"Life Sciences Animal Technician II"

Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research (PAVIR) supports the nation's second largest research program conducted among the VA Hospitals and is looking for a full-time Life Sciences Animal Technician. The Life Sciences Animal Technician will work in the Research Service Veterinary Medical Unit (VMU) under the direction of the facility supervisor and the Veterinary Medical Officer. The primary purpose of this position is to provide assistance with routine day-to-day cleaning and maintenance of the facility and to practicing standardized animal husbandry procedures.

Schedule: Monday – Friday 6:30 am – 3 pm, weekend and holiday work will be required.

BENEFITS
PAVIR offers generous benefits, including comprehensive health insurance, vision, dental, 14 paid holidays, paid vacation time, sick pay, a 401(k) with a fully vested 6% company match and 3% profit share, a wellness program, commuter benefits, and professional development training. Plus, we pay for life, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance. Full time hours are 40 hours a week.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Properly maintain and use equipment required to work in the cage wash area, such as, but not limited to, the rack and tunnel washer, steam sterilizer, and bedding dump station.
• Maintain cleanliness of cage wash area and assigned procedure rooms.
• Assess and improve sanitation practices based on current health status.
• Process/clean equipment used by animals (including, but not limited to, racks, cages, water bottles, wire bar lids, and filter tops) through cage wash.
• Assist with synchronization of delivery of supplies to housing rooms and cage wash areas, facility maintenance/Engineering, pest control, and EMS pick up.
• Provide VMU management with a current caging and equipment inventory in a timely manner to assure that caging needs are consistently met and equipment shortages do not occur.
• Provide standard and specialized care for a diverse group of species including several species of transgenic mice and rats, hamsters, rabbits, pigs, amphibians, and sheep;
• Remove dead animals on a daily basis and report to veterinary staff;
• Check the condition of all cages on a daily basis and change cages as frequently as needed to assure an appropriate micro-environment for the animals;
• Maintain cleanliness of all equipment used by animals such as cages, water bottles, wire bar lids, and filter tops;
• Maintain cleanliness of animal rooms as well as support areas as assigned;
• Assess and improve sanitation practices based on current health status;
• Observe the general health status of all animals and identify signs of illness and disease;
• Assess rodent health and apply treatment and preventative measures;
• Communicate with veterinarian and PI staff on rodent health management;
• Assure successful operation of ventilated racks and hoods;
• Assure accuracy of light cycles and temperature ranges in the animal room;
• Inform VMU supervisor of any needed repairs in a timely fashion;
• Document the occurrence of any clinical problems that are observed in the animals;
• Communicate effectively with veterinary staff regarding these occurrences and provide follow up to the veterinary staff as well as the investigators;
• Perform rodent procedures such as blood draws, injections, and anesthesia;
• Monitor breeding and identification of all rodents in the colony and assure that required documentation is maintained to assure that all animals are properly identified;
• Develop and share solutions for operational challenges with VMU management;
• Support investigators as needed including providing trainings, maintaining specialized equipment or providing direct care and treatments for on-study animals
• Receive incoming animals, check shipping documents, and house them as described in the standard operating procedures;
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Required: HS diploma or equivalent experience;
• 2+ years' experience providing care to research animals including rodents and rabbits in a research setting, in collaboration with fellow caretakers, investigators, and veterinary staff. Animal caretaker may be continuing to refine these skills.
• Ability to work some weekend and holiday coverage, required.
• Desired: Ability to make judgment calls on rodent housing traffic based on health status;
• Knowledge of Atune animal tracking database;
• Ability to understand and follow instructions;
• Ability to prioritize and organize daily workload and adapt to changing priorities;
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, as well as a cooperative team member;
• Effective communication skills.