What are the responsibilities and job description for the Animal Care Technician - Ivanhoe, MN position at Christensen Farms?
Position Overview:
We're looking for a dedicated Animal Care Technician to join our team, supporting both the Farrowing and Breeding departments. This hands-on role is essential to the daily care of our animals and overall barn operations, ensuring the health, comfort, and well-being of our swine herd. The ideal candidate is reliable, hardworking, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, physical environment. A passion for animal welfare, attention to detail, and a strong commitment to biosecurity and safety are key. If you're seeking a meaningful, long-term career in livestock production with an industry leader, this is a great place to start. Join our team!
What You Will Do:
- Provide feed and water to the animals daily to maintain consistent health and nutrition
- Heat checking/Breed sows in heat per daily schedule, and perform gilt heat induction following established protocols
- Process piglets by castrating, tail docking, and administering iron/antibiotics
- Assist with farrowing with litter care, and ensuring piglet warmth
- Monitor sows and litters daily to identify health issues, provide treatments, and support animal well-being
- Maintain sanitation through cleaning, disinfecting, and pit draining; handle animal movements, assist with weaning, and keep accurate records while adhering to biosecurity and safety protocols
What You Offer Us:
- Consistent reliability and strong work ethic, with a commitment to showing up prepared and performing daily tasks with precision
- Physical readiness and resilience to handle the demands of barn work while maintaining high standards of animal care
- Ability to follow established protocols and SOPs with attention to detail across all areas, including feeding, breeding, and sanitation
- Eagerness to learn, take direction, and grow within the livestock industry through hands-on experience and structured training
- Strong teamwork and communication skills, contributing to a positive, efficient, and safety-focused work environment
- Dedication to upholding biosecurity measures, animal welfare standards, and company policies in all aspects of daily work
Pay and Benefits
This Animal Care Technician position starts at $20/hr. We also offer a great benefits package including health, dental, vision, a flexible spending account (FSA), life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, a 401(k) plan, paid holidays, a paid time off bank, and an employee assistance program (EAP).
Work Schedule
Although hours may vary, the typical work schedule for an Animal Care Technician position is Monday through Friday, 6:00 am 3:30 pm with a rotating weekend. When you work the weekend, you will have a scheduled day off during the week. This full-time job averages 40-43 hours a week.
Reports To:
Sow Farm Manager
Christensen Farms is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy to select the most qualified person for each position in the organization. No employee of CF will discriminate against any applicant for employment or a fellow employee because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, citizenship status, genetic information, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, veteran status or any other prohibited basis under applicable local, state, or federal law.