Animal Laboratory Technician

University of Southern California; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 43,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Southern California's Department of Animal Resources is seeking a reliable Animal Laboratory Technician to provide daily care, feeding, and housing sanitation for research animals on the Health Sciences and University Park campuses.

The role requires ability to lift 50 pounds, basic computer skills, and willingness to work weekends/holidays as scheduled; duties include health evaluations, environmental enrichment, and maintaining records.

Qualifications

• Minimum education: high school or equivalent; experience may substitute for education.
• Minimum experience: 1 year in animal care or related field.

Responsibilities

• Ensures that animals are provided care in accordance with state and federal regulations to promote physical and psychological well-being and minimize discomfort.
• Distributes food and water to animals and ensures that food and water are free from contamination.
• Provides environmental enrichment to animals, including exercise of larger animals as needed.
• Provides humane euthanasia to animals as needed to minimize pain and distress and for colony maintenance, according to established protocols.
• Evaluates animals for health and welfare on a daily basis. Communicates animal health or welfare problems to veterinary staff and the Principal Investigator.
• Performs routine cleaning of animal cages and associated animal care equipment. Maintains and cleans animal housing facilities.
• Maintains cleanliness and organization of cages, equipment, and facilities. Maintains inventory of storeroom supplies.
• Maintains paper and computerized animal records, records of facility cleaning and sanitation procedures, facility environmental conditions, and use and maintenance of equipment.
• Assists veterinarians and Principal Investigators with handling animals during procedures.

Skills

Animal Handling

Computer literacy

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

The University of Southern California, Department of Animal Resources is seeking a very reliable, dependable, self-motivated and responsible individual for a position as Animal Laboratory Technician. The Department of Animal Resources takes pride in providing optimal animal care for all animals housed at the university for the purposes of biomedical research and teaching. The Animal Laboratory Technicians provide daily animal care (cleaning, feeding, and watering of animals), animal facility cleaning and sanitation, documentation of appropriate environmental conditions, and daily animal health and welfare observations to ensure that all of the animals within the department of Animal Resources care procedures are performed according to regulations and guidelines. Must have basic computer skills and be able to lift 50 pounds, work on your feet majority of the day. Technician will be required to work on a schedule and to be on time. The Department of Animal Resources provides animal care on both the Health Sciences Campus and University Park Campus and care is provided every day, including weekends and holidays. For this reason, your position may involve scheduled rotations to work on both USC campuses and to work on weekends and holidays as assigned by your supervisor, abiding by departmental standard operating procedures.

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

The University of Southern California is one of the world's leading private research universities. An anchor institution in Los Angeles, a global center for arts, technology, and international business, USC's diverse curricular offerings provide extensive opportunities for interdisciplinary study, and collaboration with leading researchers in highly advanced learning environments. With a strong tradition of integrating liberal and professional education, USC fosters a vibrant culture of public service and encourages students to cross academic as well as geographic boundaries in their pursuit of knowledge. For more information, visit www.usc.edu

Responsibilities And Duties

• Ensures that animals are provided care in accordance with state and federal regulations to promote physical and psychological well-being and minimize discomfort.
• Distributes food and water to animals and ensures that food and water are free from contamination.
• Provides environmental enrichment to animals, including exercise of larger animals as needed.
• Provides humane euthanasia to animals as needed to minimize pain and distress and for colony maintenance, according to established protocols.
• Evaluates animals for health and welfare on a daily basis. Communicates animal health or welfare problems to veterinary staff and the Principal Investigator.
• Performs routine cleaning of animal cages and associated animal care equipment. Maintains and cleans animal housing facilities.
• Maintains cleanliness and organization of cages, equipment, and facilities. Maintains inventory of storeroom supplies.
• Maintains paper and computerized animal records, records of facility cleaning and sanitation procedures, facility environmental conditions, and use and maintenance of equipment.
• Assists veterinarians and Principal Investigators with handling animals during procedures.

Minimum Field Of Expertise

Minimum Education: High school or equivalent, Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education

Minimum Experience: 1 year, Combined education/experience as substitute for minimum experience

Desirable Qualifications

Preferred Education: Associate Degree

Preferred Experience: 2 years

Preferred Field of Expertise: Assistant ALT Certification with experience in a veterinary hospital kennel or animal research laboratory

Skills: Animal Handling

In addition, the successful candidate must also demonstrate, through ideas, words and actions, a strong commitment to USC's Unifying Values.

The hourly rate for this position is $21.89. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations

Minimum Education: High school or equivalent, Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education Minimum Experience: 1 year, Combined education/experience as substitute for minimum experience