Animal Care Technician

Montgomery College; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 34,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is seeking a Laboratory Animal Technician to support care and management of multiple animal colonies. The role involves routine animal care, monitoring of housing conditions, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

The position emphasizes accurate record-keeping, adherence to safety protocols, and collaboration with researchers. Training will be provided, and you will operate in a fast-paced environment focused on animal welfare and research

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Experience in animal care or husbandry preferred.
• Basic understanding of regulatory requirements for lab animals.

Responsibilities

• Participates in cleaning and maintenance of animal quarters.
• Provides routine care of research animals.
• Monitors environmental room and housing conditions; reports anomalies.
• Maintains accurate records and reports noncompliance.
• Assists in training staff and ensures regulatory compliance.

Skills

Laboratory animal care

Animal welfare

Judgement and decision making

Regulatory compliance

Planning

Customer service

Communication

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Job description

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center : Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your uniqueness is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.Organization:ACUP - DAC Operations ManagementJob Summary:Utilizes technical animal husbandry skills with respect to the care and management of multiple and/or specialized animal colonies, with occasional guidance. Demonstrates knowledge of compliance with existing regulations..KEY RESPONSIBILITIES• Participates in the cleaning and maintenance of animal quarters.• Provides routine care of research animals. Performs daily checks for animal health and welfare and ensures adequate supply levels in animal quarters.• Monitors and reports on environmental room and housing conditions.• Recognizes and reports clinical abnormalities and/or irregularities in lab animals. Learns the variations among laboratory animals and modes of disease control.• Euthanizes all species according to established regulations.• Maintains accurate and prompt records in accordance with outlined procedures. Report areas of noncompliance.• Assists in training of staff in general procedures.• Understands and complies with operating and regulatory requirements related to care of laboratory animals.TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES• Laboratory Animal Diseases (Fundamental Awareness): Knowledge of and experience with laboratory animal diseases, outbreaks, methods of spread, and methods of limiting disease.• Animal Care Knowledge (Intermediate): Knowledgeable on the needs, treatment, and husbandry for different animal species. Able to ensure their welfare, nutrition, and safety.• Judgement and Decision-Making (Novice): Able to make decisions effectively and accurately in an environment which may be fast-paced or changing. Considers a wide range of alternatives, including those which may fall outside of the scope of the task at hand, before making a decision.• Regulatory Compliance (Novice): Demonstrates knowledge of the appropriate rules and regulations and apply them in difficult, stressful and complex situations. Able to interpret and explain rules and regulations that are ambiguous or unclear. Directs others in interpreting rules and regulations on the job and trains others in them.• Planning (Novice): Plans work to complete projects on time. Competently handles multiple assignments simultaneously. Able to be flexible to meet changing customer needs with minimal disruption and loss of productivity. Uses time efficiently.• Customer Service (Intermediate): A continuing focus on the needs and requirements of customers, anticipating their needs, remaining sensitive to customers while performing services for them, responsive to customer needs.• Communication (Intermediate): Clearly, effectively and respectfully communicates to employees or customers.Our Academic Enterprise is one of the nation’s longest serving and most prestigious academic medical centers. Through its historic bond with Vanderbilt University and integral role in the School of Medicine, Vanderbilt Health cultivates distinguished research and educational programs to advance a clinical enterprise that provides compassionate and personalized care and support for millions of patients and family members each year.World-leading academic departments and comprehensive centers of excellence pursue scientific discoveries and transformational educational and clinical advances across the entire spectrum of health and disease.Aligning with Vanderbilt Health’s Strategic Directions , the Office of Research provides shared research resources, administrative expertise and professional guidance to enable the trans-disciplinary environment and highly collaborative culture that advances discovery and training for all the research faculty, trainees, students and staff.Core Accountabilities:* Organizational Impact: Performs tasks that are typically routine that may impact team's performance with occasional guidance. * Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Utilizes some discretion and research to solve routine problems. * Breadth of Knowledge: Applies knowledge of standards, established processes and procedure that apply to your own job. * Team Interaction: Provides guidance to entry level co-workers.Core Capabilities :Supporting Colleagues : Develops Self and Others: Continuously improves own skills by identifying development opportunities.- Builds and Maintains Relationships: Seeks to understand colleagues' priorities, working styles and develops relationships across areas.- Communicates Effectively: Openly shares information with others and communicates in a clear and courteous manner. Delivering Excellent Services: - Serves Others with Compassion: Invests time to understand the problems, needs of others and how to provide excellent service.- Solves Complex Problems: Seeks to understand issues, solves routine problems, and raises proper concerns in a timely manner. - Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Listens carefully to understand the issues and provides accurate information and support. Ensuring High Quality: - Performs Excellent Work: Checks work quality before delivery and asks relevant questions to meet quality standards. - Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Demonstrates basic knowledge of conditions that affect safety and reports unsafe conditions to the appropriate person or department. Managing Resources Effectively : - Demonstrates Accountability: Takes responsibility for completing assigned activities and thinks beyond standard approaches to provide high-quality work/service. - Stewards Organizational Resources: Displays understanding of how personal actions will impact departmental resources. - Makes Data Driven Decisions: Uses accurate information and good decision making to consistently achieve results on time and without error. Fostering Innovation : - Generates New Ideas: Willingly proposes/accepts ideas or initiatives that will impact day-to-day operations by offering suggestions to enhance them. - Applies Technology: Absorbs new technology quickly; understands when to utilize the appropriate tools and procedures to ensure proper course of action. - Adapts to Change: Embraces changes by keeping an open mind to changing plans and incorporates change instructions into own area of work.Position Qualifications:Responsibilities:Certifications :Work Experience :Relevant Work ExperienceExperience Level :Less than 1 yearEducation :High School Diploma or GED (Required)This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth.Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. EOE/Vets/Disabled.