Veterinary Technician I/II

Unither Pharmaceuticals; Christiansburg (VA); On-site; USD 41,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision benefits

401(k) and ESPP

Paid time off & parental leave

Disability benefits

Job summary

United Therapeutics in Christiansburg, VA is seeking a Veterinary Technician to provide general care for pigs in a barrier facility and support veterinary procedures across survival and non-surgeries, sample collection, and necropsies for xenotransplantation programs.

The role requires experience with large animals, IACUC protocols, and medication administration, with opportunities to advance to Technician II. Strong record-keeping and SOP adherence are essential.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in veterinary technology or animal sciences.
• 2+ years of large animal care and handling experience for Technician I level with associate degree.
• 4+ years of large animal care and handling experience for Technician II level.
• Licensed Veterinary Technician-NAVTA license through VA Board of Veterinary Medicine.
• Knowledge of IACUC and research protocols and ability to follow SOPs.

Responsibilities

• Perform day-to-day care of swine herd including health, nutrition, and reproduction management.
• Assist veterinarians and surgeons with operative procedures and post-operative care.
• Collect, store, and inventory samples from animals for health testing.
• Support post-op procedures including imaging and tissue procurement.
• Maintain records for animal husbandry and care activity.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Large animal care

IACUC protocols

Data collection

SOP compliance

Independence

Safety awareness

Education

Associate degree in veterinary technology

Bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology or animal sciences

NAVTA license

Tools

Laboratory equipment

USDA knowledge

Data capture systems

Job description

California, US residents click here.

The job details are as follows:

Who We Are

We are the first publicly-traded biotech or pharmaceutical company to take the form of a public benefit corporation. Our public benefit purpose is to provide a brighter future for patients through the development of novel pharmaceutical therapies; and technologies that expand the availability of transplantable organs.

United Therapeutics (Nasdaq: UTHR) seeks to travel down the corridors of indifference to develop treatments for rare, deadly diseases. We were founded in 1996 by a family seeking a cure for their daughter’s pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Today, we have six FDA-approved therapies that treat PAH, pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD) and neuroblastoma, a rare pediatric cancer. Our near-term pipeline seeks to develop additional therapies for PAH and pulmonary fibrosis (PF).

The cure for end-stage life-threatening diseases like PAH, PH-ILD, PF, and many others is an organ transplant, but only a small percentage of donated organs are available to address the vast need. For this reason, we are working to create manufactured organs to address the shortage of kidneys, hearts, lungs, and livers available for transplant. We believe an unlimited supply of tolerable, transplantable organs will eliminate the transplant waiting list and cure end-stage organ diseases for which transplant is not currently an option.

Who You Are

Are you passionate about working with large animals? Do you want to be part of a collaborative team working in xenotransplantation?

This role is responsible for the general care/husbandry of all pigs within the barrier facility. Additionally, this role plays a critical part in the support of all veterinary procedures (survival and non-surgeries, sample collections and necropsies for the xenotransplantation program). Veterinary Technicians assist veterinarian staff in routine veterinary care of the USDA covered species and assist veterinarians in providing preventive medical care, medical nursing and euthanasia in addition to maintaining animal health records.

• Independently perform and document the day-to-day activities of the swine herd, including, herd health (general nursing care, vaccinations, medications, treatments, etc.), nutrition (feed management), and reproduction (AI, Boar semen collection, estrus synchronization)
• Assist veterinarian(s) and surgeons(s) with all elements of operative procedures, such as setup and tear-down, and post-operative animal care (i.e. examining animals, checking vitals, monitoring animals under anesthesia)
• Collect, store, ship, and inventory samples (blood, nasal, tissue, etc.) from animals for health and pathogen testing
• Provide assistance with post-op procedures including imaging, biopsies, bronchoscopy, tissue procurement and management of cardiopulmonary functions
• Maintain appropriate records for animal husbandry and care activity records
• Perform other duties as assigned

For this role you will need

Minimum Requirements

• Associate degree in veterinary technology or animal sciences
• For Veterinary Technician I level:
  • 2+ years of experience in large animal care and handling, experience following IACUC and research protocols and working with controlled substances, experience performing medical tests, observing behaviors, collecting samples, and administering medication to large animals with an associates degree, or
  • 1+ year of experience in large animal care and handling, experience following IACUC and research protocols and working with controlled substances, experience performing medical tests, observing behaviors, collecting samples, and administering medication to large animals with a bachelor’s degree
• For Veterinary Technician II level:
  • 4+ years of experience in large animal care and handling, experience following IACUC and research protocols and working with controlled substances, experience performing medical tests, observing behaviors, collecting samples, and administering medication to large animals with an associate degree or
  • 2+ years of experience in large animal care and handling, experience following IACUC and research protocols and working with controlled substances, experience performing medical tests, observing behaviors, collecting samples, and administering medication to large animals with a bachelor’s degree
• Licensed Veterinary Technician-NAVTA Licensed Vet Tech through the VA Board of Veterinary Medicine
• Working knowledge of animal husbandry including nutrition, reproduction, and safety
• Knowledge and experience with data collection and recording of large animals
• Working knowledge of the Animal Welfare and other regulations regarding animal research, USDA, FDA, and DEA
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Strong attention to operational planning and follow through
• Ability to author and follow SOPs
• Works under moderate supervision on routine tasks; may seek advice of more senior employees
• Must not have any other interaction with other pigs outside of the company
• Physical Demand:
  • Lift 75 lbs to waist level
  • Push/Pull 200 lbs on wheels

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology or animal sciences
• Working knowledge/understanding of GxP compliance

Job Location

This position is located at our Christiansburg, VA facility.

The pay range for the Veterinary Technician I position is $30.05 - $31.25 per hour, and the pay range for the Veterinary Technician II position is $30.77 - $36.06. These ranges reflect our good-faith estimate of the compensation for this role at the time of posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on factors such as education, qualifications, experience, skills, geographic location, and business needs, as well as other factors permitted by law at the time of posting. This range may be modified in the future based on company and market factors.

At United Therapeutics, our mission and vision are one. We use our enthusiasm, creativity, and persistence to innovate for the unmet medical needs of our patients and to benefit our other stakeholders. We are bold and unconventional. We have fun, we do good.

Eligible employees may participate in the Company’s comprehensive benefits suite of programs, including medical / dental / vision / prescription coverage, employee wellness resources, savings plans (401k and ESPP), paid time off & paid parental leave benefits, disability benefits, and more. For additional information on Company benefits, please visit https://www.unither.com/careers/benefits-and-amenities

United Therapeutics Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.