approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly established School of Medicine.

About the College/Unit/Department: The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, founded in 1946, is dedicated to training future veterinarians, providing services to animal owners and veterinarians, and conducting investigations to improve the health of animals as well as people. The college benefits pets and their owners, food-producing animals, and wildlife by offering the highest quality hospital and diagnostic laboratory services. Equipped with the most technologically advanced facilities located on a university campus, the college is dedicated to safeguarding public health by studying emerging infectious diseases that affect both animal and human health. The College of Veterinary Medicine values all members of the university community, recognizing that differences in experience and culture can only lead to a more well-rounded, accepting academic environment as embodied in our Principles of Community.

College/Unit/Department website: www.vet.uga.edu

Posting Type: External

Retirement Plan: TRS

Employment Type: Employee

Benefits Eligibility: Benefits Eligible

Full/Part time: Full Time

Additional Schedule Information: Typical schedule: M-F, 7 am – 4 pm. Rotating weekends and holidays required.

Advertised Salary: $41,500 - $52,000 - commensurate with experience

Posting Date: 07/28/2026

Open until filled: Yes

Proposed Starting Date: 08/30/2026

Location of Vacancy: Athens Area

Classification Title: Animal Care Technician II

FLSA: Non-Exempt

FTE: 1.00

Minimum Qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent and 2 years of related experience

Position Summary: This is a high containment laboratory animal husbandry position at the Animal Health Research Center (AHRC), an AAALC accredited animal facility. This position will perform all aspects of high containment animal husbandry with various species of laboratory and agricultural animals in ABSL-2, ABSL-3, and ABSL3-Ag environments. Animal husbandry duties include, but are not limited to, daily health observations, feeding and watering animals, cleaning caging, receiving, identifying and transporting animals, and providing and monitoring environmental enrichment. The position may require veterinary technical assistance such as blood, tissue, weight, temperature and urine/fecal collections, administering prophylactic and/or terminal treatments and injections, and more. The incumbent will be expected to perform routine cleaning and sanitation duties such as decontaminating, cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing cages, animal rooms, primary enclosures, ancillary areas, and equipment. Duties also include setting up and breaking down laboratories, operating large equipment like autoclaves, cage washers, biosafety cabinets, etc., providing some facility level training, perform minor preventative maintenance and facility monitoring, and maintaining important documentation (room logs, autoclave/cage washer logs, select agent tracking logs, etc.). The incumbent will be expected to perform all duties in various levels of personal protective equipment (PPE) when in active laboratories and adhere to strict standard operating procedures. Multiple daily showers are required as part of facility biocontainment policies. Participation in pre-study meetings, continuing education, and training classes is expected. This position will require federal approval to work in certain laboratories and requires rotating weekend and holiday work. Incumbent must participate in the UGA Occupational Health program.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies: Experience handling various animal species, working in a veterinary, research or laboratory setting, experience working in ABSL-2, ABSL-3, or ABSL-3Ag environments, and/or basic understanding of infectious disease research strategies is preferred. Developed communication and critical thinking skills, situational awareness, observational skills, and a desire to promote and foster teamwork while still being able to work independently. Ability to listen and take direction. Able to adapt quickly to changing priorities when required.

Physical Demands: 1. Sustained periods of standing, bending, stooping, reaching above shoulder level and lifting 50 pounds. Work may be physically demanding involving the transport, relocation and positioning of supplies and caging equipment. 2. Work under challenging environmental conditions (high humidity/temperature, unpleasant odors, animal excreta and noise) while wearing PPE. 3. Work involves exposure to biohazards, chemicals, and/or physical risks, which requires following established safety procedures. 4. Daily showers (2+) (required). The incumbent is required to wear various PPE (PAPRS, protective clothing, respirators, gloves, etc.) and stand on hard surfaces for prolonged periods of time. 5. Handle and treat multiple species of animals including large hoofstock in relatively confined spaces.

Duties/Responsibilities

Performs daily animal care and husbandry duties for research animals in an ABSL-3/ABSL-3Ag facility including feeding, watering, animal handling/transport, animal health checks, cage changing, providing enrichment and environmental monitoring, communicating and reporting animal health issues, restocking and cleaning animal holding rooms, and maintaining animal clinical records. Ensures animal welfare meets all local, state, and federal regulations. (50%)

Decontaminates, cleans, and sanitizes animal rooms, ancillary areas, primary enclosures and caging equipment following established procedures and schedules. Operates equipment such as; autoclaves, bedding dump stations, IVC racks, chemical foamer/sprayers, biosafety cabinets, and cage washers. Sets up and breaks down laboratories with various research schedules. Maintains established sanitation and maintenance schedules. (30%)

Maintains and stocks appropriate supplies and equipment inventories. Performs minor preventative maintenance duties on animal care and ancillary equipment ensuring it is maintained and functioning at optimal performance. Performs and assists with facility annual performance verifications, administering some facility trainings, and monitoring the integrated pest management program. (10%)

Initiates and maintains compliance records such as animal room logs, sanitation logs, autoclave logs, census activity sheets, select agent tracking logs etc. Assists in standard operating procedures development. Performs and assists with technical services such as; blood/tissue/weight/temp collections and administering animal medications. Participates in multiple training classes as prescribed and participates in UGA Occupational Health & Safety program. Performs weekend and holiday duties as scheduled; and other duties as assigned. Provides assistance and resources to facility users and departmental staff. (10%)