Animal Care Technician Associate - Zuckerman

msk; New York (NY); On-site; USD 32,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) seeks an Animal Care Technician to join the Research Animal Resource Center. You will provide humane care and husbandry for animals used in research and teaching, and help maintain housing areas and equipment.

This role requires attention to detail, adherence to procedures, and physical work including lifting up to 55 lbs. Hours are flexed Monday–Sunday between 6 am and 8 pm, with department coverage as needed.

Qualifications

• Willingness to learn or basic knowledge of animal health and disease.
• Understanding of or willingness to learn laboratory animal husbandry and care procedures.
• Familiarity with cleaning and sterilization procedures for animal caging and equipment.
• Experience with or willingness to learn operation of equipment used for laboratory animal housing and care.

Responsibilities

• Process unclean caging and equipment in preparation for sanitization.
• Assemble caging for use by other Animal Care Technicians.
• Operate and maintain automated cage wash equipment and sterilizers.
• Prepare acidified water bottles using an automated bottle filler and proportioner.
• Receive, transport, process, store, and label animal feed and bedding.
• Disassemble, wash, and reassemble individually ventilated caging systems.
• Handle and provide daily husbandry to various species of animals.
• Perform routine animal health checks and environmental monitoring.
• Maintain clean and sanitary animal housing areas and equipment.
• Follow established procedures to support the humane care and use of laboratory animals.

Skills

Willingness to learn

Animal husbandry

Detail oriented

Procedural adherence

Team collaboration

Job description

About Us

The people of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) are united by a singular mission: ending cancer for life. Our specialized care teams provide personalized, compassionate, expert care to patients of all ages. Informed by basic research done at our Sloan Kettering Institute, scientists across MSK collaborate to conduct innovative translational and clinical research that is driving a revolution in our understanding of cancer as a disease and improving the ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat it. MSK is dedicated to training the next generation of scientists and clinicians, who go on to pursue our mission at MSK and around the globe.

Exciting Opportunity at MSK

We are seeking an Animal Care Technician to join the Research Animal Resource Center (RARC) at MSK. In this role, you will help provide high-quality, humane care and husbandry for animals used in research and teaching. You will be responsible for maintaining animal housing areas, processing and sanitizing equipment, supporting daily animal care operations, and ensuring a clean and safe environment for the animals and research teams.

Role Overview

• Process unclean caging and equipment in preparation for sanitization.
• Assemble caging for use by other Animal Care Technicians.
• Operate and maintain automated cage wash equipment and sterilizers.
• Prepare acidified water bottles using an automated bottle filler and proportioner.
• Receive, transport, process, store, and label animal feed and bedding.
• Disassemble, wash, and resemble individually ventilated caging systems.
• Handle and provide daily husbandry to various species of animals.
• Perform routine animal health checks and environmental monitoring.
• Maintain clean and sanitary animal housing areas and equipment.
• Follow established procedures to support the humane care and use of laboratory animals.

Key Qualifications

• Willingness to learn or previous knowledge of basic animal health and disease.
• Understanding of or willingness to learn laboratory animal husbandry and care procedures.
• Familiarity with cleaning and sterilization procedures for animal caging and equipment.
• Experience with or willingness to learn the operation of equipment used for laboratory animal housing and care.
• Ability to follow established procedures and maintain a high level of attention to detail.

Core Skills

• Strong attention to detail and commitment to maintaining clean, safe, and sanitary animal housing environments.
• Ability to handle and care for animals appropriately and humanely.
• Strong organizational skills to manage daily animal care, cleaning, equipment, and material-handling responsibilities.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and follow established protocols and procedures.
• Dependability and willingness to learn new equipment, processes, and animal care practices.
• Ability to perform physically demanding tasks, including lifting and carrying up to 55 lbs, standing for extended periods, pushing and pulling equipment, reaching, crouching, and kneeling.

Additional Information

• Work Environment: Hands-on, laboratory animal care environment with frequent standing, lifting, pushing, pulling, reaching, crouching, and kneeling.
• Physical Requirements: Ability to regularly lift and carry up to 55 lbs.
• Focus: Supporting the humane care and use of laboratory animals while maintaining high standards for animal health, sanitation, and research support.
• Hours: Flexed availability Monday-Sunday (flexible to work between the hours of 6 am and 8 pm; schedules vary for department coverage)
• Reporting to: Research Animal Resource Center (RARC)

Helpful links

• Compensation Philosophy
• Benefit

Pay Range: $22.87 - $29.38

FSLA Status: Non-Exempt

Closing

At MSK, we believe in fair, competitive pay that reflects your job, experience, and skills.

MSK is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of recruiting and employment. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran status or any other factor which cannot lawfully be used as a basis for an employment decision.

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.