Animal Cage Wash Technician

Position Highlights

University Animal Care, at the University of Arizona, is in search of an Animal Cage Wash Technician. The primary duties include processing dirty caging, dumping bedding, hosing out caging, and loading equipment into cage or tunnel washers to be cleaned. The incumbent also unloads cage and tunnel washers, assembles clean caging, and prepares caging for autoclaving. The Animal Cage Wash Technician is responsible for facility laundry and may assist in the repair of caging and changing of racks.

University Animal Care (UAC) manages multiple centralized animal facilities at the University of Arizona and oversees the campus wide animal care and use program. UAC provides assistance to scientists, physicians, staff, and students who have received Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approval to perform research, testing, or educational studies on animal subjects. UAC ensures humane and appropriate animal care and use by providing for the animals daily needs, veterinary care, and monitoring the use of the animals by principal investigators, technical personnel, and students. UAC is devoted to maintaining a safe environment that minimizes the risk of disease or injury to the animals and the personnel who work with them. UAC maintains accreditation by AAALAC International, the gold standard for animal care and use programs.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Duties & Responsibilities

Clean side cage wash duties:

• Unload cage wash machines.
• Assemble clean caging.
• Prepare clean cages for autoclaving.
• Load dryers and fold clean facility laundry.
• Clean cage wash support areas.
• May assist with the repair of caging.
• May assist with rack changes.

Dirty side cage wash duties:

• Breakdown caging and dump dirty bedding.
• Hose down caging and load cage wash machines with equipment.
• Remove facility trash.
• Autoclave hazardous waste.
• Load washes with dirty facility laundry.
• Clean cage wash support areas.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong time management and computer skills.

Physical Requirements

• Able to perform work that requires continuous bending, stooping, twisting, standing and walking.
• Able to perform work that requires reaching overhead, pushing and pulling equipment.
• Able to perform repetitive hand motions (dumping and filling caging, loading and unloading racks, autoclaves, and tunnel washer).
• Able to work in a wet and humid environment in the dirty side cage wash area.
• Able to be medically cleared to wear a respirator.
• Able to work in environments where noise levels require shouting to be heard when tunnel washers are in operation; hearing protection is provided.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or high school diploma equivalency is required.