Animal Technical Assistant

The University of Queensland; Brisbane; Hybrid; AUD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Queensland is seeking an Animal Technical Assistant to support world-class biomedical research by delivering high-quality animal care and technical services. Working with researchers and technical staff, you will uphold welfare, biosecurity and compliance in a regulated environment.

Responsibilities include care and breeding of laboratory animals, performing routine procedures, maintaining records and contributing to continuous improvement across the facility.

Qualifications

• Qualifications in animal technology, biological sciences or related discipline.
• Experience in regulated laboratory animal environments with high welfare standards.
• Knowledge of colony management, record-keeping and biosecurity.

Responsibilities

• Deliver animal care, husbandry and breeding for laboratory rodents and species.
• Perform injections, sample collection, breeding support and euthanasia per protocols.
• Maintain facility operations, cleanliness, biosecurity, inventory, and respond to alarms.
• Provide compliance support and collaborate with researchers, including after-hours work.

Skills

Animal care

Record-keeping

Biosecurity

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Animal technology qualification

Biological sciences qualification

Job description

About This Opportunity

Join a collaborative and purpose-driven team supporting world-class biomedical and scientific research through the delivery of exceptional animal care and technical services. As an Animal Technical Assistant, you will contribute to a regulated research environment where animal welfare, operational excellence, compliance and teamwork are at the heart of everything we do. Working alongside researchers, supervisors and fellow technical professionals, you will help create the conditions that enable impactful scientific discoveries while upholding the highest standards of care and biosecurity.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality animal care, husbandry and breeding services for laboratory rodents and other species, ensuring optimal animal welfare, colony health and accurate record-keeping.
• Perform routine and technical procedures, including injections, sample collection, breeding support and euthanasia, in accordance with approved protocols and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain facility operations, cleanliness and biosecurity by operating equipment, monitoring life-support systems, managing inventory and responding promptly to alarms or incidents.
• Provide effective operational and compliance support to researchers and stakeholders through clear communication, sound technical advice and collaborative teamwork, including participation in rostered after-hours work.

About You

• Relevant qualifications in animal technology, biological sciences or a related discipline, and/or an equivalent combination of training and practical experience.
• Demonstrated capability to work confidently within a regulated laboratory animal environment while maintaining high standards of animal welfare.
• Sound knowledge of animal breeding programs, colony management and record-keeping processes, or the ability to rapidly develop this expertise.
• Experience handling laboratory animals and performing routine technical procedures with accuracy, care and professionalism.
• Strong understanding of biosecurity, workplace health and safety, and compliance requirements relevant to animal research environments.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build collaborative working relationships with researchers, technical staff and stakeholders.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise competing tasks, maintain attention to detail and work both independently and as part of a team.
• A commitment to service excellence, continuous improvement and supporting research outcomes that create meaningful impact.

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world, working together to create a better world. Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available.

Enjoy up to 26 weeks paid parental and primary care leave, 17% super, 17.5% leave loading, flexible and hybrid working options, health and wellbeing programs, a heavily discounted Study for Staff program, on-campus childcare, affordable parking, and salary packaging.

Other Information: Pre-Employment Checks

Pre-employment checks may include: verification of the right to work in Australia, mandatory immunisations. This may also include checks relating to gender-based violence matters or other integrity and conduct requirements.

Working with laboratory animals is an inherent requirement of the position. The appointment is therefore subject to, and conditional upon, satisfactory medical clearance(s), including disclosure of relevant medical history, to undertake such work without unreasonable risk to your health and safety. In addition, the Employee is required to fully comply with necessary ongoing health monitoring procedures and control measures associated with the position.

You must maintain unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Employer sponsored work rights are not available for this appointment.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

We're dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We recognise that career pathways and opportunities differ and encourage applications from candidates who may not meet every criteria but can demonstrate their potential relative to opportunity. We’re also happy to support any accessibility needs throughout the recruitment process. Just let us know how we can help by emailing [e-mail] or calling [phone].

UQ Commitment and Culture

The University of Queensland (UQ) acknowledges the Traditional Owners and their custodianship of the lands on which UQ is situated. We pay our respects to their Ancestors and their descendants, who continue cultural and spiritual connections to Country.

At the University of Queensland, we are proud to be one of Australia’s leading research and teaching institutions, consistently ranking among the top 50 universities worldwide. As a member of the prestigious Group of Eight (Go8) universities, UQ is widely recognised for its intensive focus on research and teaching excellence – evidenced by our numerous accolades including more teaching awards than any other Australian University and reflected in UQ being the number one recipient of ARC Fellowships and Awards nationally across all scheme years (totalling 452 awards worth $339 million). Our state-of-the-art facilities, libraries, and cutting-edge research centres offer unparalleled opportunities for academic and professional growth. With five faculties, a number of globally recognised research institutes, and over 100 research centres, we attract an interdisciplinary community of more than 7000 staff, supporting more than 55,000 current students from over 137 countries. UQ is dedicated to supporting the career aspirations of our students and staff. Our comprehensive career services provide personalized guidance, skills development, and networking opportunities to help you achieve your professional goals. Whether you are a student seeking internships and job placements or a staff member looking for career advancement, UQ is here to support you every step of the way. UQ values equity, diversity and inclusion and seeks to reflect the broader community by attracting and retaining high-quality staff from a range of backgrounds. Our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion aims to ensure that everyone at UQ feels valued and empowered to achieve their full potential. We are particularly interested to hear from people who bring diversity to UQ – whether that be gender identity, LGBTQIA+, cultural and/or linguistic, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, or people with a disability. Whether you are a recent graduate, an Academic, or an experienced professional, UQ offers a wide range of opportunities to help you grow and succeed. Explore our current job openings, discover our programs, and become part of a community that is dedicated to creating lasting, meaningful impact for the communities in which we live and work. For more information about working at UQ and our employee benefits (such as generous leave provisions, 17% superannuation, flexible working arrangements, and health and wellness discounts) please visit Why Work at UQ.