Animal Care Technician - Graettinger, IA

Christensen Farms; Graettinger (IA); On-site; USD 23,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sign-on bonus

Benefits package

Job summary

Christensen Farms is seeking a dedicated Animal Care Technician to support both Farrowing and Breeding departments. You will be responsible for daily animal care, ensuring health, comfort, and safety in a fast-paced barn environment.

This full-time role emphasizes biosecurity, safety, and a long-term career path in livestock production. The position requires reliable attendance, physical stamina, and the ability to follow SOPs while learning and growing within the team.

Qualifications

• Reliable, consistent attendance and daily task execution.
• Physical fitness for demanding barn work.
• Ability to follow SOPs and established protocols.
• Eagerness to learn and grow in livestock production.
• Strong teamwork and communication in a safety-focused environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide feed and water to animals daily.
• Heat check and breed sows; follow daily schedule; gilt heat induction.
• Castrate, tail dock, and administer iron/antibiotics to piglets.
• Assist with farrowing and piglet warmth.
• Monitor health and administer treatments; support welfare.
• Maintain sanitation and records per biosecurity guidelines.

Skills

Reliability

Physical stamina

Protocol compliance

Willingness to learn

Teamwork

Biosecurity awareness

Job description

Position Overview
We're looking for a dedicated Animal Care Technician to join our team, supporting both the Farrowing and Breeding departments. This hands-on role is essential to the daily care of our animals and overall barn operations, ensuring the health, comfort, and well-being of our swine herd. The ideal candidate is reliable, hardworking, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, physical environment. A passion for animal welfare, attention to detail, and a strong commitment to biosecurity and safety are key. If you're seeking a meaningful, long-term career in livestock production with an industry leader, this is a great place to start. Join our team!

What You Will Do

• Provide feed and water to the animals daily to maintain consistent health and nutrition
• Heat checking/Breed sows in heat per daily schedule, and perform gilt heat induction following established protocols
• Process piglets by castrating, tail docking, and administering iron/antibiotics
• Assist with farrowing with litter care, and ensuring piglet warmth
• Monitor sows and litters daily to identify health issues, provide treatments, and support animal well-being
• Maintain sanitation through cleaning, disinfecting, and pit draining; handle animal movements, assist with weaning, and keep accurate records while adhering to biosecurity and safety protocols

What You Offer Us

• Consistent reliability and strong work ethic, with a commitment to showing up prepared and performing daily tasks with precision
• Physical readiness and resilience to handle the demands of barn work while maintaining high standards of animal care
• Ability to follow established protocols and SOPs with attention to detail across all areas, including feeding, breeding, and sanitation
• Eagerness to learn, take direction, and grow within the livestock industry through hands-on experience and structured training
• Strong teamwork and communication skills, contributing to a positive, efficient, and safety-focused work environment
• Dedication to upholding biosecurity measures, animal welfare standards, and company policies in all aspects of daily work

Pay And Benefits

Christensen Farms is offering a Sign-On & Retention Bonus of $2,500 for all eligible newly-hired Animal Care Technicians.

This Animal Care Technician position starts at $20/hr. We also offer a great benefits package including health, dental, vision, a flexible spending account (FSA), life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, a 401(k) plan, paid holidays, a paid time off bank, and an employee assistance program (EAP).

Work Schedule

Although hours may vary, the typical work schedule for an Animal Care Technician position is Monday through Friday, 6:00 am 3:30 pm with a rotating weekend. When you work the weekend, you will have a scheduled day off during the week. This full-time job averages 40-43 hours a week.

Reports To

Sow Farm Manager

EEO / Diversity

Christensen Farms is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy to select the most qualified person for each position in the organization. No employee of CF will discriminate against any applicant for employment or a fellow employee because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, citizenship status, genetic information, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, veteran status or any other prohibited basis under applicable local, state, or federal law.

Salary: $20.00 per hour