Research Technician I

Charles River Laboratories; Worcester (MA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus/incentives based on performance

401K

Paid time off

Stock purchase program

Health and wellness coverage

Employee and family wellbeing programs

Work life balance flexibility

Job summary

Charles River is seeking a Research Technician I to collect data with minimal supervision, handle animals, and perform basic study tasks. The role includes data recording, sample collection, and routine monitoring of food consumption and animal care in a regulated environment.

Schedule is Sunday-Thursday with specific start times; ALAT is preferred and a high school diploma or BS in a life science is recommended.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; Bachelor’s preferred in animal or life science or related discipline.
• 6 months related experience in animal research and/or husbandry or fully satisfied technical/experience requirements for the previous level.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted.
• ALAT certification preferred.
• Ability to handle common laboratory species and operate data collection equipment; knowledge of guidelines for lab animals.

Responsibilities

• Perform in-life procedures: clipping, handling, binding, removals, body weight, dosing.
• Administer test substances by basic methods (e.g., oral gavage).
• Input, print, and edit computer entries (life numbers, weights, observations).
• Under supervision, may act as lead/primary technician on basic studies.
• Observe animals for general health and wellbeing.
• Collect and record research data/biological specimens per GLPs/SOPs.
• Read basic study protocols and extract pertinent information.
• Review documentation for quality control requirements.
• Retrieve and view SOPs using the database.
• Handle, restrain and care for all species of laboratory animals at the site.
• Maintain clean work areas and setup.

Skills

Animal handling

Data collection

Laboratory SOPs / GLPs knowledge

Study design basics

Education

High school diploma or GED

BS in animal or life science or related discipline

ALAT certification

Job description

At Charles River, we are passionate about improving the quality of people’s lives. When you join our global family, you will help create healthier lives for millions of patients and their families.

Charles River employees are innovative thinkers, who are dedicated to continuous learning and improvement. We will empower you with the resources you need to grow and develop in your career.

As a Charles River employee, you will be part of an industry-leading, customer-focused company at the forefront of drug development. Your skills will play a key role in bringing life‑saving therapies to market faster through simpler, quicker, and more digitalized processes. Whether you are in lab operations, finance, IT, sales, or another area, when you work at Charles River, you will be the difference every day for patients across the globe.

Job Overview

The Research Technician I will collect and record data with minimal supervision in the performance of studies. Responsible for handling and restraining animals, clinical observations, sample collection, monitoring food consumption, animal husbandry, and performing accurate data collection and reporting. Administer test substances by various basic methods.

This is a Full-Time position.

Schedule: Sunday - Thursday. Sunday: 6:00am - 2:30pm. Monday - Thursday: 7:30am - 4:00pm

Job Description

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Perform in-life technical procedures (e.g., clipping, handling, binding, removals, body weight, dosing).
• Administer test substances by various basic methods (e.g., oral gavage).
• Input, print and edit computer entries (e.g., in life numbers, body weights, food consumption and clinical observation).
• Under supervision may act as lead/primary technician on basic studies.
• Observe animals for general health and overall well being.
• Collect and record research data and biological specimens in compliance with applicable guidelines and regulations (GLPs, SOPS).
• Read basic study protocols and extract pertinent information.
• Review documentation of functions performed as part of quality control requirements.
• Retrieve and view SOPs using appropriate database.
• Use applicable GLPs, SOPs, processes and company policies when performing all job functions.
• Handle, restrain, and provide care for all species of laboratory animals at the site.
• Perform study preparation activities including collection tube labeling and room setup.
• Maintain clean work areas (e.g.: laboratory area, primary enclosures, animal exam areas).
• Receive animals (e.g., general health observation, sexing and identification) of all species, if applicable for the site.
• Under supervision, perform basic formulation procedures (i.e. simple dilutions, label and dispense).

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education: High school diploma or General Equivalent Degree (G.E.D.). Bachelor’s preferred (B.S) or equivalent in animal or life science or related discipline.
• Experience: 6 months related experience in animal research and/or husbandry or must have fully satisfied technical and experience requirements for the previous level.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted as a satisfactory substitute for the specific education and experience listed above.
• Certification/Licensure: ALAT preferred.
• Other: Ability to handle common laboratory species. Proficient in basic technical skills and the operation of data collection equipment. Knowledge of guidelines relating to the care of laboratory animals. Basic understanding of study design and protocols.

The pay for this position is $24.50/hour. Please note that salaries vary within the range based on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, certifications, and location.

Education

No degree required

About Safety Assessment

Charles River is committed to helping our partners expedite their preclinical drug development with exceptional safety assessment services, state‑of‑the‑art facilities and expert regulatory guidance. From individual specialty toxicology and IND enabling studies to tailored packages and total laboratory support, our deeply experienced team can design and execute programs that anticipate challenges and avoid roadblocks for a smooth, efficient journey to market. Each year approximately 120 investigational new drug (IND) programs are conducted in our Safety Assessment facilities.

About Charles River

Charles River is an early‑stage contract research organization (CRO). We have built upon our foundation of laboratory animal medicine and science to develop a diverse portfolio of discovery and safety assessment services, both Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and non‑GLP, to support clients from target identification through preclinical development. Charles River also provides a suite of products and services to support our clients’ clinical laboratory testing needs and manufacturing activities. Utilizing this broad portfolio of products and services enables our clients to create a more flexible drug development model, which reduces their costs, enhances their productivity and effectiveness to increase speed to market.

With over 20,000 employees within 110 facilities in over 20 countries around the globe, we are strategically positioned to coordinate worldwide resources and apply multidisciplinary perspectives in resolving our client’s unique challenges. Our client base includes global pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, government agencies and hospitals and academic institutions around the world.

At Charles River, we are passionate about our role in improving the quality of people’s lives. Our mission, our excellent science and our strong sense of purpose guide us in all that we do, and we approach each day with the knowledge that we are contributing to the lives of many across the globe. We have proudly worked on 80% of the drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the past five years.

• bonus/incentives based on performance
• 401K
• paid time off
• stock purchase program
• Health and wellness coverage
• employee and family wellbeing support programs
• and work life balance flexibility

Equal Employment Opportunity

Charles River is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, family status, pregnancy, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

It is unlawful in some states (including Massachusetts) to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
If you are interested in applying to Charles River Laboratories and need special assistance or an accommodation due to a disability to complete any forms or to otherwise participate in the resume submission process, please contact a member of our Human Resources team by sending an e‑mail message to [e-mail]. This contact is for accommodation requests for individuals with disabilities only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

For more information, please visit www.criver.com.