Surgical Veterinary Technician II

For 75 years, Charles River employees have worked to advance the discovery, development, and safe manufacture of new drug therapies, making a profound impact on global health. Our 20-year partnership with Boston Children’s Hospital takes this mission to the next level, supporting groundbreaking innovations that directly impact patient care. At Boston Children’s, their commitment to diversity drives the exceptional quality of care provided to patients from local communities to over 160 countries worldwide. This is your moment to become part of a family where unique talents and perspectives unite to change lives, including your own.

About the role

We are seeking a Surgical Veterinary Technician II to work at our client's site, Boston Children's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. The Surgical Veterinary Technician II will perform surgical technical duties, assist in surgical procedures with intermediate and advanced ability, contribute to the facility's animal health care program, and provide peri- and post-procedure animal care. This role maintains performance levels consistent with Children’s Hospital professional standards and requirements.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Veterinarian to perform daily health assessments of USDA-covered species in the Surgical Services Program and maintain all associated records.
• Provide animal treatments as instructed by the Veterinarian.
• Perform technical functions required by research protocols, including daily clinical observations, diagnostic testing, administering medications, and health examinations of sick animals; report adverse findings to the responsible Veterinarian.
• Manage receipt of new animals, including generating records and conducting initial health assessments.
• Monitor and record vital signs during recovery of post-operative animals.
• Provide anesthesia support for all surgical cases, including placement of IV catheters, intubation, administration of anesthetic agents, operation of a ventilator, and full anesthetic support during procedures.
• Support research staff with animal handling and restraint, blood and tissue sample collection, injections, and treatments.
• Place arterial and venous central lines, either percutaneously or by surgical cut-down.
• Interpret Arterial and Venous Blood Gas, CBC, and Chemistry Profile results in accordance with anesthesia, surgery, and animal health under the guidance of the veterinarian.
• Maintain sterile operating rooms by cleaning and breaking down the OR at the end of cases.
• Prepare instrument packs, clean and autoclave supplies, and set up the OR for cases; maintain equipment and ensure it is in proper working order.
• Coordinate and process orders for animal medications (drugs, anesthetics, analgesics, etc.), document distribution, and provide guidance on recordkeeping requirements.
• Prepare and submit written reports, monthly billing summaries (drug orders), charts, logs, and inventories as requested.
• Review and comply with all policies pertaining to the animal care program.
• Care for laboratory animals in accordance with USDA Animal Welfare Act, the “Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals,” and other applicable regulations and policies.
• Provide training for ARCH staff related to animal care and health.
• Operate equipment and utilize supplies according to safety guidelines; perform general housekeeping and adhere to safety procedures, including those related to biohazards and radioactive substances.
• Assist with ordering, receipt, stocking, and maintenance of supply inventories.
• Maintain required attendance level and adhere to work schedule in accordance with staffing needs.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A./B.S.) in animal science or equivalent field with a minimum of 2 years of animal handling experience and 2 years of veterinary technical skills.
• OR Associate's degree (A.A./A.S.) in veterinary technology or equivalent college-level program with a minimum of 4 years of animal handling experience and 4 years of veterinary technical skills.
• Basic knowledge of USDA-covered species, including skills and experience with identifying sick animals, summarizing findings, and providing medical treatments as prescribed.
• Basic understanding and interpretation of Arterial and Venous Blood Gas, CBC, and Chemistry profile values in relation to anesthesia, surgery, and animal health.
• Computer literacy in word processing and database record keeping preferred.
• Ability to provide and follow verbal and written instructions and exhibit interpersonal skills conducive to effective professional communication and a congenial work environment.
• Ability to work independently in a responsible manner and serve as an effective team member.
• Ability to read, write, speak, and understand English.

Preferred Qualifications

• Veterinary Technician licensure (CVT or LVT).

Pay

The pay range for this position is $40–$45/hour. Salaries vary within the range based on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, certifications, and location.

About the company

Charles River Insourcing Solutions℠ streamlines research by delivering operational and cost efficiencies through strategic insourcing of GMP, GLP, and non-GLP research services from discovery through safety assessment. This role provides the ability to maintain control of your facility and expertise while leveraging available space.

Charles River is an early-stage contract research organization (CRO) with a foundation in laboratory animal medicine and science. We offer a diverse portfolio of discovery and safety assessment services, both Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and non-GLP, to support clients from target identification through preclinical development. We also provide products and services to support clinical laboratory testing needs and manufacturing activities. With over 20,000 employees within 110 facilities in over 20 countries, we are strategically positioned to coordinate worldwide resources and apply multidisciplinary perspectives to resolve client challenges.

Our client base includes global pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, government agencies, hospitals, and academic institutions worldwide. We are passionate about improving the quality of people’s lives and have proudly worked on 80% of the drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the past five years.