ACE Large Animal Care Tech

About the role

This position involves caring primarily for cows used in teaching activities within the ACE Unit (the nonclient animal facility) at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, with also some time spent caring for horses. The job requires strict adherence to protocols that prevent the accidental introduction of disease.

Responsibilities

• Cleaning, feeding, watering and general cow and horse husbandry
• Aids in veterinary instruction by setting up equipment prior to labs, determining supply needs, identifying and correcting equipment and facility dysfunctions, and reporting to a supervisor for repair
• Implements preventive health programs, performing work to accreditation standards of the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC)
• Maintains and documents quality control standards for sterilization equipment and other records
• Observes and reports on the health of animals, exercising judgment in monitoring animals or seeking veterinary consultation for animals maintained within ACE
• Performs some maintenance and field work on cow and horse enclosures
• May include equipment work such as pulling a trailer, driving a mower with training provided

Requirements

• Previous experience handling, restraining and providing basic veterinary care to large animals, especially cows, horses, and sheep
• Previous experience in animal husbandry
• Knowledge of health care procedures for animals
• Excellent organizational, time management and communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work flexibly with team members to accomplish department goals
• Demonstrated ability to recognize abnormal behavior and clinical signs in animals, generate a basic rule out list for common disorders, and determine when a veterinarian should be consulted
• Rabies prophylaxis will be required (provided by employer)
• Training will be provided for any equipment usage

Qualifications

• Previous experience handling, restraining and providing basic veterinary care to large animals, especially cows, horses, and sheep
• Previous experience in animal husbandry
• Knowledge of health care procedures for animals
• Excellent organizational, time management and communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work flexibly with team members to accomplish department goals
• Demonstrated ability to recognize abnormal behavior and clinical signs in animals, generate a basic rule out list for common disorders, and determine when a veterinarian should be consulted

Skills

• Ability to independently prioritize and order assigned daily tasks
• Ability to exercise judgment in monitoring animals or seeking veterinary consultation for animals maintained within ACE
• Ability to perform maintenance and field work on cow and horse enclosures
• Ability to perform equipment work such as pulling a trailer, driving a mower with training provided

Benefits

N/A

Pay

Starting at $17 an hour; commensurate with experience

Schedule

20-29 hours per week