GRAF Senior Animal Technologist

About the department

The Animal Resources Center (ARC) at the University of Chicago supports animal research by ensuring humane care and proper use of all laboratory animals. It oversees all research animals on campus, manages six facilities and a business office, and includes husbandry, maintenance, operations, veterinary care, and finance/administration. ARC is part of the Office of Shared Research Facilities, which also manages BSD core facilities. The Gnotobiotics Facility maintains germ-free animal colonies in film isolators and supports BSD investigators by providing breeding, colony management, and experimental services through specialized gnotobiotics staff.

Job Summary

The GRAF Senior Animal Technologist provides hands-on care and maintenance for germ-free animals in specialized film isolators. Responsibilities include conducting daily health checks, managing breeding colonies, and supporting experimental interventions as requested by GRAF research coordinators. They may also train or oversee other GRAF animal technologists.

Responsibilities

• Perform animal health checks daily and cage changes for experimental film isolators and specialized caging units.
• Maintain breeding colony support and document as prescribed by the investigator group to facilitate colony management.
• Assist with experimental supply preparation in the GRAF.
• Provide technical support for interventions such as collecting animal weights, collecting experimental samples, or providing experimental materials by parenteral routes.
• Check cultures daily, prepare Chlorine Dioxide, process autoclave cycles, assist with facility sanitation.
• Re-wrap filters on sterilization cylinders, process BT-Sure indicators.
• Prepare stock materials for autoclave processing and sterilization cylinders for isolator stocking.
• Aid the Technical Director in identifying pain points with workflow, deficiencies in training or recommendations for retraining of staff, identify needs and suggest methodologies for training.
• Serve as a lead resource and mentor to the Animal Technologist team, championing teamwork and technical excellence; assist the Technical Director in redistributing work assignments as needed.
• Under a limited degree of supervision, provide technical support to clinical research studies.
• Aid in quality and safety control measures for the laboratory, such as checks of equipment, temperature control, and documentation of quality improvement projects.
• Perform other related work as needed.

Education and Experience

• Minimum requirements include vocational training, apprenticeships, or the equivalent experience in related field (not typically required to have a four-year degree).
• Minimum work experience includes knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Preferred Qualifications

• College/University Degree in related field strongly preferred.
• Experience working with rodent colonies in an academic research environment strongly preferred.

Technical Skills

• Computer knowledge and skills such as Word and Excel strongly preferred.
• Availability for weekend and holiday schedules as part of a shared rotation for animal surveillance strongly preferred.
• Good written, verbal, and organizational skills strongly preferred.
• Ability to demonstrate excellent interpersonal/communication skills strongly preferred.
• Capacity to handle multiple tasks in a short amount of time strongly preferred.
• Must be detailed and organized and respect confidentiality strongly preferred.

Working Conditions

• Involves a combination of mobility between work areas and time spent in stationary positions, including standing or sitting while performing assigned duties, as well as periods of seated, computer-based work required.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds required.