Animal Technician III - Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists (Elmont, NY)

Cornell University; New York (NY); On-site; USD 33,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

3 weeks paid vacation

13 holiday days + floating holidays

Excellent benefits program

Comprehensive health care options

Wellness programs

Employee discounts

Generous retirement contributions

Tuition assistance and education perks

Job summary

The Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists' (CRES) Hospital in Elmont, NY is seeking an Animal Technician to join the team. This role blends hands-on equine care with operational support, including patient handling, facility monitoring, and coordinating with clients.

The position is onsite in Elmont, NY with rotating day and night shifts. Applicants should have an Associate's degree and animal handling experience, and be prepared for the physical demands of working with horses in a hospital setting.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree and at least 6 months of animal handling experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated ability to handle horses, feed stocking, and general stable hand work.
• Ability to meet physical demands such as prolonged standing, kneeling, and lifting over 100 lbs.
• Must have knowledge of infection control practices.
• Ability to communicate clearly with students, veterinary technicians, and clients.

Responsibilities

• Perform animal care duties, including feeding, grooming, stall cleaning, and barn upkeep.
• Assist with patient admissions, discharges, emergency exams, and surgical procedures.
• Monitor hospitalized patients and report concerns to clinicians or LVTs.
• Clean, sterilize, and stock hospital equipment and supplies.
• Jog horses for lameness exams.

Skills

Horse handling

Infection control

Communication

Stable hand duties

Education

Associate's degree and 6 months animal handling experience

Job description

The Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine seeks an Animal Technician to join the Ruffian team located in Elmont, NY. This position combines hands‑on equine care with operational support, including patient handling, facility monitoring, and client coordination. It is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys working with animals, mentoring others, and playing an important role in maintaining a safe, efficient, and well‑organized hospital environment.

The job responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Perform animal care duties, including feeding, grooming, stall cleaning, and barn upkeep.

• Assist with patient admissions, discharges, emergency exams, and surgical procedures.

• Monitor hospitalized patients and report concerns to clinicians or LVTs.

• Clean, sterilize, and stock hospital equipment and supplies

• Jog horses for lameness exams.

Employees working in the hospital must receive the pre‑exposure rabies prophylaxis vaccination series prior to or immediately after hire, which will be paid for by the department.

Required Qualifications

• Associate's degree and at least 6 months of animal handling experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Demonstrated ability to handle horses, feed stocking, and general stable hand work.

• Ability to meet the physical demands of the position, which include, but are not limited to, prolonged standing and kneeling, and lifting and positioning patients which exceed 100lbs.

• Must have knowledge of infection control practices

• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with a wide variety of people, including students, veterinary technicians, and clients.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with horses

Important Details about the Position

• This is an onsite position located in Elmont, NY.

• This is a rotating day and night shift position.

• We are unable to provide Visa sponsorship, now or in the future, for this position.

• Relocation assistance will not be provided for this position.

This is a rotating day and night shift position; the specific schedule may change to meet the needs of the business, requiring employees to work early mornings, evenings, weekends, and University holidays, and scheduled breaks.

The Following Documents are Required to be Submitted with your Application

• Resume

• Cover Letter

What We Offer

Great benefits! Cornell receives national recognition as an award‑winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability.

• 3 weeks of paid vacation

• 13 additional holiday days with 2 additional floating holidays to be used at your discretion

• An award‑winning employer‑provided benefits program

• Comprehensive health care options

• Access to wellness programs

• Employee discounts with local and national retail brands

• Generous retirement contributions

• Impressive educational benefits include tuition‑free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, Tuition Aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance program

• Follow this link for more information: https://hr.cornell.edu/understand-your-benefits

Employees are expected to meet all of the Cornell University Staff Skills for Success, which are essential for individual and organizational success.

Who We Are

The Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists' (CRES) Hospital will provide state‑of‑the‑art surgical, imaging, diagnostic, and rehabilitation services to enhance equine health. The hospital is located within walking distance of Belmont Park, the world's premier Thoroughbred horse‑racing facility. At CRES, veterinarians aspire to assimilate knowledge gained on all fronts - at the track, in the show ring, at the research bench, and in the hospital - to deliver paradigm‑shifting veterinary medical care.

Questions

Gabriel Gonzalez - [e-mail]

University Job Title

Animal Tech III

Job Family

Health

Level

C

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

Pay Range

$24.30 - $26.15

Remote Option Availability

Onsite

Job Titles and Pay Ranges

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Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

• Unique applicable skills

• Academic Discipline

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