Laboratory Animal Technician I - Comparative Medicine

Washington University in St. Louis; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 34,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation & holidays

Healthcare

Metro U-Pass

Tuition assistance

Retirement plan

Job summary

Washington University in St. Louis seeks an Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician to provide daily care and documentation for rodents in the vivarium, ensuring compliance with SOPs and regulatory guidelines.

You will monitor health, maintain records, and support a quality animal care program within a research and teaching environment. The role requires rotating weekends/holidays and adaptation to a busy lab setting, with safety training and adherence to institutional policies.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• ALAT certification preferred.
• No specific prior work experience required for this position.

Responsibilities

• Provide and document daily husbandry care to rodents in the vivarium, including feed, water, clean cages and enrichment.
• Sanitize and maintain rodent rooms, rotate cages, and disinfect all areas as scheduled.
• Monitor animal health and report illnesses or deaths promptly to supervisor or veterinarian.
• Maintain daily animal census records and sanitation logs for the animal room.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Biomedical Research

Communication

Positive Thinking

Quality Care

SOP

Writing Documentation

Education

Associate degree

Job description

Position Summary

Provide and document care and husbandry for rodent animal species in accordance departmental SOPS and regulations and guidelines of the Animal Welfare Act and the Public Health Service to ensure a quality animal care program that supports the research and teaching at WashU. Work on a rotating weekend and holiday schedule is required.

Location

SAINT LOUIS, MO 63110

Scheduled Hours

40

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Provides and documents daily husbandry care to rodents in the vivarium to include the provision of feed, water, clean cages and enrichment.
• Sanitizes and maintains rodent colony rooms to include sweeping and mopping of animal quarters, rotating animal cages, large equipment and room supplies for cleaning according to schedule and disinfecting all areas in room.
• Monitors behaviors, illness or death in animals and reports to Supervisor, Facility Manager or DCM Veterinarian in a timely fashion.
• Maintains record keeping of daily animal census and sanitation of animal room.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Working Conditions:

• Requires extensive safety training.
• Stockroom or warehouse.
• Alternative work schedules.
• Exposure to chemicals.
• High noise environment.
• Requires protective devices.
• Dust, dirt, grease or other disagreeable elements.
• Exposure to moving machinery.
• Exposure to animals.

Physical Effort:

• Typically standing or walking.
• Typically bending, crouching, or stooping.
• Repetitive wrist, hand or finger movement.
• Frequent lifting (30 lbs. or more).

Equipment:

• Lab/research equipment.
• Simple hand tools.
• Heavy equipment (buffers, mowers, forklift, etc.).

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Education:

High school diploma or equivalent high school certification or combination of education and/or experience.

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

Animal Care Learning Program - Purina Institute, Animal Care Learning Program within 6 months - Purina Institute

Work Experience:

No specific work experience is required for this position.

Skills:

Not Applicable

Driver's License:

A driver's license is not required for this position.

More About This Job

WashU seeks highly motivated individuals who are able to perform duties in a manner consistent with our core mission and guiding principles.

Preferred Qualifications:

Associate degree

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) - American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS)

Work Experience:

Laboratory Animal Care (1 Year)

Skills:

Biomedical Research, Communication, Positive Thinking, Quality Care, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Writing Documentation

Grade

R03-H

Salary Range

$16.27 - $20.83 / Hourly

The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email [e-mail] or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

Pre-Employment Screening

All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Personal

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
• Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
• WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.

Wellness

• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!

Family

• We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We've got you covered.
• WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.

For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/

EEO Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.