ACE Large Animal Care Tech

Virginia Tech; Blacksburg, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 17,000 - 22,000; Part time

Job summary

Virginia Tech in Blacksburg seeks a weekend animal care assistant for the ACE Unit, supporting horses and cattle. The role includes feeding, medication administration, general husbandry, and supervising wage student staff during weekend shifts.

You will help set up equipment for labs, maintain facilities, monitor animal health, report issues, and ensure compliance with AAALAC and USDA standards. Training will be provided, and some weekday hours may be required.

Qualifications

• Experience handling, restraining, and basic veterinary care for cows and horses.
• Experience in animal husbandry and knowledge of health care procedures for animals.
• Experience with truck and trailer transportation; strong organizational skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and communicate effectively; work with team.
• Recognize abnormal animal behavior and know when to consult a veterinarian.

Responsibilities

• Caring for horses and cows used in teaching activities within the ACE Unit.
• Feed, administer medications, perform general husbandry, and oversee wage student staff.
• Set up equipment for upcoming labs and maintain facilities.
• Determine supply needs and report issues to a supervisor for repair.
• Maintain AAALAC/USDA quality-control standards and records.
• Possible trailer transport of animals and field work on enclosures.

Skills

Animal care

Animal husbandry

Health procedures

Truck & trailer

Time management

Communication

Prioritization

Team collaboration

Vet consultation

Job description

Job Description

This position involves caring for the horses used in teaching activities within the Animal Care for Education (ACE) Unit (the nonclient animal facility) at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. With some time also spent caring for the cattle. This is a weekend position including both Saturday and Sunday, and some weekday hours as necessary. Duties include general horse and cow husbandry, medication administration, feeding, and facility maintenance and oversight of wage student employees that also support weekend animal care. This position also assists with implementing veterinary instruction, which may include setting up equipment prior to upcoming labs. Other responsibilities include determining supply needs, identifying and correcting equipment and facility dysfunctions and reporting to a supervisor for repair. All work must be performed to the accreditation standards of the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) and USDA which includes maintaining and documenting quality control standards for sterilization equipment and other records, observing and reporting on the health of animals, and exercising judgment in monitoring animals or seeking veterinary consultation for animals maintained within ACE. This position also performs some maintenance and field work on cow and horse enclosures, and may include trailer transportation of animals if needed.

Required Qualifications

Previous experience handling, restraining and providing basic veterinary care to cows and horses; previous experience in animal husbandry; knowledge of health care procedures for animals; experience with truck and trailer transportation; excellent organizational, time management and communication skills; ability to independently prioritize and order assigned daily tasks; demonstrate ability to work flexibly with team members to accomplish department goals; demonstrate ability to recognize abnormal behavior and clinical signs in animals, generate a basic rule out list for common disorders, and determine when a veterinarian should be consulted. Training will be provided for any equipment usage.

Pay Band

3

Overtime Status

Non-Exempt: Eligible for overtime

Appointment Type

Restricted

Salary Information

Hours per week

29

Review Date

10/05/2026

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.

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Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Lynett Cruise at [e-mail] during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.