Animal Surgical Technician - Associate Scientist

Animal Surgical Technician - Associate Scientist

The Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI) has a part-time opportunity for an experienced Animal Surgical Technician to support the research being conducted at Hennepin Healthcare.

The large animal surgical technician will work part-time up to 25/hours per week with the possibility of moving to full-time as department needs require. The HHRI Lurie Resuscitation Research Program is a world-renowned translational cardiovascular research laboratory focused on developing the next generation of life-saving technologies for cardiac arrest and critical care. Our multidisciplinary team of physicians, engineers, veterinarians, and scientists conducts sophisticated preclinical studies in porcine models to evaluate innovative CPR devices, circulatory support technologies, airway management systems, and other interventions designed to improve survival and neurological recovery. Research performed in our laboratory directly supports FDA regulatory submissions, NIH-funded programs, and multicenter clinical trials. The Associate Scientist will play a central role in this mission by serving as the primary large animal surgical technician responsible for anesthesia, perioperative management, surgical support, physiologic monitoring, and collection of high-quality research data that advances innovations from the laboratory to patient care.

This is an onsite position requiring a consistent presence on our campus in downtown Minneapolis, MN.

Position Summary

The Associate Scientist serves as the primary large animal surgical technician for a translational cardiovascular research program utilizing porcine models. This position is responsible for preparing, anesthetizing, instrumenting, monitoring, recovering, and providing perioperative care for research animals during complex acute and chronic preclinical studies conducted under GLP-like and IACUC-approved protocols.

The individual works closely with physicians, veterinarians, engineers, and research scientists to execute sophisticated surgical procedures, collect physiologic data, maintain compliance with regulatory requirements, and ensure the highest standards of animal welfare. This position also assists with study planning, laboratory operations, equipment maintenance, documentation, and training of research personnel.

Essential Job Functions

Primary Responsibilities

Serve as the lead surgical technician for porcine cardiovascular research studies.

• Coordinate all aspects of perioperative animal care for acute and chronic porcine research studies.
• Prepare animals for surgical procedures including sedation, anesthesia, intubation, catheter placement, and physiologic monitoring.
• Perform advanced surgical assistance during complex cardiovascular research procedures.
• Establish arterial, venous, and central vascular access using sterile technique.
• Monitor anesthetic depth, ventilation, hemodynamics, blood gases, temperature, and physiologic parameters throughout procedures.
• Calculate, prepare, and administer anesthetics, analgesics, vasoactive medications, anticoagulants, antibiotics, and other study medications.
• Operate ventilators, physiologic monitoring equipment, infusion pumps, blood gas analyzers, and data acquisition systems.
• Provide emergency intraoperative support including CPR, airway management, hemorrhage control, and advanced life support interventions.
• Recover animals safely following anesthesia and provide postoperative monitoring and care.
• Perform humane euthanasia consistent with approved protocols and AVMA Guidelines.

Research Operations

• Execute IACUC-approved research protocols.
• Assist investigators with development and optimization of surgical models.
• Collect physiologic, laboratory, imaging, and procedural data.
• Ensure complete and accurate study documentation.
• Assist with necropsy procedures and tissue collection.
• Prepare specimens for downstream laboratory analysis.

Laboratory Operations

• Maintain surgical suites and research laboratories.
• Maintain surgical instruments.
• Maintain anesthesia machines and monitoring equipment.
• Order and ensure adequate inventory of surgical supplies.
• Coordinate equipment calibration and preventive maintenance.
• Assist with laboratory quality assurance activities.

Regulatory Compliance

• Help maintain compliance with:
• IACUC
• USDA
• AAALAC
• NIH
• FDA GLP (where applicable)
• Institutional biosafety policies
• Ensure animal welfare standards are maintained throughout all procedures.
• Participate in protocol development and protocol amendments.
• Assist during internal and external regulatory inspections.

Employment Standards

Education/Experience:

Any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge and skills is qualifying. Typical qualifications would be a Bachelor's degree in Veterinary Technology, Animal Science, Biology, Physiology, or a related life science field preferred. Veterinary Technician (CVT/LVT/RVT) certification is highly desirable.

Minimum of 2 years of experience in large animal research, veterinary surgery, or translational biomedical research, preferably utilizing porcine models.

Preferred qualifications include experience with:

• Large animal anesthesia
• Porcine surgical models
• Cardiovascular or critical care research
• GLP or GLP-like studies
• FDA-regulated preclinical studies
• IACUC compliance
• AAALAC-accredited research programs

Skill, Knowledge & Ability (SKA):

The successful candidate will demonstrate extensive knowledge and practical experience in large animal surgery and perioperative care, including:

• General anesthesia induction, maintenance, and recovery
• Endotracheal intubation
• Mechanical ventilation
• Vascular access including arterial and venous catheterization
• Surgical aseptic technique
• Physiologic monitoring and troubleshooting
• Administration of anesthetic and emergency medications
• Recognition and management of intraoperative emergencies
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation in large animals
• Humane euthanasia according to AVMA Guidelines
• Animal handling and restraint

Additional qualifications include:

• Excellent organizational and documentation skills
• Strong communication skills within multidisciplinary research teams
• Ability to work independently while exercising sound clinical judgment
• Familiarity with FDA, USDA, GLP, AAALAC, NIH, and IACUC requirements
• Experience maintaining detailed laboratory records and research documentation
• Ability to troubleshoot research equipment and physiologic monitoring systems

HHRI is an Equal Opportunity Employer