Sr Animal Caretaker

Temple University's Central Animal Facilities division at LKSOM is searching for a Senior Animal Caretaker!

Benefits:

• Full medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Paid time off
• 11 Paid Holidays
• Tuition remission – eligible employees and their dependents can obtain a degree tuition free
• A generous retirement plan and so much more

Position Summary:

The Animal Caretaker III position is based in Temple's University Laboratory Animal Resources Department (ULAR). The individual filling this position will be responsible for providing exemplary animal care, husbandry, customer service, and study support. The individual will also assume a lead husbandry role in animal procurement, front-end billing, staff training, and project management.

Responsibilities include:

• Ensuring good husbandry, nutrition, and sanitation of animals used for research, testing, and educational purposes, and monitoring compliance with institutional animal care and use policies and federal laws.

Job Responsibilities/Description:

• Animal Husbandry: Understand and follow all ULAR SOPs, IACUC policies, safety procedures, and quality assurance standards. Perform daily animal health checks and report abnormal conditions to the veterinary staff, ensuring all laboratory animals have food and water. Change animal caging, feed, and water according to ULAR SOPs or specific protocols and the schedule established by the Area Supervisor. Determine age, sex, and weaning times for animals according to ULAR SOPs and IACUC policy. Dispose of dead animals according to standard SOPs and policies. Assist with restraint, handling, and manipulation of various animal species as requested by investigators or other ULAR staff members. Receive, examine, transfer, identify, and properly house incoming animal shipments according to ULAR SOPs. Maintain daily documentation including room logs, census sheets, care and enrichment logs, equipment logs, and other forms requested by the Area Supervisor, ensuring all animals are tagged and cages are properly identified. Clean and sanitize the animal facility, assigned rooms, and cages according to ULAR SOPs. Maintain and repair animal caging and support equipment, operate mechanical equipment such as cage washing machines, Hydropac water delivery system, and autoclaves. Perform routine cleaning, descaling, and preventative maintenance on the cage washers and autoclaves, including checking and cleaning filters and spray manifolds. Process dirty caging, breaking down parts, dumping bedding, and soaking caging components. Process clean caging and accessory equipment, including bedding, water bottles, and autoclaving cages and supplies. Prepare and submit records, charts, logs, cage cards, and inventories as required by ULAR SOPs. Other duties as assigned to support animal care and welfare.
• Procurement: Prepare housing and paperwork/cage cards for incoming shipments. Receive all animal deliveries and house all animals into predetermined holding rooms. Maintain all applicable documentation.
• Front End Billing: Collect cage activation and deactivation cards from all ULAR facilities on the Health Sciences Campus. Use Cayuse software to activate or deactivate billing cycles for all applicable animals. Organize and maintain hard copies of all cards input into the Cayuse database.
• Staff Training: Train employees in cage wash operations, animal husbandry, and room sanitation in accordance with ULAR SOPs.
• Project Management: Develop action plans to complete assigned projects. Organize materials and personnel required for projects. Execute action plans to complete projects. Track equipment inventory.

Licenses, Certificates, and/or Registrations Required For The Job:

Must have AALAS ALAT certification and receive AALAS LAT certification or above within two years of filling the position unless the applicant has an A.S./B.S. degree in an animal or biology-related discipline. An A.S./B.S. degree eliminates the AALAS certification requirement.

Required Education and Experience:

High School/GED or six or more years of directly related experience handling both rodent and USDA-covered species.

Preferred Education, Experience, Licenses and/or Certifications:

Preferred Education: A.S./B.S. degree in an animal or biology-related discipline. Preferred Experience: Prior experience working with animals in private practice, laboratory animal, or zoo animal setting; experience with animal husbandry and behavior; experience with cagewash operations; AALAS LATG certification eligible.

Additional Technical Requirements:

• Proficient at working with and handling rodents, USDA-covered species, and other animal species involved in the Temple University animal program.
• Demonstrated ability to continuously lift 50 lbs.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated computer skills, ability to operate standard office equipment and software including MS Office.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with diverse populations of students, faculty, and staff.
• Ability to work holiday and weekend hours, as needed.
• Ability to perform husbandry for all applicable species housed at Temple University.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

Temple University values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity for all persons regardless of age, color, disability, ethnicity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

Compliance Statement:

Employees have an obligation to avoid ethical, legal, financial, and other conflicts of interest to ensure that their actions and outside activities do not conflict with their primary employment responsibilities at the institution. Employees are expected to understand and comply with applicable laws, University and employment policies and regulations, including NCAA regulations for areas and departments where their essential functions cause them to interact.