Veterinary Technician III - Comparative Research Center - Full-time-30163

Rush University Medical Center; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 34,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Rush University Medical Center in Chicago seeks a Veterinary Technician III to provide advanced clinical veterinary care within the Comparative Research Center. This senior role leads complex technical and surgical procedures, serves as a central resource for junior staff, and contributes to training, QA, and regulatory compliance across the CRC animal health program.

You will work with veterinary staff, investigators, and institutional partners under veterinary oversight, ensuring animal

Qualifications

• Education: AVMA-accredited Veterinary Technology associate or bachelor's degree required.
• Certification: CVT designation required; current licensure; AALAS LAT level required.
• Experience: 4–6 years of progressive clinical or laboratory animal experience.

Responsibilities

• Clinical Veterinary Care: Perform advanced rounds, triage and manage complex cases with autonomy.
• Surgical & Anesthesia Support: Lead or assist anesthesia, major surgeries, and imaging procedures.
• Diagnostic Testing & Sample Management: Conduct multi-species venipuncture, processing, and communicate results.
• Medication & Pharmacy Support: Prepare and document medications and manage pharmaceutical inventory.
• Documentation & Regulatory Compliance: Maintain records, develop SOPs, support inspections and accreditation.
• Operational Coordination & Facility Support: Coordinate coverage and environmental enrichment programs.
• Training & Team Support: Lead training for Veterinary Assistants and technicians; participate in meetings and development.
• Additional Responsibilities: Support other duties as needed.

Skills

Multi-species anesthesia

Surgical support

Critical care monitoring

Vascular access

Diagnostic testing

Documentation

Communication

Team mentorship

Education

AVMA-accredited Vet Tech program

CVT certification

AALAS LAT certification

LATG (preferred)

4–6 years experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Electronic recordkeeping systems

Inventory management systems

Data entry

Job description

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Business Unit: Rush Medical Center

Hospital: Rush University Medical Center

Department: Comparative Research Center

Work Type: Full Time (Total FTE between 0.9 and 1.0)

Shift: Shift 1

Work Schedule: 8 Hr (7:00:00 AM - 3:00:00 PM)

Rush offers exceptional rewards and benefits learn more at our Rush benefits page (https://www.rush.edu/rush-careers/employee-benefits).

Pay Range: $25.20 - $35.60 per hour

Rush salaries are determined by many factors including, but not limited to, education, job-related experience and skills, as well as internal equity and industry specific market data. The pay range for each role reflects Rush’s anticipated wage or salary reasonably expected to be offered for the position. Offers may vary depending on the circumstances of each case.

Job Summary

The Veterinary Technician III, Comparative Research Center, serves as a senior technical expert and informal leader within the animal health team at RUSH's Comparative Research Center and associated satellite facilities. This role provides advanced clinical veterinary care, leads complex technical and surgical procedures, and serves as a central contributor to training, quality assurance, and operational continuity across the CRC animal health program. The Veterinary Technician III works with significant autonomy under veterinary oversight, serves as a primary resource for junior technicians, and contributes substantively to regulatory compliance, SOP development, and accreditation activities. This position collaborates closely with veterinary staff, principal investigators, and institutional partners to uphold the highest standards of animal welfare and research integrity.

Exemplifies the Rush mission, vision, and values and acts in accordance with Rush policies and procedures.

Other Information

REQUIRED JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: Graduation from an AVMA-accredited Veterinary Technology associate or bachelor's degree program required.

Certification: Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) designation required; current CVT licensure required; AALAS certification at the Laboratory Animal Technician (LAT) level required.

Experience: Minimum of 4–6 years of progressive clinical or laboratory animal experience following CVT certification, with demonstrated growth in technical complexity and autonomy.

Experience in Lieu of Degree

• Equivalent education and experience may be considered only when the candidate meets institutional requirements for Certified Veterinary Technician licensure within the required timeframe.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Advanced proficiency in veterinary technical skills including multi-species anesthesia management, surgical support, critical care monitoring, vascular access procedures, and advanced diagnostic testing.
• Knowledge of and ability to work in compliance with applicable federal, USDA, AAALAC, IACUC, GLP, FDA, DEA, and institutional regulatory requirements.
• Strong attention to detail with a commitment to procedural consistency, documentation accuracy, operational quality, and animal welfare.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills; ability to interact professionally with veterinary, research, operational, and institutional personnel.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage competing priorities in a complex research environment.
• Ability to independently coordinate technical and operational activities across assigned focus areas.
• Ability to provide technical leadership, mentorship, and procedural training to junior staff and research personnel.
• Proficiency in electronic recordkeeping systems, inventory management systems, data entry, and Microsoft Office applications.

Preferred Job Qualifications

Certification: AALAS certification at the Laboratory Animal Technologist (LATG) level is strongly preferred.

Experience: Experience in a GLP-regulated or AAALAC-accredited academic medical center or research facility.

Experience: Broad range of species, including rodents, rabbits, swine, non‑human primates, and other large animals.

Physical Demands

• Potential for exposure to blood, body fluids, and other potentially infectious materials, chemicals, and other hazardous conditions that may pose a potential health risk.
• Trained and expected to observe all fire and safety procedures, blood‑borne pathogen and hazard communication standards, and the Institutional Animal Care and Use program.
• Must handle and restrain all species of animals used in the facility.
• Work in proximity to all species of animals used in the facility.
• Ability to lift, move, and/or place objects of a minimum of 50 lbs. in a repeated fashion.
• No known animal allergies.

Competencies

• Expert Clinical Proficiency: Demonstrates expert-level, multi-species veterinary technical skills with the ability to independently manage complex clinical cases, lead advanced surgical and anesthesia support, and serve as the primary technical resource for the animal health team.
• Mentorship: Provides formal and informal leadership through technical training, mentorship of junior staff and ownership of defined clinical and operational focus areas.
• SOP Development & Quality Assurance: Develops, reviews, and enforces standard operating procedures; identifies and implements process improvements while maintaining rigorous compliance and quality standards.
• Regulatory Expertise: Applies advanced knowledge of GLP, AAALAC, USDA, IACUC, FDA, and DEA requirements; actively supports inspections, accreditation activities, and institutional compliance efforts.
• Communication & Organizational Effectiveness: Communicates with authority and clarity across all levels of the organization; manages competing priorities and sustains team performance in a dynamic and complex research environment.

Disclaimer: The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements.

Responsibilities

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Clinical Veterinary Care

• Performs advanced clinical rounds with a high degree of autonomy, independently triaging and managing complex health cases and escalating appropriately; serves as a clinical resource for Veterinary Technician I and II staff.
• Independently administers treatments, medications, intravenous fluids, and critical care interventions across a broad range of species and clinical presentations; monitors critical care animals and intervenes as needed.
• Identifies, documents, and escalates clinical, technical, or regulatory discrepancies; monitors and reports adverse events promptly.

Surgical & Anesthesia Support

• Leads or independently performs anesthesia induction, maintenance, and monitoring for major surgical and translational imaging procedures, including MRI and ultrasonography across multiple species.
• Performs or assists with major and minor surgical procedures, vascular access procedures, and fluoroscopic or imaging‑guided interventions as directed by veterinary staff or qualified research personnel.

Diagnostic Testing & Sample Management

• Conducts comprehensive diagnostic evaluations including multi-species venipuncture, sample processing, point‑of‑care testing, and submission of specimens to diagnostic laboratories; reviews results and communicates findings to veterinary staff.
• Coordinates and provides coverage for sentinel colony health monitoring and incoming quarantine programs.
• Provides technical consultation and recommendations regarding clinical procedures, equipment utilization, and process improvements affecting animal health operations.

Medication & Pharmacy Support

• Calculates, prepares, and accurately documents medications, controlled substances, and fluids in compliance with DEA, institutional, and GLP requirements.
• Manages the CRC pharmacy for controlled and non‑controlled drugs, including dispensing, inventory, reconciliation, and compliance with DEA and institutional requirements.

Documentation & Regulatory Compliance

• Maintains thorough and accurate animal health records, medical records, GLP forms, and related documentation; ensures consistency and compliance across the animal health team.
• Develops, reviews, and maintains standard operating procedures (SOPs) for clinical and technical functions; identifies and proposes opportunities for process improvement in animal health operations.
• Actively supports AAALAC accreditation activities, IACUC protocol compliance, and institutional and regulatory inspections.
• Adheres to all applicable safety, biosafety, occupational health, USDA, AAALAC, IACUC, GLP, FDA, and institutional regulatory requirements.

Operational Coordination & Facility Support

• Takes ownership of one or more defined clinical or operational focus areas, including understanding relevant research protocols, coordinating coverage, and identifying and resolving issues independently.
• Coordinates and provides coverage for environmental enrichment programs.

Training & Team Support

• Leads and facilitates technical training of Veterinary Assistants, Veterinary Technician I and II staff, animal care personnel, and laboratory researchers across a wide range of clinical, surgical, and experimental procedures.
• Participates in staff meetings, institutional committees, continuing professional development, and other activities as assigned.

Additional Responsibilities

• Support additional responsibilities as requested by leadership.

Rush is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.