Animal Resource Associate

About the role

This entry-level contract position supports animal resource operations within a medical device company. Work involves performing various tasks with rabbits and rats, including feeding, handling, cleaning, and sanitizing animal caging systems and facilities. The role also assists with immunizations, blood collection procedures, and documentation required under cGMPs, OSHA, USDA, FDA, and ISO standards. The schedule begins at 5:30 or 6 AM for an 8-hour workday.

Responsibilities

• Perform incoming health and Quality Assurance checks for incoming animals.
• Administer antibiotics, analgesics and anesthetics as required by protocol or by consulting Veterinarian.
• Assist in the performance of tasks necessary to complete daily production work in the animal facilities, including maintenance of housing, cage lining, daily feed/water supply to animals, medications if needed, immunization and bleeding schedules, and documenting changes to published schedules.
• Collection of injections, test bleed information and other related information and materials required for daily production activities.
• Maintain pasture and fence surroundings.
• Maintain receipt and disposition records for all DEA controlled substances.
• Assist in maintaining Animal Resource records for care and use of all animals.
• Assist in bringing new techniques and procedures to the department to reduce costs and improve quality of care.
• Perform feeding, carrying, and holding animals, cleaning and sanitizing of animal caging systems, water lines, and other animal handling components.
• Perform maintenance, cleaning and wash down procedures for buildings, floors, drains, and air handling equipment.
• Perform animal immunizations, bleeds, bleed outs.
• Operate and maintain medicators, tractor and accessory equipment, pathological incinerator.
• Perform all tasks necessary to maintain clean environmental animal cages, i.e. daily cleaning of building floors, animal cages, feeders and other related equipment.
• Assist and perform tasks necessary to maintain animal health, including feeding of all animals and applying general topical medication required to maintain animal health.
• Assist in daily production tasks including blood collection and immunization of rabbits, rats and other animals as required.

Requirements

• High School diploma or GED.
• Valid Georgia driver's license.
• AALAS certification.
• Two years' experience as an Animal Handler or three years' experience working with laboratory and farm animals in a production or research facility.
• Must have mastered all tasks outlined above as Job Functions and Responsibilities.
• Must have completed training of all Departmental DI's, SOP's and policies related to tasks mastered.

Skills

• Must be able to lift 50 lbs.
• Must be able to endure prolonged standing and walking.
• Must have good manual dexterity in hands.
• Must be non-allergic to any animal species used in manufacturing or research applications.
• Must be able to read, write, analyze and evaluate charts, follow simple diagrams, and perform basic math.
• Perform various immunizations protocols for all animals, rabbits, goats, sheep, mice rats and other animals as required. Types of immunizations include IP, IM, IV, SC, IA and IC.
• Perform blood collection procedures for rabbits, sheep and goats, and other animals as required, while maintaining death rates from this procedure below 10%.