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Animal Care Technician Typical Duties:
The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI) and Division of Animal Resources (DAR) invites applicants to apply for an outstanding opportunity to join our Team as an Animal Care Technician. Animal Care Technicians are responsible for cleaning of a variety of soiled animal cages and racks. The incumbent will clean, disinfect and sterilize animal cages using the guidelines established by the regulatory authorities and the Division. The responsibilities of the position will be for the health, care and husbandry of animals under the direct care of the incumbent. You will be responsible for assigned animals, which each animal will be cared for humanely, following the guidelines established by the national regulatory agencies and the Division of Animal Resources.The incumbent must observe animals daily for sickness or signs of distress and immediately report any of these conditions to the reporting supervisor or the clinical veterinarian. Additionally, must perform daily inspections of the animal rooms for repairs and environmental needs and supply requirements. Must be familiar with disease control procedures and be able to handle animals accordingly; be able to perform weekly or as needed, cleaning assignments for areas outside of vivarium; be able to work with little or no supervision once trained on assigned tasks. Annual safety requirements will be completed to include; fit testing, TB testing and drug screening. Training will be given on how to dump soiled bedding into appropriate containers, and disposing of bags of soiled bedding. Loading the cages into cage wash equipment, and unloading and stacking the clean cages. Transporting the cages to cage preparation areas. The VCU, Division of Animal Resources maintains and checks on the research animals 365 days a year. The Animal Care Tech position is a Monday-Friday position, however some weekend and holiday work is required.
Further duties as listed below is included for the position:
- Preparing cages for use
- Loading and unloading cages into autoclaves
- Handling of bulk bags of bedding and animal feed (up to 50lbs.)
- Maintaining cleanliness of the cage wash area
- Performing routine maintenance on the cage washers
- Monitoring cage wash performance to ensure proper operation
-Observing and feeding animals
-Other duties as assigned.
Minimum hiring standards:
-Demonstrated commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.
-High school diploma or equivalent.
-Ability to follow both oral and written instructions required.
-Possess several years of animal care experience, either in a laboratory or clinic, or have been responsible for personal pets.
-Must be able to lift 50 lbs easily; to stand for long periods of time up to one hour; to interact with animals for long periods of time; to handle animals safely; to coexist with animals; to disinfect walls, floors, and cages; to daily inspect rooms and determine when supplies are needed.
-Must be able to properly handle and apply chemicals safely during room cleaning processes; to wear any protective clothing or materials as needed; to observe and respond to situations in an appropriate manner. Individual needs to be able to work well with others and to meet deadlines.