Animal Care Technician

Animal Care Technician

The Animal Care Technician applies technical knowledge and animal husbandry skills to support the daily care, health, and well-being of research animals. This role focuses on performing routine health observations, maintaining clean and safe housing environments, monitoring facility conditions, and ensuring accurate documentation of all activities. The technician plays a key role in maintaining high standards of animal welfare and facility operations while working collaboratively within a dedicated team.

Responsibilities

• Perform daily observations of animals to assess health status and behavior, promptly reporting any changes in the animals or their environment.
• Conduct environmental monitoring of vivarium spaces and accurately complete all associated documentation.
• Change and clean cages, racks, equipment, water bottles, and food containers to maintain sanitary and comfortable housing conditions.
• Unpack, inspect, and properly house animals upon arrival in accordance with established procedures and standard operating practices.
• Carry out janitorial maintenance of facility rooms, including routine cleaning tasks and general upkeep to ensure a safe and orderly environment.
• Stock and restock supplies as needed to ensure that all areas of the facility remain well supplied for daily operations.
• Perform preventative maintenance on animal facility equipment and supplies to support reliable and safe functioning.
• Complete monthly sanitization of equipment and the facility in alignment with established cleaning schedules and protocols.
• Maintain accurate records of animals, supplies, and equipment, ensuring that logs, inventory, and documentation are kept current and organized.
• Follow basic standard operating procedures (SOPs) and lab safety practices at all times, contributing to a culture of safety and compliance.
• Collaborate effectively with team members in the vivarium, supporting shared responsibilities and communicating clearly during the shift.
• Demonstrate flexibility to work overtime, weekends, and holidays as needed, recognizing this role as essential to animal care and facility operations.

Essential Skills

• Demonstrated experience in animal care or animal husbandry, with a minimum of one year of experience in animal care considered helpful for success in this role.
• Ability to perform thorough cleaning and sterilization of cages, equipment, and facility spaces in accordance with established procedures.
• Hands-on experience working with mice in a research or animal facility setting.
• Proficiency in cage wash operations and related equipment handling within an animal facility.
• Strong understanding of basic animal husbandry principles, including feeding, watering, and monitoring of animals.
• Ability to follow written and verbal standard operating procedures (SOPs) and lab safety guidelines accurately.
• Attention to detail and accuracy in maintaining records of animals, supplies, equipment, and environmental monitoring data.
• Flexibility to work overtime as needed, as well as weekends and holidays, due to the essential nature of the position.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent technical certificate is required.
• Pursuit of Purina and/or AALAS certification at the ALAT level is desired, with attainment required after the first year of employment.
• Interest in ongoing professional development in animal care and research support, with potential growth into roles such as Research Associate.
• Strong work ethic and commitment to high standards of animal welfare and facility cleanliness.
• Ability to learn and adhere to lab safety practices and regulatory expectations in a vivarium environment.
• Good communication skills and a positive, team-oriented mindset to contribute to an excellent company culture.
• Comfort working in a structured environment with established procedures and documentation requirements.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Yonkers, NY.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $20.00 - $21.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Yonkers,NY.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 30, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.