Animal Health Technician I - DLAM

University of California; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 37,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

University of California's Campus Animal Health Program seeks an Animal Health Technician I to provide veterinary and clinical support. Daily health assessments, administration of medications, sample collection, and medical record maintenance form core duties.

The role requires lifting up to 50 pounds, safe handling of animals, and adherence to SOPs and regulatory guidelines. Weekend/holiday coverage and environmental enrichment are also part of responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Identify abnormalities in laboratory animal behavior and disease signs.
• Communicate effectively with faculty and staff with varying veterinary training.
• Lift animals up to 50 pounds.
• Administer medications orally and parenterally; include fluids as needed.
• Handle and restrain laboratory animals safely.
• Collect body fluids, feces and urine; submit samples as required.
• Maintain accurate medical records and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Perform daily health assessments of laboratory animals.
• Assist with treatment and care of sick or injured animals.
• Administer medications and support veterinary procedures as directed.
• Collect clinical samples and maintain records.
• Ensure environmental enrichment and compliance with policies and regulations.
• Support facility health monitoring and weekend/holiday coverage.

Skills

Animal health assessment

Communication with faculty/staff

Manual lifting (up to 50 lbs)

Medication administration (oral/par/ID

Animal handling and restraint

Sample collection and submission

Medical records maintenance

Safety procedures adherence

SOP adherence

Euthanasia procedures (CO2)

Education

Bachelor's degree in science or RVT

Tools

Medical records software

Job description

Description

The Animal Health Technician I provides essential veterinary and clinical support for UCLA's Campus Animal Health Program.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to conducting daily health assessments of laboratory animals, identifying and reporting health concerns, assisting with the treatment and care of sick or injured animals, administering medications, collecting clinical samples, maintaining medical records, implementing environmental enrichment, and supporting veterinary procedures.

The position also assists with facility health monitoring, inventory management, weekend and holiday coverage, and ensuring compliance with institutional policies and applicable animal welfare regulations. The successful candidate will help maintain high standards of animal care and support UCLA's biomedical research programs.

Salary range: $27.25 - $34.29 Hourly

Qualifications

Required:

• Ability to recognize abnormalities in behavior of laboratory animals and signs that indicate disease.
• Ability to effectively communicate with faculty and staff who have varying degrees of veterinary medical training.
• Ability to lift animals up to 50 pounds.
• Skill in administering oral (including gavage) and parenteral (ID, SQ, IM, IP) medications including fluids to different species.
• Skill in handling and restraining laboratory animals.
• Skill in the collection of animal body fluids, feces and urine. And, knowledge in sample submission
• Ability to complete tasks in an orderly and timely fashion.
• Skill in writing health reports and other records with legible handwriting, or using computer systems
• Skill in prioritizing assignments in a timely and accurate manner.
• Skill in medical procedures including treatment administration and follow up, post operative care, and bandaging.
• Skill in preparing and sterilizing instrument packs.
• Skill in preparing animals for surgery and necropsy.
• Skill in cleaning laboratory, surgery and necropsyrooms.
• Ability to euthanize animals using CO2 chambers. Knowledge of appropriate disposal of the animals, including bio-hazardous animals.
• Skill in teaching and assess proficiency of personnel conducting biomedical procedures including animal handling, restraint, oral and parenteral administration of substances, specimen collection, aseptic technique, and/or surgery
• Ability to follow safety procedures.
• Familiar with local, state, and federal regulations governing Animal Research: The Animal Welfare Act ( 9 CFR, Sub.Ch A), Good Laboratory Practice for Nonclinical Laboratory Studies ( 21 CFR Part 58), The Guide 8th Ed., and Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
• Knowledge of and ability to accurately follow SOPs.
• Knowledge of the institutional environmental enrichment program(s), and skills to implement and assess it.
• Knowledge of proper documentation practices with the skills to perform this task.

Preferred:

• Ability to assist in class preparation and delivery.
• Bachelor in science or RVT + 1 years of experience in laboratory animals. Or, High school diploma + ALAT AALAS Certification + 3 years of experience in laboratory animals.