Lab Animal Tech Assistant

UMBC; Baltimore, Northern (MD, KY); Hybrid; USD 28,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition remission

Paid vacation & breaks

Job summary

UMBC's The Rita Rossi Colwell Center is seeking a contractual full-time Laboratory Animal Technician to support the Aquaculture Research Center. The role ensures animal health, welfare, and routine care, including feeding, water quality monitoring, and maintenance of life-support systems.

Weekend work and on-call duties are required. The position offers a starting hourly rate of $20.51 with a broader range up to $25.64 per hour, plus standard benefits including vacation and tuition remission;

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED is required.
• Six months in a laboratory animal facility.
• Experience in animal husbandry is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Understand feeding routines for fish and invertebrates.
• Prepare artificial saltwater batches.
• Monitor and record water quality parameters.
• Maintain clean tanks, systems, and spaces to facility standards.
• Care for zebrafish room animals, including feeding and mortality removal.
• Assist with animal relocation, weighing, and biopsies under supervision.

Skills

Animal husbandry

Education

High School Diploma or GED

B.S. in Biology or related field

Job description

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Apply now Job no: 495375
Work type: Staff Full-time
Location: Baltimore City
Categories: Laboratory Support

Department:

The Rita Rossi Colwell Center

Position Overview:

The Aquaculture Research Center houses research animals for the IMET Faculty. This position supports animal health and welfare and ongoing research projects by ensuring that the animals are well fed; life support systems are properly functioning, water quality parameters are within established limits as determined by properly functioning monitors; records are kept and tanks are clean and the facility is organized. This position also requires routine weekend work and on-call duties.

Why Work at UMBC?

UMBC offers competitive compensation. This role starts at $20.51per hour and has 14 days of vacation as well as winter break, spring break, and personal days for regular full time roles. Tuition remission is also available.

Understand and perform routine tasks in ARC, including but not limited to:

• Understand and perform feeding routines for fish and invertebrates in ARC
• Making batches of artificial saltwater.
• Determine water quality, observe data, and make corrective actions.
• Monitor controllers for dissolved oxygen, pH, ORP, salinity, conductivity, and temperature.
• Cleaning floors, systems, countertops, spaces, equipment, etc. to meet facility standards.
• Responsible for the care and feeding of animals in the zebrafish room. This includes harvesting artemia, feeding zebrafish, removal of animal mortalities.
• Observe organism feeding responses.
• Responsible for routine maintenance and cleaning in the Zebrafish Room (e.g. scrubbing glass aquaria tank, siphoning glass aquaria, cleaning tank covers, scrubbing rack tanks after removing fish, cleaning rack tank baffles, replacing tank screens with baffles, and mopping wet floors).
• Maintain proper documentation on systems. Review and update SOPs, as needed, in consultation with the IMET veterinarian and ARC Manager/Assistant Manager.
• Assist researchers and the ARC Veterinarian with animal care relocation, weighing, & biopsies as needed under the guidance of the ARC Veterinarian.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or GED
• Six months in a laboratory animal facility supporting a research project similar to the type being recruited for.

Note: Additional related experience and formal education in which one has gained the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for full performance of the work may be substituted for the education or experience requirement on a year-for-year basis with 30 college credits being equivalent to one year of experience.

• Experience in animal husbandry.

Preferred Qualifications:

• B.S. degree preferably in Biology, Environmental Science, Aquaculture or related field.
• Experience in aquaculture, aquatic animal husbandry, and aquarium maintenance desired. Experience in an aquatic animal research operation desired.

A background check will be required.

Closing Date:

UMBC offers a rich benefits package including the following for nonexempt regular employees.

Benefits offered align with type (Regular, Contingent II, etc.) of position.

Pay Range 06 (minimum: $20.51 per hour / maximum: $25.64 per hour) based on the University System of Maryland (USM) Pay Program.

The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, Memorandum of Understanding, USM Board of Regent policies, internal equity, budget and qualifications and experience. Most salary offers will be close to the minimum part of the range.

The above salary range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Hours:

Hours: Full-time

Type:

Type: Contractual

Additional Information:

Additional Information: Please note that this is a full-time contractual staff position. The contract term will be for a one-year period, with the option to renew.

FLSA Status:

FLSA Status: Nonexempt

Equal Opportunity Statement:

Equal Opportunity Statement: UMBC is an Affiliated Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications from women, minority group members, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Work Authorization

Work Authorization As required by the 1986 Immigration Act, be prepared to present acceptable documentation upon hire showing your identity and that you are a U.S. citizen or an alien who is authorized to work.

Advertised: Sep 23 2026 09:00 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: Open Until Filled