Animal Care Technician I or Animal Care Technician II

Job Summary

Are you looking for a job working with research animals? We offer a rewarding career with a flexible work environment. Animal Care staff provide routine and specialized animal husbandry and facility maintenance. If you are passionate about animals, supportive of biomedical research and want to learn how you can play a critical role within BRMS, we invite you to apply for this position. The animal program involves all aspects of animal use for research, teaching, and outreach.

BRMS is seeking an Animal Care Technician to join their team. This position will be responsible for performing routine and specialized animal husbandry tasks and general facility maintenance for the Clinical Sciences Center and Rennebohm Pharmacy vivaria in Biomedical Research Model Services (BRMS). These duties include general animal husbandry, feeding and watering animals, monitoring animal room environments, cleaning primary and secondary enclosures, receiving animals, preparing animals for transport, restraining, and handling animals, reporting sick and injured animals, general facility maintenance and housekeeping. This position interacts with researchers and veterinary staff as required. Other duties are to be assigned by the supervisor. This position would be working with rodents, guinea pigs, rabbits and swine. We offer flexible hours after passing the probationary period, holiday pay, extra hourly differential pay for weekend hours worked as well as additional hourly pay for each level of AALAS certification.

• This position requires work to be completed onsite, at a designated campus work location.
• Monday through Friday 7:00a.m.- 3:30p.m. Occasional weekend and holiday work required.
• Applicants for this position will be considered for the following titles Animal Care Technician I and Animal Technician II. The title is determined by the experience and qualifications of the finalist. The responsibilities in this job posting are for the Animal Care Technician I title. An Animal Care Technician II will perform tasks more independently, assist with training students and new staff, and collect samples from animals and administer medications, injections and treatments according to the established protocols and procedures to be used for diagnostic tests and research.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Inspects and reports equipment problems to ensure optimal and safe operation
• Maintains organization of and updates records related to research procedures
• Observes animal behavior, performs basic animal care and reports concerns to the appropriate entities to contribute to the health and well-being of animals to support research and teaching.
• Inventories, cleans, and maintains organization of animal holding spaces and supplies
• Assists with preparing food and formulas and feeds animals according to established schedules and specifications.

Department

School of Medicine and Public Health, Biomedical Research Model Services, Animal Care

Biomedical Research Model Services is here to assist researchers in making significant discoveries in biological and medical science while ensuring the health and well-being of all animals in our care. Our goal is to maintain facilities and provide services and care that exceed the standards of regulatory and funding agencies. We strive to create a safe and welcoming workplace.

Compensation

The starting hourly wage for the position is $19.00 per hour; but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits.

Required Qualifications

• Physical ability to sit, stand, bend, reach, squat, twist and push carts, bedding, feed bags and equipment up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions.
• Proficient computer skills such as emailing, comfortable using the internet and completing online forms.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and with a team.
• Good communication and organization skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least 6 months of animal care experience with small and/or large animals.
• Experience in working in a research setting.
• Knowledge of acceptable animal husbandry procedures.
• Familiarity with the University requirement concerning Responsible Use and Care of Animals in Research and Training and the Guide to the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
• Knowledge of animal health records maintenance and ability to perform animal health checks.
• AALAS Certification (ALAT, LAT or LATG).

Education

High School Diploma preferred

How to Apply

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To apply for this position, select either “I am a current employee” or “I am not a current employee” under . You will then be prompted to upload your application materials.

Important: The application has only one attachment field. Upload the following documents in that field, either as a single combined file or as multiple files in the same upload area.

• Cover letter required
• Resume

Your cover letter should address how your training and experience aligns with the required and preferred qualifications listed above. Application reviewers will rely on these written materials to determine which applicants move forward in the process. References will be requested from final candidates. All applicants will be notified once the search concludes and a candidate is selected.

University sponsorship is not available for this position, including transfers of sponsorship and TN visas. The selected applicant will be responsible for ensuring their continuous eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment. This position is an ongoing position that will require continuous work eligibility. If you are selected for this position, you must provide proof of work authorization and eligibility to work.