Animal Care Technician

Title: Animal Care Technician

Location: Wilmington, MA

Duration: 6 Months+ (Temp to Permanent)

Schedule: Monday - Friday - 1st shift, no weekends required

Typical schedule: Mon–Thu 6:00 AM–3:00 PM, Fri 6:00 AM–12:00 PM; no evenings or weekends.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Has substantial understanding and knowledge to perform husbandry tasks, including supplying food, bedding, water and environmental enrichment.
• Proficient at maintaining rat and mouse colonies, including setting up matings, weaning and sexing of offspring, genetic sampling of animals, processing samples and other technical tasks as required.
• Proficient at handling rodents (mice and rats), including restraining of animals for collection of fecal pellets, ear/tail sampling as well as tagging animals for identification.
• Has substantial understanding and knowledge to observe animals for any abnormalities or common health issues.
• Has substantial understanding and knowledge to identify and select specific animals for customer shipments, genotyping, health monitoring, matings, transfers or other various tasks as needed.
• Learn, understand, and comply with all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Able to complete new processes/tasks with minimal instruction.
• Strictly follow all animal welfare standards and biosecurity procedures necessary to maintain isolator integrity and animal health status, including the proper sterilization and entry of supplies/animals into isolators.
• Workload contains complex projects and requires judgement in resolving issues and/or in making recommendations.
• Be detailed-oriented and enter accurate data entry into Internet Colony Management (ICM).
• Ensure compliance with all local, state and federal laws governing the use of research animals.
• Ability to collaborate with others to train and mentor on knowledge and skills learned.
• Ability to self-organize, plan and execute daily tasks.
• Perform general housekeeping and adhere to EHS, safety, and ergonomic procedures.
• Has substantial understanding of using general computer skills and ability to quickly learn and master required computer programs, databases and other applications (i.e. ICM and Microsoft Office).
• Engage in studies, special projects, efficiency improvements, engagement opportunities, etc.
• Identify issues and recommend potential solutions to management.
• Able to effectively apply and incorporate DNA into day-to-day work.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree (B.A./B.S.) plus a minimum of 0-1 years of related experience.
• Associate’s Degree (A.A./A.S.) plus a minimum of 1-2 years of related experience.
• High School diploma or GED plus a minimum of 2-4 years related experience.

In addition:

• Competent with using a tablet computer for data entry and communication (emails, IM’s, etc).
• The ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds.
• The ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
• Must possess a high level of initiative and ability to work with minimal supervision Proficient in computers (IE: MS Office Suite) Competent with using a tablet computer for data entry and communication (emails, IM’s, etc)