Animal Care Technician

Animal Care Technician

Company:
Villanova University

Job Location:
Villanova, 19085

Category:
Laboratory and Research

Type:
Full-Time

Posting Number: 20260109S

Location
Villanova, PA

Work Schedule: full-time/12-months

Department: 281-Office of Grants & Contracts

Position Summary

Why work at Villanova?

• Join a mission-driven organization. Since Villanova University's founding in 1842, we have been inspired by the values of truth, unity, and love, and are a community dedicated to service to others.
• Villanova has been included among the nation's best colleges and universities. VU's inclusion again in U.S. News & World Report's 2025 "Best Colleges" rankings is another indication of the University's continued prominence and forward momentum.
• Villanova's most precious asset is our people. As an employee, you will receive a holistic benefits package, generous paid time off, a competitive retirement savings plan, flexible work options, wellness programs including gym membership, professional development, tuition assistance, and more.

The Animal Care Technician conducts routine daily animal welfare checks, performs routine husbandry procedures, and assists the Animal Care Facilities Manager in management of vivarium programs and facility maintenance. The Animal Care Technician also maintains the vivarium and other animal housing areas, assists with procurement of animals and supplies, trains staff or students in safe handling of animals and other procedures as needed, and provides support to faculty investigators in conducting research in alignment with institutional and regulatory guidelines.

Note: This position may require occasional work on weekends/after hours and some holidays.

Villanova is a Catholic university sponsored by the Augustinian Order. The University is an equal opportunity employer and seeks candidates who understand, respect and can contribute to the University's mission and values.

Duties and Responsibilities

Animal Husbandry and Daily Care
Performs daily husbandry duties including animal care and daily welfare checks, feeding, watering, physical environment monitoring and cage sanitation without undue disruption to experimental schedules. Cleaning, maintaining, and sterilizing equipment used for animal care and research.

Facility and Equipment Maintenance Support
Assists the Animal Care Facilities Manager in facility maintenance required for animal care areas including maintaining cleanliness of animal housing rooms and vivarium facilities overall, monitoring of environmental controls in the facility, as well as operation and maintenance of vivarium equipment (cage washers, floor scrubbers, and sterilization equipment) and routine checks of emergency equipment (showers, eye wash).

Research Protocol Familiarization and Researcher Collaboration
Become familiar with all research project protocols as it relates to daily husbandry needs of the animals. Interact and consult directly with researchers regarding care and use of research animals.

Recordkeeping and Documentation
Maintain accurate daily records documenting feeding schedules, cleaning schedules, and other required husbandry tasks as completed.

Materials Handling and Supply Management
Receive, move, and stack animal feed, bedding, and supplies.

Compliance and Training Adherence
Understand and comply with all animal facility and IACUC SOPs. Stay current with all training requirements.

Perform other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

Formal Education

• High school diploma required.

Minimum Work Experience

• 0-2 years' related experience
• Possesses strong interpersonal skills, oral and written communication skills, and ability to give and follow oral and written instructions in English.
• Able to follow local, state, federal and University regulations, guidelines and policies
• Proven time management and organizational skills with the ability to prioritize tasks and plan workloads to meet deadlines.
• Required to maintain discretion and confidentiality in all professional matters.
• Ability to manage protocol requirements for several projects running simultaneously
• Ability to manage schedule changes or disruptions while ensuring required tasks are completed

Preferred Qualifications

Associate's degree in science field, Veterinary Technician license, and AALAS Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) or Laboratory Animal Technician (LAT) certification preferred.
Experience working in laboratory settingpreferred but technical skills will be trained upon hire.

Working knowledge of federal regulations pertinent to animal research.

Experience working with a variety of small animals.
Ability to use instrumentation needed to monitor and maintain laboratory environmental conditions and settings
Able to operate and troubleshoot necessary facility equipment (cage wash, bottle wash, autoclave, floor scrubbers, cage dumping equipment etc.)

Physical Requirements and/or Unusual Work Hours

Tools, machinery and equipment used: carbon dioxide and oxygen tanks, cage washing equipment, and other specialized equipment as required for the treatment and care of the animals. Computer, telephone, copier and other standard office equipment. Ability to utilize computer software including Word and Excel to conduct any record documentation.

Environmental conditions: (any unusual/adverse conditions such as exposure to chemicals, noise, illumination, air quality, weather exposure etc.) Exposure to animal or food allergens. Exposure to laboratory chemicals is possible. Employees in this position will participate in an occupational health surveillance program.

Physical requirements: (items such as lifting, pushing, pulling, standing or sitting for extended periods of time, manual dexterity, walking etc.) Indoor position with manual labor, required to work on-site. Frequent lifting must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. and push and pull heavy loads of equipment. Typically standing or walking including on slippery surfaces, intermittently stooping, crouching, bending. Required to wear personal protective equipment for up to 6 hours at a time (gloves, eye protection, masks and/or respirators).

Other: Ability to work on weekends/after hours and some holidays.

Salary Posting Information

This position falls within hourly grade 10 and the range is $23.08-24.40/hr. The final salary will be determined with consideration of several factors including the selected candidate's qualifications, department budget availability, market data, and internal equity.

Salary Grade
10