Animal Care Technician III

About the Role

This role is responsible for providing a variety of animal husbandry/care services in support of CHOP's mission and serves as subject matter expert providing consult and support to team members and researchers. Must be proficient with the daily vivarium operations and husbandry/animal care practices and in performing duties of lower-level positions.

Responsibilities

• Proficient in performing a variety of technical and husbandry/animal care duties for multiple species (i.e., rodents, large animal/USDA-covered species; non-human primates).
• Assist supervisor with onboarding activities for new husbandry/animal care and research staff. Serve as point person in absence of supervisor.
• Assist in monitoring compliance on daily husbandry requirements, technical services and/or clinical support for assigned areas. Daily and weekly quality assurance inspections for assigned areas. Assists animal facility supervisors to achieve daily/weekly metrics to ensure required daily tasks are completed as assigned to the staff.
• Maintains inventories of technical supplies such as medications and procedure room and hallway supplies.
• Performs daily front-line animal health checks and reports animal health concerns to veterinary staff and /or DVR management.
• Assist with the restraint, handling and manipulation of various animal species as directed by DVR management (i.e., euthanasia, sexing/weaning, and minor treatment administration). Perform sample collection and/or dosing.
• Provide clean animal caging and enclosures to research animals, providing and ensuring access to feed, water and enrichment devices according to SOPs, and/or specific approved protocols and the schedules established by veterinary staff and/or DVR Management.
• Maintains cleanliness and sanitizes animal holding rooms, procedure spaces, and ancillary areas of the vivarium. Tracks environmental parameters and reports deviations and observations to DVR Management (i.e., vivarium temperature and humidity readings, lighting, air pressure differentials).
• Performs minor equipment maintenance that is pertinent to maintain daily operations. Report any needed repairs to DVR Management (i.e., physically damaged or broken/missing equipment items, damage to vivarium room surfaces).
• Assists with animal receipt and transport activities, including proper operation of animal management software.
• May be assigned to perform cage wash duties (i.e., processing caging and accessory equipment appropriately, including putting bedding into cages and autoclaving cages and supplies) as per DVR Management request.
• Properly document daily activities as per SOPs, policies, and DVR Management instruction.
• Understand and follow appropriate SOPs, policies, safety procedures, and quality assurance guidelines. Complete all trainings as required.
• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills and present a professional demeanor and attitude at all times. Must be flexible in schedule depending on assignment and be adaptable to change. Have strong time management and organizational skills, and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision. Participates in ongoing leadership development activities.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma / GED Required
• Associate's Degree Preferred
• At least three (3) years of animal husbandry/care experience with rodents, large animal/USDA-covered species, and/or non-human primate species in a clinical practice, laboratory animal, agricultural or zoo animal setting Required
• Previous leadership, management or supervisory experience Preferred

Skills

• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
• Strong time management skills
• Strong organizational skills
• Solid leadership skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism
• Ability to be flexible and adaptable to change (i.e., assignments, schedules)
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision

Licenses and Certifications

• Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) - American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) - upon hire - Preferred
• Laboratory Animal Technician (LAT) - American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) - upon hire - Preferred
• Laboratory Animal Technologist (LATG) - American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) - upon hire - Preferred

Pay

$25.85 - $29.09 Hourly. Salary ranges are shown for full-time jobs. If you're working part-time, your pay will be adjusted accordingly. At CHOP, we are committed to fair and transparent pay practices. Factors such as skills and experience could result in an offer above the salary range noted in this job posting.