Demo

STEPS Animal Care Associate

Inside Higher Ed
Lexington, KY Full Time
POSTED ON 4/5/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 5/5/2026
Job Title

STEPS Animal Care Associate

Requisition Number

TE09262

Department Name

40832:Laboratory Animal Resources

Work Location:

Lexington, KY

Salary Range

$15.65/hour

Type Of Position

Temporary

Position Time Status

Full-Time

Required Education

High school diploma or GED

Required Related Experience

n/a

Physical Requirements

Must be able to stand for long periods, ability to walk to various locations on campus in a timely manner. Requires heavy lifting, pushing or pulling of objects over 50 pounds; Able to work in hot, wet areas and wear personal protective clothing; animal handling (including carcasses); exposure to temperature extremes.

Shift

Monday – Friday; 7:00 am – 3:30 pm (40 hours per week)

Job Summary

The Division of Laboratory Animal Research seeks motivated individuals for an Animal Care Associate STEPS position. After 6 months of satisfactory performance and training you may also be eligible for a full-time University of Kentucky staff position or continue as a STEP’s employee. After 12 months you have the potential to become certified as an Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician through AALAS, a membership association of professionals employed around the world in academia, government, and private industry who are dedicated to the humane care and treatment of laboratory animals, as well as the quality research that leads to scientific gains that benefit people and animals.

You will be trained in routine and specialized animal caretaking duties, including:

  • Safe handling of multiple species of animals including: mice, rats, pigeons, dogs and non-human primates.
  • Feeding and watering animals according to their prescribed diets.
  • Changing cages, cleaning pens or runs
  • Observing animals regularly during the day, noting and reporting any variances in eating, drinking or deviation from normal habits.
  • Observing and reporting changes in environmental parameters (i.e., temperature, humidity, lighting, etc.).
  • Assisting in maintaining records of animals such as: weight, health, food consumption.

You will also learn facility maintenance and sanitation procedures including:

  • Cleaning and sterilizing cages, equipment
  • Sanitizing supplies, animal rooms and procedure space
  • Operation and maintenance of washers and sterilizers to maintain proper working condition.
  • Efficient operational organization and flow of supplies and equipment throughout the facilities.
  • Assists in organizing feed, bedding and dry supplies in storage facilities

Occasional mandatory overtime will be required to meet staffing needs and provide care and feeding of animals.

  • If you are interested in full time position that could lead to a potential career in laboratory animal care.

Interested in Health Benefits? If working over 30 hours per week, on average, you will be eligible for medical/dental/vision plans offered at UK.

Skills / Knowledge / Abilities

Microsoft office, basic computer skills. Ability to work independently, as well as part of a team is essential. Strong attention to detail. Oral and written communication skills also required.

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? :

No

Preferred Education/Experience

Previous animal care experience

Our University Community

We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.

The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status.

Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.

Salary : $16

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at Inside Higher Ed

  • Inside Higher Ed Providence, RI
  • Brown University To view the full job posting and apply for this position, go to: https://brown.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/staff-careers-brown/job/Barus--... more
  • 15 Days Ago

  • Inside Higher Ed Providence, RI
  • Brown University To view the full job posting and apply for this position, go to: https://brown.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/staff-careers-brown/job/121-Sou... more
  • 15 Days Ago

  • Inside Higher Ed Washington, DC
  • The Talent Acquisition department hires qualified candidates to fill positions which contribute to the overall strategic success of Howard University. Hiri... more
  • 15 Days Ago

  • Inside Higher Ed Washington, DC
  • The Talent Acquisition department hires qualified candidates to fill positions which contribute to the overall strategic success of Howard University. Hiri... more
  • 15 Days Ago


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other STEPS Animal Care Associate jobs in the Lexington, KY area that may be a better fit.

  • University of Kentucky Health System (Uk Health) Lexington, KY
  • Posting Details Posting Details Job Title STEPS Animal Husbandry Technician Requisition Number TE09129 Department Name 7H016:SPINAL CORD & BRAIN INJURY RES... more
  • 1 Day Ago

  • Inside Higher Ed Lexington, KY
  • Job Title STEPS Electronic Technician Associate Requisition Number TE09110 Department Name 3L600:ITS Networking & Infrastructure Work Location: Lexington, ... more
  • 19 Days Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!