Animal Care Technician III

This position is part of the Dairy Cattle Center within the Integrated Dairy Facilities for the Department of Animal and Dairy Science at UW-Madison. The facility, located on campus, houses 84 lactating cows and supports the university's teaching, research, and outreach missions, particularly in nutrition-based research, mammary and reproductive physiology, and transition cow management. It also provides hands-on learning opportunities.

About the role

The Animal Care Technician III is involved in all aspects of research dairy operations, including milking, feeding, cleaning, handling, and animal health observations. This lead worker role requires maintaining operations with limited supervision, collecting and processing composite milk samples, and additional research data according to standard operating procedures. The position also involves training and assisting student employees with daily farm operations.

Responsibilities

• Prepares food and formulas and feeds animals according to established schedules and specifications.
• Tracks inventory levels of animal supplies and places replenishment orders.
• Cleans and maintains organization of animal holding spaces.
• Observes animal behavior, performs animal care, and reports concerns to support the health and well-being of animals in research and instruction.
• Collects samples from animals and administers medications, injections, and treatments according to established protocols for diagnostic and research purposes.
• Maintains and updates records related to work unit procedures.
• Leads day-to-day operational activities of an animal care work unit and facilitates staff training as needed.
• Inspects, maintains, and initiates complex repairs to equipment to ensure optimal and safe operation.

Requirements

• Demonstrated knowledge of milking procedures and milk quality standards (e.g., preparing cows for milking, identifying abnormal milk, and following sanitation protocols).
• Experience recognizing changes in dairy cattle health and behavior (e.g., signs of illness, lameness, reduced milk production, decreased feed intake).
• Experience using Microsoft Word and Excel to log data, send emails, and maintain digital records.
• Experience following detailed written protocols and verbal instructions in a research or agricultural setting (e.g., collecting samples, recording observations, completing assigned tasks).
• Experience leading others and working with a variety of stakeholders (e.g., training employees, assisting students, collaborating with faculty, interacting with visitors).
• Ability to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, including extended periods of standing, lifting and moving supplies, and working in varying weather conditions and barn environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience handling and restraining dairy cattle (e.g., moving animals through milking facilities, sorting cattle, and assisting with routine procedures).
• Experience collecting and recording animal or research-related data (e.g., milk samples, body weights, health observations, and treatment records).
• Experience operating and performing minor maintenance on farm equipment (e.g., milking equipment, tractors, skid steers, and utility vehicles).
• Experience involving dairy cattle reproduction, lactation, or performing advanced animal care procedures (e.g., administering treatments, assisting with artificial insemination, and neonatal calf care).

Education

High school diploma or equivalent required. Additional education or experience in a related field is preferred.

Pay

The minimum salary for this position is $22.00 per hour. Final salary will depend on experience and qualifications.

Benefits

• Generous vacation, holidays, and paid time off.
• Competitive insurance and savings account options.
• Retirement benefits.

Additional benefits information can be found at: University of Wisconsin Benefits.