Lab Animal Care Technician

Laboratory Animal Care Technician

The role of the Division of Animal Resources (DAR) is to facilitate research and teaching with animals at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. The Tufts Farm and Laboratory Animal Medicine Service (LAMS) are integral units of the DAR. We maintain teaching, research, and production animals. The role of the Laboratory Animal Medicine Service is to facilitate research and teaching with animals at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. To do this, LAMS develops and implements a high-quality program of animal care and use to enable the teaching and research activities of the school. This program is characterized by a high level of client service, strong veterinary expertise, effective technical service delivery, quality animal housing and care, compliance with federal and state regulations and maintenance of AAALAC accreditation.

What You'll Do

The Laboratory Animal Care Technician is a vital member of the integrated team responsible for the care of animals in the DAR. Provide excellent husbandry and care to a wide variety of laboratory and teaching animals. Specific animal duties include:

• Cleaning, feeding, and watering animals on a daily basis.
• Receive, properly identify, transport, handle and restrain animals by appropriate techniques. Report animal problems immediately to veterinary care staff
• Provide necessary enrichment for animals housed in this facility.
• Follow SOPs, regulations, and guidelines to promote animal health and welfare

Sanitization, Facility Maintenance and Equipment Operation

• Sanitize animal rooms, caging, animal use equipment and support areas with approved chemical agents by appropriate techniques.
• Operate equipment such as cage and rack washers, autoclaves, foggers, and vehicles for animal transport.
• Potential use of heavy equipment such as forklift, bobcat and hoist
• Follow health and safety policies by complying with established procedures and regulations to promote personnel safety.
• Maintain facility security to ensure animal and personnel safety

Recordkeeping

• Document and maintain daily animal census and animal health records with accuracy.
• Monitor environmental parameters daily through proper documentation and report any deviations immediately to the supervisor.
• Dispose of waste and hazardous items by executing established procedures
• Farm animal husbandry and care such as chickens, sheep, bovine, horses, goats, llamas etc.):
• All Animal Resources employees are cross trained to take care of various Farm animal species that belongs to the Farm Unit, so that they are able to fill in for their colleagues when needed.

Miscellaneous

• Administer medications. Assist Veterinarians and Investigators in procedures performed on laboratory and farm animals (ex. treatments, surgical assistance, pre- and post-operative care)
• Use of computer for e-mail access and data entry

What We're Looking For

Basic Requirements:

• 1 to 2 years' prior experience with animals either in a research or veterinary setting.
• H.S. Diploma
• A valid driver's license is required and must be maintained for the duration of employment.
• Comfortable using Microsoft Windows programs including Word, Excel, PowerPoint; Sirius, the e-mail network and internet.
• This position involves working with a variety of species; heavy lifting; frequent pushing and pulling of heavy equipment; standing for long periods; and use of autoclaves, cage washers, hoists; operating motor vehicles and forklift or bobcat.
• Employment may be contingent upon successfully obtaining and maintaining FBI security clearance for entry to select agent facilities (Bioterrorism Security Risk Assessment procedures).

Preferred Qualifications:

• A.A or A.S.degree
• Vocational training or AALAS certification preferred.
• Additional familiarity with research settings including all applicable federal and state regulations and guidelines would be preferred.
• The candidate should also be able to assist in maintaining inventory of consumables, routine equipment maintenance and attention to facilities.
• AALAS certification at ALAT or higher level is preferred.

Special Work Schedule Requirements (e.g. overtime, evenings, weekends, on call, rotating shifts, etc. Please note that the schedule of exempt employees may vary based on the needs of the department and it is not necessarily limited to a set number of hours.) Weekend and holiday hours will be required. Occasional off-hours work required.

This position will encompass one weekend day, Tues through Sat or Sun through Thurs if weekends are not handled on a rotational basis.

Pay Range: Minimum $20.50, Midpoint $24.40, Maximum $28.30 Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.