Sr. Animal Caretaker

Grade: V14 $26.20/hour

Summary:

The Animal Caretaker III position is based in Temple's University Laboratory Animal Resources Department (ULAR). The individual filling this position will be responsible for providing exemplary animal care, husbandry, customer service, and study support. The individual will also assume a lead husbandry role in animal procurement, front-end billing, staff training, and project management. will be responsible for ensuring good husbandry, nutrition, and sanitation of animals used for research, testing, and educational purposes. The individual is also responsible for monitoring compliance with institutional animal care and use policies and federal laws.

Essential Functions:

Animal Husbandry

1. Understand and follow all ULAR SOPs, IACUC policies and guidelines, safety procedures,

and Quality Assurance Standards.

2. Perform daily animal health checks and reports any abnormal animal conditions to the

veterinary staff. This is to include, ensuring all laboratory animals in their care always

have food and water.

3. Change animal caging, to include feed and water, according to ULAR SOPs

and/or specific approved protocols and the schedule established by the Area

Supervisor.

4. Determine age, sex, and weaning times for animals according to ULAR SOPs and IACUC

policy.

5. Dispose of dead animals according to standard SOPs and policies.

6. Assist with the restraint, handling, and manipulation of various animal species as

requested by the investigators or other ULAR staff members.

7. Receive, examine, transfer, identify, and properly house incoming animal

shipments according to ULAR SOPs.

8. Maintain daily documentation to include room logs, animal census sheets,

animal care and enrichment logs, room equipment logs, and other forms as

requested by the Area Supervisor. This includes ensuring all animals are tagged

and cages are properly identified.

9. Clean and sanitize the animal facility, assigned rooms, and cages according to ULAR

SOPs.

10. Maintain and repair animal caging and support equipment.

11. Operate mechanical equipment such as cage washing machines, the Hydropac water

delivery system, and autoclaves.

12. Perform routine cleaning, descaling, and preventative maintenance on the cage

washers and autoclaves, including checking and cleaning filters, and spray manifolds.

13. Process dirty caging to include breaking down part, dumping bedding, and soaking

caging components.

14. Process clean caging and accessory equipment appropriately, including putting bedding

into cages, filling water bottles, and autoclaving cages and supplies.

15. Prepare and submit records, charts, logs, cage cards, and inventories as required by

ULAR SOP's.

16. Other duties as assigned to support animal care and welfare.

Procurement

1. Prepare housing and paperwork/cage cards for incoming shipments.

2. Receive all animal deliveries

3. Properly house all animals into previously determined holding rooms

4. Maintain all applicable documentation.

Front End Billing

1. Collect cage activation and deactivation cards from all ULAR facilities on the Health

Sciences Campus.

2. Use Cayuse software to activate or to deactivate billing cycles for all applicable animals.

3. Organize and maintain hard copies of all cards input into Cayuse database.

Staff Training

1. In accordance with ULAR SOP, train employees in cage wash operations as needed.

2. In accordance with ULAR SOP, train employees in animal husbandry as needed.

3. In accordance with ULAR SOP, train employees in room sanitation as needed.

Project Management

1. Develop action plans to complete assigned projects.

2. Organize materials and personnel required to complete assigned projects.

3. Execute action plans to complete assigned projects

4. Equipment inventory tracking

Benefits of working at Temple University include:

Great Benefit package

Generous time off

Parental Leave

Tuition Remission

Dynamic Workforce

Click here to learn more about the benefits of working at Temple University.

Required Education & Experience:

High School/GED and six or more years of directly related experience handling both rodent and USDA covered species. A.S./B.S. in animal or biology related discipline preferred. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Required Skills & Abilities:

1) Proficient at working with and handling rodents, USDA covered species, and other animal species involved in the Temple University animal program.

2) Demonstrated ability to continuously lift 50lbs.

3) Strong organizational skills, along with the ability to be detail-oriented and to handle multiple tasks.

4)Strong written and verbal communication skills.

5)Demonstrated computer skills, along with the ability to operate standard office equipment and software including MS Office.

6)Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact with diverse population of students, faculty, and staff.

7) Ability to work holiday and weekend hours, as needed.

8) Ability to perform husbandry for all applicable species housed at Temple University.

Preferred:

1) Prior experience working with animals in private practice, laboratory animal, or zoo animal setting.

2) Prior experience with animal husbandry and behavior. 3) Prior experience with cagewash operations.

3) AALAS LATG certification eligible.

This position requires a background check.

Temple University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all in every aspect of its operations, including employment, service, and educational programs. The University has pledged not to discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, marital status, national origin or ethnic origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or veteran status.

Compliance Statement: In the performance of their functions as detailed in the position description employees have an obligation to avoid ethical, legal, financial and other conflicts of interest to ensure that their actions and outside activities do not conflict with their primary employment responsibilities at the institution. Employees are also expected to understand and be in compliance with applicable laws, University and employment policies and regulations, including NCAA regulations for areas and departments which their essential functions cause them to interact.

To obtain additional information about Temple University please visit our website at www.temple.edu.

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You may request a copy of the report by calling Temple University's Campus Safety Services at 215-204-7900.