Animal Caretaker (U) (0678)

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Assist in the provision of high-quality care of laboratory animals maintained by the Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine (DLAM).

This individual will demonstrate, by actions, commitment to the mission and the behavioral standards of SIU School of Medicine. They will provide excellent service to both internal and external customers through collaboration and partnership; compassion and respect; integrity and accountability; diversity and inclusion; as well as continuous learning and improvement.

The following information is intended to be representative of the work performed by incumbent in this position and is not all-inclusive. The omission of a specific duty or responsibility will not preclude it from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical extension of position responsibilities.

60% Animal Care

Cage change - Assist in the provision of routine housing and care (feed, water, bedding, etc.) for all animals maintained by DLAM, as described in the husbandry SOP.

This will also include separating overcrowded cages, when necessary, and reporting appropriate information to supervisor or veterinary staff.

Observation - Observe animals daily and report unusual behavior or clinical signs of illness or distress. Notify supervisor or veterinary staff of any unusual circumstances in environmental conditions or animal health.

Medical - Perform and administer medical treatments to animals, as directed by supervisor or veterinary staff.

Euthanasia - Perform euthanasia of rodents in accordance with federal and state guidelines, i.e. AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals: 2020 edition, as instructed by supervisor or veterinary staff.

Restraint - Provide or oversee safe animal restraint during procedures performed by veterinary staff, researchers, or their technicians, ensuring proper technique and adherence to animal welfare and safety standards.

Receiving/Transporting - Receive research animals from vendor delivery, uncrate animals, verify animal species, sex, and weight with vendor invoice. Perform health checks on animals to ensure welfare. Match pre- typed cage cards with animals received. Transfer animals from shipping crate to facility housing.

Hydropac - Operate and maintain Hydropac 2500 machines. Run pouches as needed to maintain supply for daily use and emergency back-up. Monitor water quality by testing chlorination level of water pouches. Perform routine maintenance of machines, including regular cleaning and changing of filters.

Record Keeping -Maintain records and verify completion of daily/weekly/monthly husbandry and sanitation tasks across DLAM spaces. Track and reconcile animal census data by species, investigator, and account. Ensure accurate documentation of animal health observations, including marking cages of sick animals, submitting health reports to veterinary staff, and recording births and deaths, along with paper and electronic dead animal report submissions.

35% Sanitation

Facility - Routinely clean and disinfect animal rooms and facility hallways, including hose down/steam. Change room air and water filters, clean drains, buff floors, clean stainless steel etc.

Equipment - Operate mechanical cage washers, bedding machine, steam vapor units, floor buffers, ethylene oxide sterilizer, and steam autoclaves.

Cagewash - Dump bedding. Disassemble and manually pre-wash cages, racks, and water bottles. Place cages, racks and water bottles into mechanical washers. Fill clean cages with bedding. Store clean cage components in appropriate locations.

Autoclave - Autoclave dirty cages used for ABSL-2 studies prior to disposal, drapes, and barrier supplies.

Quality assurance program - Perform testing on facility walls and equipment to ensure sanitation techniques are effective and within regulatory compliance

5% Other Duties

Perform other duties as assigned.

1. High school diploma or equivalent.

1. Knowledge of machines and tools related to animal care, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
2. Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, data entry, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
3. Knowledge of basic arithmetic operations and their applications.
4. Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote the safety and security of people, data, property, and institutions.
5. Ability to communicate effectively as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
6. Ability to interpret work-related documents, policies, and procedures.
7. Ability to exhibit strong organizational skills and maintain detailed, accurate records.
8. Ability to exert force to lift, push, pull or carry objects repeatedly or continuously over time.
9. Ability to work successfully as a member of a team and independently with moderate supervision.
10. Ability to predict when something is likely to go wrong, identify and report to the appropriate persons.

Condition of Employment: Pursuant to the State Universities Civil Service System, an out-of-state resident who is hired into this position must establish Illinois residency within 180 calendar days of their start date.

If you require assistance, please contact the Office of Human Resources at hrrecruitment@siumed.edu or call 217-545-0223 Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm.

The mission of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine is to optimize the health of the people of central and southern Illinois through education, patient care, research and service to the community.

The SIU School of Medicine Annual Security Report is available online at https://www.siumed.edu/police-security. This report contains policy statements and crime statistics for Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, IL. This report is published in compliance with Federal Law titled the

"Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act."

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer who provides equal employment and educational opportunities for all qualified persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, protected veteran status or marital status in accordance with local, state and federal law.

Pre-employment background screenings required.