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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 forcleaning of a variety of soiled animal cages andracks. The incumbent will clean, disinfect and sterilize animal cages usingthe guidelines established by the regulatory authorities and the Division. The responsibilities of the position will be for the health, care andhusbandry of animals under the direct care of the incumbent. You will beresponsible for assigned animals, which each animal will be cared forhumanely, following the guidelines established by the national regulatoryagencies and the Division of Animal Resources.The incumbent must observeanimals daily for sickness or signs of distress and immediately report any ofthese conditions to the reporting supervisor or the clinical veterinarian. Additionally,must perform daily inspections of the animal rooms for repairs andenvironmental needs and supply requirements. Must be familiar with diseasecontrol procedures and be able to handle animals accordingly; be able toperform weekly or as needed, cleaning assignments for areas outside ofvivarium; be able to work with little or no supervision once trained onassigned tasks. Annual safety requirements will be completed to include; fittesting, TB testing and drug screening. Training will be given on how to dumpsoiled bedding into appropriate containers, and disposing of bags of soiledbedding. Loading the cages into cage wash equipment, and unloading andstacking 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:
- Preparingcages for use
- Loading and unloading cages into autoclaves
- Handling ofbulk bags of bedding and animal feed (up to 50lbs.)
- Maintainingcleanliness of the cage wash area
- Performing routine maintenance on thecage washers
- Monitoring cage wash performance to ensure proper operation
-Observing and feeding animals
-Other duties as assigned.
Minimum hiringstandards:
-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 bothoral and written instructions required.
-Possess several years of animal care experience, either in a laboratory or clinic, or have been responsible forpersonal pets.
-Must be able to lift 50 lbs easily; to stand for long periodsof time up to one hour; to interact with animals for long periods of time; tohandle animals safely; to coexist with animals; to disinfect walls, floors,and cages; to daily inspect rooms and determine when supplies areneeded.
-Must be able to properly handle and apply chemicals safely during room cleaningprocesses; to wear any protective clothing or materials as needed; to observeand respond to situations in an appropriate manner. Individual needs to be ableto work well with others and to meet deadlines.
Position Details:
Department: Animal Care Facility
Employment Type: UF - University Employee FT
Restricted Status: Yes
FTE: 100
Exemption Status: Non-Exempt
ORP Eligible: No
UAP Job Slotting: Animal Care Technician RS1
Salary Range: $30,000-$33,000
UAP Slotting- 34021-32023 Animal Care Technician RS1-RS3