Animal Care Technician I or Animal Care Technician II

UWMSN University of Wisconsin Madison; United States; On-site; USD 22,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation and holidays

Sick leave

Competitive benefits

Job summary

The University of Wisconsin–Madison is seeking an Animal Care Technician I or II to join the Rodent Breeding Core. You will perform routine and specialized animal husbandry, monitor room environments, and assist with breeding, sampling for genotyping, and transport preparation.

This role supports research and teaching across campus. The position is on site with a standard schedule Monday through Friday and every other weekend, with a weekday off and potential holiday work.

Qualifications

• Physical ability to sit, stand, bend, reach and lift up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions.
• Proficient computer skills including Excel and Word.

Responsibilities

• Perform breeding and colony management.
• Maintain organization of records related to research procedures.
• Inspect equipment and report problems to ensure safe operation.
• Observe animal behavior and provide basic care following established protocols.

Skills

Animal care

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Education

HS Diploma

Tools

Excel

Word

Job description

Job Summary

Are you looking for a job working with research animals? We offer a rewarding career with a flexible work environment. Animal Care staff provide routine and specialized animal husbandry and facility maintenance. If you are passionate about animals, supportive of biomedical research and want to learn how you can play a critical role within BRMS, we invite you to apply for this position. The animal program involves all aspects of animal use for research, teaching, and outreach. BRMS is seeking an Animal Care Technician to join their Rodent Breeding Core. The BRMS Rodent Breeding Core provides research support across all animal programs on campus. The Breeding Core breeds over 700 strains of mice. This position will be responsible for performing routine and specialized animal husbandry tasks and general facility maintenance for the Mouse Breeding Core in Biomedical Research Model Services (BRMS). These duties include general animal husbandry, feeding and watering animals, weaning, sampling for genotyping, monitoring animal room environments, cleaning primary and secondary enclosures, receiving animals, preparing animals for transport, restraining, and handling animals, reporting sick and injured animals, general facility maintenance and housekeeping. ACT positions interact with researchers and veterinary staff as required. Other duties to be assigned by the supervisor. We offer flexible hours after passing the probationary period, extra hourly differential pay for weekend hours worked, and additional hourly pay for each level of AALAS certification. This position requires work to be completed onsite, at a designated campus work location. The standard schedule for this position is Monday through Friday and every other weekend from 7a.m.- 3:30p.m. This position will have one weekday off. Holiday work may be required. Exact schedule will be determined at time of hire. Applicants for this position will be considered for the following titles: Animal Care Technician I and Animal Care Technician II. The title is determined by the experience and qualifications of the finalist. The responsibilities in this job posting are for the Animal Care Technician I title. An Animal Care Technician II will perform tasks more independently, assist with training students and new staff, and collect samples from animals and administer medications, injections and treatments according to the established protocols and procedures to be used for diagnostic tests and research.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Perform breeding and colony management.
• Maintains organization of and updates records related to research procedures Inventories, cleans, and maintains organization of animal holding spaces and supplies.
• Inspects and reports equipment problems to ensure optimal and safe operation.
• Observes animal behavior, performs basic animal care and reports concerns to the appropriate entities to contribute to the health and well-being of animals to support research and teaching.
• Assists with preparing food and formulas and feeds animals according to established schedules and specifications.

Department

School of Medicine and Public Health, Biomedical Research Model Services, Breeding Core

About the Department

Biomedical Research Model Services is here to assist researchers in making significant discoveries in biological and medical science while ensuring the health and well-being of all animals in our care. Our goal is to maintain facilities and provide services and care that exceed the standards of regulatory and funding agencies. We strive to create a safe and welcoming workplace.

Compensation

The starting hourly wage for the position is $19.00 per hour; but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. For more information, refer to the campus benefits webpage and the SMPH University Staff Benefits Flyer 2026.

Required Qualifications

• Physical ability to sit, stand, bend, reach, squat, twist and push carts, bedding, feed bags and equipment up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions.
• Proficient computer skills, emailing, website experience, and experience using Microsoft Excel and Word.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least 6 months of animal care experience.
• Knowledge of acceptable animal husbandry procedures.
• Familiarity with University requirement concerning Responsible Use and Care of Animals in Research and Training and the Guide to the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.
• Knowledge of animal health records maintenance and ability to perform animal health checks.
• AALAS Certification (ALAT, LAT or LATG).

Education

H.S. Diploma Preferred

Recruitment & Eligibility

University sponsorship is not available for this position, including transfers of sponsorship and TN visas. The selected applicant will be responsible for ensuring their continuous eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment. This position is an ongoing position that will require continuous work eligibility. If you are selected for this position you must provide proof of work authorization and eligibility to work. Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment. The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released.

Contact Information

Kelly Rose, [e-mail], 608-265-8069

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Institutional Statement on Diversity

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.

For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website. To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Additional Information

Work with purpose, make an impact, and grow your career. The University of Wisconsin–Madison is committed to equity, inclusion and employee well-being as we proudly work to improve the lives of people in Wisconsin and beyond. UW–Madison offers a wide range of professions that cover various interests and skill levels. We employ everything from accountants to arborists, chefs to custodians, editors to electricians, graphic designers to groundskeepers, HR associates to HVAC technicians, librarians to locksmiths, mechanics to medical assistants, painters to police officers, web designers to welders, and absolutely everything in between! No matter what you are looking for professionally, chances are you will not only find it but will thrive at it while working at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.