Animal Care Technician I

University of Florida; Gainesville (FL); On-site; USD 19,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Florida seeks an Animal Care Technician I on the Main Campus in Gainesville, FL. This full-time role is responsible for basic animal care, cage washing, and adherence to SOPs under supervision, including IACUC and EHS procedures.

The position requires a high school diploma or equivalent, a valid Florida driver's license, and the ability to obtain veteran's preference status. A criminal background check is required; experience with research animal care is preferred.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Valid state driver's license required.
• Preferred: HS degree or higher with 1+ year experience in research animal care or ALAT certification.
• Background check required.

Responsibilities

• Carry out routine animal caretaking and cage wash duties per SOPs.
• Observe animals for signs of illness or behavioral changes and report to supervisor.
• Assist with handling, restraint, and treatments under supervision.
• Maintain equipment, supplies and ensure facility hygiene per NIH/ACS standards.
• Support training of new ACT1 staff and participate in training programs.
• Record work hours and submit leave/overtime requests on schedule.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Job description

Animal Care Technician I

Job No: 541259

Work Type: Full Time

Location: Main Campus (Gainesville, FL)

Categories: Veteran's Preference Eligible, Veterinary Medicine/Animal Care

Department: 11800000 - RE-ANIMAL CARE SERVICES

Job Description

Classification Title: Animal Care Technician I

Classification Minimum Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent.

• Responsible for carrying out the Animal Care Services' (ACS) directives and SOPs as governed by the Animal Welfare Act and all applicable rules, regulations and professional standards. Provides basic care of animals and animal facilities by completing primarily simple and routine animal caretaking and cage wash duties as directed by Operations Manager or their designee. All actions are completed by strictly and consistently following applicable ACS SOPs including IACUC and EHS safety procedures and policies. Reports any suspected or actual deviations to SOPs or non-routine situations immediately to Operations Manager or their designee.
• When performing husbandry duties, will change cages and racks as scheduled, observes and reports animals for signs of illness, injury, and physical or behavioral changes. Under supervision, performs euthanasia of rodents using carbon dioxide with approved alternate secondary method. Observes, documents, and reports changes in environmental parameters outside acceptable ranges, e.g. temperature, humidity, lighting, etc. Restrains and handles animals for treatment. Sanitizes equipment and animal holding facilities. Ensures housing and environmental compliance with the "NIH Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals." Maintains supply stock in all assigned rooms for daily use of investigative staff. When working in cage wash section will operate washers, autoclaves, water bottle fill stations and perform preventative maintenance tasks (i.e. jets are cleaned and sump tanks emptied daily) outlined in cage wash maintenance sheet on main area door. Will perform routine start-up and shut down procedures of equipment as outlined in SOP's. Ensure equipment being processed is in optimal condition and removed from circulation if damaged or worn. Perform scheduled quality control tests of equipment and submit samples (biological indicators, water sample etc.) to ACS diagnostic lab for processing. Will assist in receiving and rotating feed and supplies. Transports caging supplies between animal rooms and cage wash rooms. Will sanitize cage washing rooms and other support areas, such as hallways and storage rooms.
• May provide guidance, instruction and direction to new ACT1 staff following directives provided by facility supervisor/manager. May be part of the training program for all new staff and provide input and updates to facility manager.
• Will be required to keep up to date on SOP's in Policy Manager and input time worked in Time Clock Plus using facility computers during normal working hours. Ensure that leave requests, overtime requests and weekend change requests are submitted timely to area supervisor/manager.
• Other duties as assigned.

Expected Salary: $16.00/Hour

Required Qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent.

Maintains a valid state driver's license.

Able to be accepted by Verterans Administration as a WOC or contract employee as required and maintain status.

Preferred: Prefer HS degree or higher with at least 1 years' experience with research animal care at a research institution or other appropriate environment and one year of relevant experience; or certification as Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. Appropriate college coursework or vocational/technical training may substitute at an equivalent rate for the required experience.

Health Assessment Required:Yes

This position is eligible for Veteran's preference.

A criminal background check is required.

The University of Florida is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Hiring is contingent on eligibility to work in the U.S. The University of Florida is a public institution and is subject to all requirements under Florida Sunshine and Public Record laws. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF.

Applications Close: 18 September 2026