Senior Animal Technician, Animal Resource Center – Service Department (Galveston)

UTMB Health; Town of Texas (WI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

UTMB Health is seeking a dedicated individual to assist in providing humane, safe, and sanitary care for laboratory animals. The role includes daily husbandry, cage sanitation, enrichment, and documentation of duties, with responsibilities extending to veterinary support and specimen processing.

The position involves overseeing routine operations, training staff, and participating in veterinary rounds and health checks. Knowledge of biohazard protocols and sterile housing is valued.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent with four years of laboratory animal experience.

Responsibilities

• Provides daily husbandry care, including feeding and watering for all species.
• Changes and sanitizes animal caging as scheduled.
• Maintains enrichment program as specified for each species.
• Sanitizes rooms, equipment and hallways as scheduled.
• Documents daily, weekly and monthly duties accurately.
• Observes animals for behavior change and notifies veterinary staff as appropriate.
• Assists in the maintenance of animal medical records.
• Administers treatments and assists with technical support as needed.
• Receives, transports and distributes incoming animals as specified.
• Assists in census program tasks, including inventory and cage cards.
• Provides specialized animal care, including quarantine, biohazard and sterile housing.
• Ensures equipment in animal rooms are functioning properly.
• Assist supervisor with equipment repairs and maintenance.
• Assists with breeding colony documentation and maintenance.
• Trains and mentors on husbandry procedures.
• Oversees daily operation of husbandry in supervisor’s absence.
• Serves as Team Lead when needed.
• Maintains equipment inventories.
• Functions as a Veterinary Assistant: administers veterinary treatments and provides technical support.
• Participates in daily veterinary rounds and health checks.
• Collects samples and processes diagnostic tests.
• Monitors pre- and post-operative veterinary patients.
• Performs anesthetic induction, maintenance and monitoring.
• Cleans and sets up operating room and surgical packs.
• Operates and maintains medical and surgical equipment.
• Maintains surgical and veterinary records.
• Adheres to internal controls and reporting structure.
• Attends training to increase knowledge in laboratory animal science.
• Provides superior customer service.
• Follows safety precautions and protective equipment.
• Follows rules and regulations related to laboratory animal care.

Education

High school or equivalent

Job description

++EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE++

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school or equivalent and four years laboratory animal experience.

++LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS OR CERTIFICATIONS++

Required:

• AALAS LAT certified or exam eligible (must successfully pass exam within 6 months of start date)

++JOB SUMMARY++

To assist in providing care of laboratory animals in a humane, safe and sanitary manner including duties associated using appropriate equipment and established procedures.

++JOB DUTIES++

• Provides daily husbandry care, including feeding and watering, for all species.
• Changes and sanitizes animal caging as scheduled.
• Maintains enrichment program as specified for each species.
• Sanitizes rooms, equipment and hallways as scheduled.
• Documents daily, weekly and monthly duties accurately.
• Observes animals for behavior change and/or evidence of disease and notifies veterinary staff as appropriate.
• Assists in the maintenance of animal medical records.
• Administers treatments and assists with technical support as needed.
• Receives transports and distributes incoming animals as specified.
• Assists in high-level tasks of the census program, including receiving animal orders, monthly inventory and generating cage cards.
• Provides specialized animal care, including quarantine, biohazard and sterile housing.
• Ensures equipment in animal rooms are functioning properly.
• Assist supervisor with coordination of equipment repairs and maintenance.
• Assists with maintenance and documentation of breeding colonies.
• Trains and mentors on husbandry procedures.
• In cooperation with the supervisor, provides oversight of daily operation of the husbandry operations.
• Serves as Team Lead in supervisor’s absence.
• Maintains equipment inventories.
• Functions as a Veterinary Assistant:
• Administers veterinary treatments as directed.
• Provides technical support.
• Participates in daily veterinary rounds and health checks.
• Collects samples and processes diagnostic tests.
• Monitors and cares for pre-operative and post-operative veterinary patients.
• Performs anesthetic induction, maintenance and monitoring.
• Cleans and sets up operating room and surgical packs.
• Operates and maintains medical and surgical equipment.
• Maintains surgical and veterinary records.
• Adheres to internal controls and reporting structure.
• Attends in-house training programs to become more knowledgeable in the field of laboratory animal science.
• Provides superior customer service.
• Follows safety precautions and wears correct protective equipment.
• Follows rules and regulations related to laboratory animal care.

Marginal or Periodic Functions:

(Two below are most common functions/duties seen in this section.)

• Adheres to internal controls and reporting structure.
• Performs related duties as required.

++WORKING ENVIRONMENT++

• Standard research facility environment.
• Work weekends, holidays, and some overtime when needed.
• Lifting may be heavy and awkward, up to 50 pounds.
• Frequent contact with animal allergens, such as hair and dander.
• Frequent exposure to animal odors, heat and humidity from cage washing rooms, and chemicals used in the cleaning process
• Possible contact with zoonotic diseases and or research materials could be hazardous to a fetus.
• Potential exposure to radiation and biohazards.

++WORKING EQUIPMENT++

• Industrial type cage and rack washers, autoclaves, pallet jacks, animal caging and racks.
• Support equipment used in a laboratory animal science multi-species facility and standard office equipment.
• Standard office, laboratory, and veterinary equipment.

SALARY RANGE:

Commensurate with experience.

Equal Employment Opportunity

UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Compensation