HUSBANDRY TECHNICIAN II

Sanford Burnham Prebys; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 26,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Sanford Burnham Prebys in San Diego is seeking a Husbandry Technician II to support vivarium operations, caring for laboratory mice and rats under supervision. This role emphasizes animal welfare, record-keeping, and adherence to SOPs.

You will perform cage changing, health checks, husbandry tasks, cage washing, autoclaving preparation, and occasional training. Strong attention to safety and teamwork are essential.

Qualifications

• High School diploma is required.
• Two years' general work experience or equivalent.
• ALAT or LAT certification preferred.
• Ability to pass post-employment physical per OLAW requirements.

Responsibilities

• Care for laboratory mice and rats under supervision.
• Perform cage changes and health checks.
• Maintain animal room logs and records.
• Assist with cage washing, autoclave prep and cage organization.
• Follow SOPs and safety procedures; participate in training.

Skills

Animal care

Teamwork

Safety procedures

Communication

Education

High School diploma

ALAT or LAT certification preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

LabTracks

Job description

Sanford Burnham Prebys

Sanford Burnham Prebys is much more than a research facility and hub for innovation; it’s a vibrant global community of talented scientists and researchers from over 30 countries. This worldwide representation enriches our perspectives and enhances our creative approach to solving complex scientific challenges.

We strive to be leaders not only in biomedical research but also in creating an environment where excellence thrives through collaboration across cultures and backgrounds. Our mission is to advance the biomedical sciences by cultivating the next generation of scientific leaders, providing meaningful opportunities for researchers of all backgrounds to learn, innovate, and make breakthrough discoveries that improve human health.

Together, we translate science into health.

The duties and responsibilities contained in the job description are intended to be examples of the accountabilities for which the person in the position will demonstrate competency through performance. The job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list. Duties and responsibilities are subject to change and other duties may be assigned as necessary.

Position Summary

Under direct supervision from the Animal Facility Manager, and sometimes with instruction from the Lead Husbandry Technician, the Husbandry Technician II will be responsible for husbandry activities related to the care of laboratory research mice and rats. This position involves a range of tasks and functions that are typically essential to continue critical vivarium operations.

Duties and Responsibilities

All tasks are performed according to institute and industry SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)

Husbandry Duties (approximately 80%)

• Checks cages daily for adequate food and water and replenishes feed and water bottle as needed
• Changes cages following the 10-day cage change cycle
• Checks cage cards for accuracy of information and corrects information as needed
• Maintains animal room activity logs and husbandry records
• Maintains changing hoods, ventilated animal housing racks and related work equipment.
• Performs daily animal health checks and reports observed health conditions to Laboratory Animal Technicians (LATs)
• Restocks room supplies and maintains common use storage and procedure support areas
• Cleans and maintains assigned animal rooms, surrounding support areas and procedure labs
• May perform routine animal health treatments
• May perform technical procedures such as blood collection and injections
• May cross-train with LAT staff, and perform breeding colony maintenance procedures, such as weaning mouse litters and ear notching mice

Cage Room Duties (approximately 20%)

• Assists with cage washrooms as needed or when scheduled
• Washes rodent cages and related caging accessories
• Operates the tunnel washer and rack washer machines
• Organizes the cleaned caging and accessories
• Prepares caging for autoclaving and operates the steam autoclave
• Operates the bedding dispenser and adds nesting material to bedding filled cages
• Participates in required EH&S and department training courses
• Prepares cleaning solutions and labels stock solutions with preparation date
• Performs rodent euthanasia
• Cleans and restocks procedure rooms
• Perform other related tasks, duties and responsibilities as required, assigned or directed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: High School diploma required.

Experience: Two years' general work experience required or an equivalent combination of education, training and/or experience from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been attained.

Certifications, Licenses, etc: None required. ALAT or LAT certification preferred

Knowledge, Skills and/or Abilities

• Ability to pass post-employment physical as required by OLAW (Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare)
• Ability to work in environment which contains animal dander and dust particles
• Ability to perform repetitive motions with arms, wrists and hands; regular bending and lifting, sitting and standing on hard floor surfaces and pushing and pulling of carts loaded with caging and accessories
• Ability to lift and stack feed and bedding bags up to 40 pounds
• Must wear institute supplied scrubs, face mask, shoe covers and hair bonnet as well as other task-related personnel protective equipment including face shield or goggles, heat resistant autoclave gloves, nitrile or chemical resistant gloves, apron, and back support belt
• Ability to work one of the defined work schedules: 6:30-3:00 or 7:00-3:30 Monday through Friday
• Work independently as well as in a team environment
• Strong written and oral communication and interpersonal skills
• Possess good time management and organizational skills
• Adhere to department and institute safety and occupational health policies and procedures while demonstrating competency in safety protocols
• Maintain compliance with all training requirements
• Professional proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Outlook, and LabTracks

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Direct: No, this position does not have any formal supervisory responsibilities
• Indirect: None

Work Environment

The vivarium is a specialized facility designed for the housing and care of laboratory animals, providing a controlled environment that ensures their health and well-being. This space is equipped with state-of-the-art housing units, environmental monitoring systems, and procedure areas. The vivarium maintains strict adherence to ethical guidelines and regulatory standards to promote humane treatment.

The atmosphere is typically collaborative, with researchers, animal care staff, and the veterinarian working closely together. Staff are required to follow established protocols for animal handling, care, and record-keeping to ensure compliance and safety.

The vivarium environment is characterized by its clean and organized layout, designed for efficiency and ease of access to research animals. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is mandatory to maintain hygiene and protect the health status of the colony.

Regular training sessions are conducted to keep staff informed about best practices in animal care, welfare, and safety procedures. Overall, the vivarium provides a dynamic work environment that emphasizes compassion, scientific integrity, and dedication to animal research.

The work environment contains rodent animal dander and bedding dust particles.

Physical Requirements

Ability to pass post-employment physical as required by OLAW (Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare)

Must wear institute supplied scrubs, face mask, shoe covers and hair bonnet as well as other task-related personnel protective equipment including face shield or goggles, heat resistant autoclave gloves, nitrile or chemical resistant gloves, apron, and back support belt

Working in a vivarium involves specific physical capabilities, including:

• Standing and Walking: Ability to stand for extended periods and move around the facility to attend to animal needs and maintenance.
• Lifting and Carrying: Capability to lift, carry, and stack feed and bedding bags that typically weigh up to 40 pounds; and move heavy equipment (mouse housing racks and carts loaded with water bottles or caging supplies), using proper lifting, pushing or pulling techniques.
• Manual Dexterity: Proficiency in handling small animals and using various tools and equipment with precision.
• Repetitive Motions: Comfort with repetitive tasks involved with animal care such as feeding, cage changing and animal health checks; and animal holding room and procedure room janitorial tasks
• Bending and Stooping: Flexibility to remove and hold rodent cages from various heights within their holding rack (cages weigh 8 lbs.) for cage changing and animal health check
• Visual Acuity: Ability to observe animal behavior and health, distinguishing subtle changes that may indicate issues.

Location

This is an onsite position; candidates must be willing to work onsite in San Diego.

Compensation

• The expected compensation for this position is $19.31-$24.39/hour commensurate with experience.

We welcome talented individuals of all backgrounds regardless of gender, sex, religion, race, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, perceived disability, pregnancy, pregnancy-related condition, reproductive health decisions, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS, marital status, covered veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations. We are proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer.

As part of this commitment, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. If a reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact our HR Partners at 858 646 3100 Ext 5127 or via e-mail at [e-mail].

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.