Biological Science Laboratory Technician (Animal)

Duties

• Makes daily and routine observations of all animals - recognizes deviations from normal health status and or injury - and reports any deviations.
• Makes daily rounds of all assigned animal rooms - checking and recording environmental conditions such as temperature - humidity and air flow.
• Provides adequate feed and water to all animals in accordance with verbal and/or written instructions.
• Handles animals in a humane manner according to all regulations and guidelines.
• Transfers animals from one cage to another - assuring that the animal is supported properly to prevent injury.
• All information and tags attached to the original cage must be transferred at the same time as the animal to prevent any mix-up.
• Maintains a safe - secure environment for the care of research animals.
• Aids the Veterinary Medical Unit (VMU) supervisor and/or veterinary technician with animal treatments if necessary.
• Follows procedures for effectively maintaining environments for animals of different species and health status.
• Cleans cages - pans - racks - floors and other areas of the facility according to an established schedule.
• Maintains and cleans animal rooms - procedure rooms - operating rooms and storage areas according to established standard operating procedures.
• Manages animal colonies in Biosafety Level 2 rooms.
• Biosafety Level 2 is suitable for work involving rodents infected with agents associated with human and animal disease and pose moderate hazards to personnel - other animals housed in the Veterinary Medical Unit (VMU) - and the environment.
• Independently operates specialized equipment (cage washer - bottle washer - autoclaves - ventilated racks - Hydropac system) following standard operating procedures and observes all safety precautions.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped them with the particular knowledge - skills - and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position - and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable - this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-4 grade level in the Federal Service. Experience must have been related to the work of the position for which application is made. The specialized experience required for some positions in this series is normally work performed in a controlled environment. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: research activity or control program work; nursery work that required the growing and maintenance of plants in a controlled environment; work comparable to that with a large dairy farm where production records - animal environment - and sanitary conditions were kept in accordance with modern dairy practice. Farming experience that was not performed in a controlled environment - or experience as a laborer who was not responsible for planning and scheduling his/her own work - but only performed assigned tasks - would not qualify as specialized experience.
• OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology - chemistry - statistics - entomology - animal husbandry - botany - physics - agriculture - or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must have been directly related to the position to be filled.
• OR COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Equivalent combination of specialized experience and successfully completed education as described above to meet the total qualification requirements for the GS-5. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.