Animal Care Technician

Colgate-Palmolive; Topeka (KS); On-site; USD 46,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Educational Assistance

Uniform Allowance

Comprehensive Healthcare & Wellness

Job summary

Hill's Pet Nutrition, a Colgate-Palmolive company, is hiring an Animal Care Technician in Topeka, KS. You will manage daily animal care, health monitoring, enrichment, and data collection, collaborating with veterinarians and nutritionists to support research protocols.

The role requires a High School Diploma, 1+ year of relevant experience, and the ability to work year-round shifts, including weekends and holidays.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• At least 1 year of professional experience working in a licensed animal care, veterinary, or research facility.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule supporting 365-day operations, including required weekend and holiday rotation shifts.
• Physical capability to repetitively lift up to 50 lbs and perform continuous standing, bending, and high-pressure power washing in a high-stimulus facility environment.

Responsibilities

• Cleaning & Sanitation: Perform daily cleaning, sanitization, and maintenance of housing and enrichment facilities to ensure health safety standards.
• Animal Care, Health & Enrichment: Direct daily physical care, vital signs monitoring, preventative health assessments, veterinarian-prescribed medical treatments, diagnostic sample support, and positive reinforcement behavioral training.
• Feeding & Nutrition: Execute feeding protocols by preparing customized diets, monitoring intake, and logging data into animal management databases.
• Sample & Data Collection: Ensure trial integrity through precise data logging and the collection and processing of diagnostic research samples, including blood, urine, feces, and body weights.
• Equipment Operation: Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot core facility tools and digital hardware, including feed stations, body weight scales, and handheld terminals, to uphold data accuracy and operational readiness.

Skills

Animal care

Flexible schedule

Physical fitness

Education

High School Diploma

Bachelor’s degree (Animal Science / Biological Sciences)

Tools

Google Workspace

Job description

No Relocation Assistance Offered

Job Number #176265 - Topeka, Kansas, United States

Who We Are

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries specializing in Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, Skin Care, and Pet Nutrition. Our products are trusted in more households than any other brand in the world, making us a household name!

Join Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for people, their pets, and our planet. Guided by our core values—Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous—we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals. Together, let's build a brighter, healthier future for all.

Who We Are

At Hill’s, a Colgate-Palmolive Company, we have a purpose to transform the lives of millions of pet families through pioneering innovation, science-led nutrition, and the best and brightest people. If you’re interested in work that matters, fueled by passion for pets, we invite you to apply.

Founded more than 75 years ago with an unwavering commitment to pet nutrition, Hill’s mission is to help enrich and lengthen the special relationships between people and their pets. Our decades of science and research guide us in creating nutrition that’s a step ahead so pets and pet parents can enjoy every day together. As the US #1 Veterinarian recommended pet food brand, knowledge is our first ingredient with 220+ veterinarians, PhD nutritionists and food scientists working to develop breakthrough innovations in pet health.

Role Summary

As an Animal Care Technician at the Hill's Pet Nutrition Science & Technology Center, you will directly impact the development of cutting-edge pet nutrition products while providing world-class care to resident pet partners. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams of veterinarians and nutritionists to execute research protocols, maintain clinical hygiene, and ensure accurate data collection. This position owns the daily health, behavioral enrichment, and nutritional welfare of our animal colony while upholding strict regulatory, ethical, and scientific standards.

Responsibilities

• Cleaning & Sanitation: Perform daily cleaning, sanitization, and maintenance of housing and enrichment facilities to ensure health safety standards.

• Animal Care, Health & Enrichment: Direct daily physical care, vital signs monitoring, preventative health assessments, veterinarian-prescribed medical treatments, diagnostic sample support, and positive reinforcement behavioral training.

• Feeding & Nutrition: Execute feeding protocols by preparing customized diets, monitoring intake, and logging data into animal management databases.

• Sample & Data Collection: Ensure trial integrity through precise data logging and the collection and processing of diagnostic research samples, including blood, urine, feces, and body weights.

• Equipment Operation: Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot core facility tools and digital hardware, including feed stations, body weight scales, and handheld terminals, to uphold data accuracy and operational readiness.

Required Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent.

• At least 1 year of professional experience working in a licensed animal care, veterinary, or research facility.

• Ability to work a flexible schedule supporting 365-day operations, including required weekend and holiday rotation shifts.

• Physical capability to repetitively lift up to 50 lbs and perform continuous standing, bending, and high-pressure power washing in a high-stimulus facility environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science, Biological Sciences, or a related scientific discipline.

• Credentialed Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) certification.

• Prior experience in a clinical, academic research, or veterinary hospital environment.

• Proficiency with digital collaboration tools, including Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive).

Benefits

• Educational Assistance: Financial support for continuous learning and professional growth, covering both degree programs and technical certificate courses.

• Uniform Allowance: Provided allowance for required specialized facility apparel and personal equipment.

• Comprehensive Healthcare & Wellness: Access to top-tier health, dental, vision, retirement savings plans, and employee well-being initiatives.

Our Commitment & Facility Highlights

At Hill's Pet Nutrition, our unwavering commitment to companion animals drives everything we do. All team members are held to the highest ethical and animal welfare standards to ensure the highest quality of care and respect for our resident pet partners.

To learn more about our company culture and location:

• Review Hill's Commitment to Animal Welfare (https://www.hillspet.com/about-us/our-company/hills-commitment-to-animal-welfare) .

• Watch our Topeka Science & Technology Center Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMXUDx0_SoM&t=6s) to see our facilities in action.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary Range $46,000.00 - $55,000.00 USD

Pay is determined based on experience, qualifications, and location. Salaried employees may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, profit-sharing, and long-term incentives for Executive-level roles.

Benefits: Salaried employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, basic life insurance, paid parental leave, disability coverage, and participation in the 401(k) retirement plan with company matching contributions subject to eligibility requirements. Additional benefits include a minimum of 15 vacation/PTO days (hourly employees receive a minimum of 120 hours) and 13 paid holidays (vacation days are prorated based on the employee's hire date within the calendar year). Paid sick leave is adjusted based on role and location in accordance with local laws. Detailed information regarding paid sick leave entitlements will be provided to employees upon hiring and may be subject to adjustments based on changes in legislation or company policies.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

Our journey begins with our people—developing strong talent with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to best serve our consumers around the world and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. We are dedicated to ensuring that each individual can be their authentic self, is treated with respect and is empowered by leadership to contribute meaningfully to our business.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please complete this request form (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdaxk_eF4utznQoVHlxmL9jVFJbOkM4Oe5CAdKOg-h9EPdLfg/viewform) should you require accommodation.

For additional Colgate terms and conditions, please click here (https://www.colgatepalmolive.com/content/dam/cp-sites/corporate/corporate/en_us/corp/locale-assets/pdf/colgate-terms-and-conditions-2023.pdf) .

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