Sr Animal Caretaker

About the role

Temple University’s Central Animal Facilities division at LKSOM is searching for a Senior Animal Caretaker. The Animal Caretaker III position is based in Temple’s University Laboratory Animal Resources Department (ULAR). The individual filling this position will be responsible for providing exemplary animal care, husbandry, customer service, and study support, and will assume a lead husbandry role in animal procurement, front-end billing, staff training, and project management.

Responsibilities

• Animal Husbandry
  • Follow all ULAR SOPs, IACUC policies and guidelines, safety procedures, and Quality Assurance Standards.
  • Perform daily animal health checks and report abnormal conditions to veterinary staff.
  • Ensure laboratory animals always have food and water.
  • Change animal caging, feed, and water according to ULAR SOPs, approved protocols, and the Area Supervisor’s schedule.
  • Determine age, sex, and weaning times for animals per ULAR SOPs and IACUC policy.
  • Dispose of dead animals according to standard SOPs and policies.
  • Assist with restraint, handling, and manipulation of various animal species as requested.
  • Receive, examine, transfer, identify, and properly house incoming animal shipments per ULAR SOPs.
  • Maintain daily documentation: room logs, animal census sheets, care and enrichment logs, room equipment logs, and other forms as requested.
  • Ensure all animals are tagged and cages are properly identified.
  • Clean and sanitize the animal facility, assigned rooms, and cages per ULAR SOPs.
  • Maintain and repair animal caging and support equipment.
  • Operate mechanical equipment such as cage washing machines, the Hydropac water delivery system, and autoclaves.
  • Perform routine cleaning, descaling, and preventative maintenance on cage washers and autoclaves, including checking and cleaning filters and spray manifolds.
  • Process dirty caging: break down parts, dump bedding, and soak caging components.
  • Process clean caging and accessory equipment: add bedding, fill water bottles, and autoclave cages and supplies.
  • Prepare and submit records, charts, logs, cage cards, and inventories as required by ULAR SOPs.
• Procurement
  • Prepare housing and paperwork/cage cards for incoming shipments.
  • Receive all animal deliveries and properly house animals into holding rooms.
  • Maintain all applicable documentation.
• Front-End Billing
  • Collect cage activation and deactivation cards from ULAR facilities on the Health Sciences Campus.
  • Use Cayuse software to activate or deactivate billing cycles for applicable animals.
  • Organize and maintain hard copies of all cards input into the Cayuse database.
• Staff Training
  • Train employees in cage wash operations as needed per ULAR SOP.
  • Train employees in animal husbandry as needed per ULAR SOP.
  • Train employees in room sanitation as needed per ULAR SOP.
• Project Management
  • Develop action plans to complete assigned projects.
  • Organize materials and personnel required to complete assigned projects.
  • Execute action plans to complete assigned projects.
  • Perform equipment inventory tracking.

Requirements

• Must have AALAS ALAT certification and receive AALAS LAT certification or above within two years of filling the position unless the applicant has an A.S./B.S. Degree in an animal or biology related discipline.
• An A.S./B.S. Degree in an animal or biology related discipline eliminates the AALAS certification requirement.
• High School/GED or six or more years of directly related experience handling both rodent and USDA-covered species.

Preferred Qualifications

• A.S./B.S. Degree in an animal or biology related discipline.
• Prior experience working with animals in private practice, laboratory animal, or zoo animal settings.
• Prior experience with animal husbandry and behavior.
• Prior experience with cage wash operations.
• AALAS LATG certification eligibility.

Additional Technical Requirements

• Proficient at working with and handling rodents, USDA-covered species, and other animal species involved in the Temple University animal program.
• Demonstrated ability to continuously lift 50 lbs.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to be detail-oriented and handle multiple tasks.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated computer skills and ability to operate standard office equipment and software including MS Office.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact with a diverse population of students, faculty, and staff.
• Ability to work holiday and weekend hours as needed.
• Ability to perform husbandry for all applicable species housed at Temple University.

Benefits

• Full medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Paid time off
• 11 paid holidays
• Tuition remission – eligible employees and their dependents can obtain a degree tuition free
• Generous retirement plan

Rate: $26.99/hour (PTEA Union Rate)