs rodent euthanasia
• Cleans and restocks procedure rooms

• Perform other related tasks, duties and responsibilities as required, assigned or directed.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: High School diploma required.

Experience: One (1) year animal-related work experience, or an equivalent combination of education, training and/or experience from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been attained

Certifications, Licenses, etc: None required. ALAT or LAT certification preferred

Knowledge, Skills and/or Abilities:

• Work independently as well as in a team environment
• Strong written and oral communication and interpersonal skills
• Possess good time management and organizational skills
• Adhere to department and institute safety and occupational health policies and procedures while demonstrating competency in safety protocols
• Maintain compliance with all training requirements
• Professional proficiency in Microsof Office, including Outlook

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Direct: None
• Indirect: None

Work Environment:

The vivarium is a specialized facility designed for the housing and care of laboratory animals, providing a controlled environment that ensures their health and well-being. This space is equipped with state-of-the-art housing units, environmental monitoring systems, and procedure areas. The vivarium maintains strict adherence to ethical guidelines and regulatory standards to promote humane treatment.

The atmosphere is typically collaborative, with researchers, animal care staff, and the veterinarian working closely together. Staff are required to follow established protocols for animal handling, care, and record-keeping to ensure compliance and safety.

The vivarium environment is characterized by its clean and organized layout, designed for efficiency and ease of access to research animals. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is mandatory to maintain hygiene and protect the health status of the colony.

Regular training sessions are conducted to keep staff informed about best practices in animal care, welfare, and safety procedures. Overall, the vivarium provides a dynamic work environment that emphasizes compassion, scientific integrity, and dedication to animal research.

The work environment contains rodent animal dander and bedding dust particles.

Work Schedule:

Ability to work one of the defined work schedules: 6:30-3:00 or 7:00-3:30 Monday through Friday

Physical Requirements:

Ability to pass post-employment physical as required by OLAW (Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare)

Must wear institute supplied scrubs, face mask, shoe covers and hair bonnet as well as other task-related personnel protective equipment including face shield or goggles, heat resistant autoclave gloves, nitrile or chemical resistant gloves, apron, and back support belt

Working in a vivarium involves specific physical capabilities, including:

• Standing and Walking: Ability to stand for extended periods and move around the facility to attend to animal needs and maintenance.
• Lifting and Carrying: Capability to lift, carry, and stack feed and bedding bags that typically weigh up to 40 pounds; and move heavy equipment (mouse housing racks and carts loaded with water bottles or caging supplies), using proper lifting, pushing or pulling techniques.
• Manual Dexterity: Proficiency in handling small animals and using various tools and equipment with precision.
• Repetitive Motions: Comfort with repetitive tasks involved with animal care such as feeding, cage changing and animal health checks; and animal holding room and procedure room janitorial tasks
• Bending and Stooping: Flexibility to remove and hold rodent cages from various heights within their holding rack (cages weigh 8 lbs,) for cage changing and animal health check
• Visual Acuity: Ability to observe animal behavior and health, distinguishing subtle changes that may indicate issues.

Compensation:

• The expected compensation for this position is $21-$23/hour commensurate with experience.

Sanford Burnham Prebys celebrates the rich diversity of our scientists, students and staff, who hail from more than 30 countries. Our diverse and inclusive environment catalyzes innovation and fuels discovery, enhancing the value and impact of our research.

We welcome talented individuals of all backgrounds regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, military or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

If you need an accommodation seeking employment with Sanford Burnham Prebys, please email accommodations@sbpdiscovery.org. Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis.