Animal Care Technician II

Job Summary

We are seeking an Animal Care Technician II to join our Insourcing Solutions team, located in San Diego, CA.

As the Animal Care Technician II, you will observe, monitor and document the health and physical environment within the client’s animal facility. Perform animal care and husbandry.

Additional responsibilities include:

• Review, comprehend and comply with all SOPs and quality assurance standards pertaining to laboratory animals for research.
• Monitor daily animal health and welfare while performing daily animal health observations. Perform animal husbandry duties to maintain quality and health of research animals, to include: perform daily water bottle /automatic water line and cage checks; provide appropriate food and water; perform cage changing and/or cage cleaning as required; record animal health concerns per SOP and/or specified protocols.
• Perform daily cage wash duties and sanitation, including sanitizing caging and related equipment using cage washers, properly disposing of soiled bedding and waste in specified receptacles and cleaning cage preparation and storage areas. Operates equipment used in performance of work and/or reports the problem to supervisor.
• Maintains assigned area of responsibility in a clean and organized manner and in adherence with all SOP and facility requirements.
• Ensures that all facility documentation, including but not limited to, room log/charts, equipment logbooks, checklists and other records are completed in a timely fashion.
• Support research by providing technical support (e.g., routine dosing and sample collection, recordkeeping, etc.) as assigned. Able to perform some of the following techniques:
  • Dosing techniques including, but not limited to:  PO, IV, SQ, IP, IM injection techniques in rodents
  • Various blood collection techniques in rodents
  • Basic tissue collection

Responsibilities continued

• Maintain accurate records of animal breeding, health, and housing/isolator or support areas as required by Institute and facility.
• Assist with restraint, handling and manipulation of various animal species as assigned by the on-site supervisor or facility veterinarian.
• Disposes of waste materials thorough manner as required.
• Follow all procedures necessary to maintain animal housing areas or isolator environments, including room or facility personnel entry and personnel protective equipment use.
• Receive, inspect and house incoming animals; ensure and provide for sentinel animals in each rodent housing area.
• Assists with the receipt, stocking and maintenance of supply inventories and consumables.
• May be involved in strictly maintaining and following breeding and weaning procedures to ensure appropriate production levels.
• Operate equipment and use supplies according to safety guidelines; perform general housekeeping and adheres to safety procedures.
• Assists housekeeping duties such as trash collection and cleaning animal facility laboratories and ancillary areas.
• Basic trouble shooting on the equipment and reporting any problems to sponsor and Provider Supervisor.
• Maintain required attendance level and adherence to work schedule in accordance with required staffing levels in order to ensure that assigned duties are completed.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands to handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee frequently is required to walk and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to sit.
• Employees must be able to lift, move, manipulate, and/or hold heavy objects up to and including 50 pounds; this includes work materials, equipment, and/or animals.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works near moving mechanical parts; is exposed to laboratory animals and caging of various species including mice, rats, and other rodents and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, toxic or caustic chemicals, biohazard materials/agents.
• The employee regularly works with live animals with risk of exposure to allergens, zoonotic disease, and biohazards. 
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Job Qualifications

• Education:  High school diploma, General Education Degree (G.E.D.) or equivalent required.  Bachelor’s degree (B.A./B.S.) in animal or life sciences field preferred.
• Experience:  Minimum of two years directly related laboratory rodent experience in an AAALAC accredited facility.
• Certification/Licensure:  AALAS certification at the ALAT level or above required.
• Other: Proficiency with basic animal identification methods. Ability to effectively follow verbal and written instructions and exhibit interpersonal skills that are conducive to effective communication and that contribute to a congenial work environment. Maintain positive work atmosphere by behaving and communicating in a professional manner with coworkers, research staff, and managers. Strong organization skills and attention to detail. Strong written and verbal English communication skills. Good working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel.

The pay range for this position is $23 - 25 USD per hour.  Please note that salaries vary within the range based on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, certifications, and location.