Lab Animal Tech​/Containment

Position Summary

This is a high containment laboratory animal husbandry position at the Animal Health Research Center (AHRC), an AAALC accredited and Select Agent & Tier 1 registered animal facility. This position will perform all aspects of high containment animal husbandry with various species of laboratory and agricultural animals in ABSL-2, ABSL-3, and ABSL3-Ag environments. Animal husbandry duties include, but are not limited to, daily health observations, feeding and watering animals, cleaning caging, receiving, identifying and transporting animals, and providing and monitoring environmental enrichment.

The position may require veterinary technical assistance such as blood, tissue, weight, temperature and urine/fecal collections, administering prophylactic and/or terminal treatments and injections, and more. The incumbent will be expected to perform routine cleaning and sanitation duties such as decontaminating, cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing cages, animal rooms, primary enclosures, ancillary areas, and equipment. Duties also include setting up and breaking down laboratories, operating large equipment like autoclaves, cage washers, biosafety cabinets, etc.,

providing some facility level training, perform minor preventative maintenance and facility monitoring, and maintaining important documentation (room logs, autoclave/cage washer logs, select agent tracking logs, etc.). The incumbent will be expected to perform all duties in various levels of personal protective equipment (PPE) when in active laboratories and adhere to strict standard operating procedures. Multiple daily showers are essential as part of facility biocontainment policies.

Participation in pre-study meetings, continuing education, and training classes is expected. This position will require federal approval to work in certain laboratories and requires rotating weekend and holiday work. Incumbent will participate in the UGA Occupational Health program.

• Performs daily animal care and husbandry duties for research animals in an ABSL-3/ABSL-3
  
  Ag facility including feeding, watering, animal handling/transport, animal health checks, cage changing, providing enrichment and environmental monitoring, communicating and reporting animal health issues, restocking and cleaning animal holding rooms, and maintaining animal clinical records. Ensures animal welfare meets all local, state, and federal regulations. (50%)
• Decontaminates, cleans, and sanitizes animal rooms, ancillary areas, primary enclosures and caging equipment following established procedures and schedules. Operates equipment such as autoclaves, bedding dump stations, IVC racks, chemical foamer/sprayers, biosafety cabinets, and cage washers. Sets up and breaks down laboratories with various research schedules. Maintains established sanitation and maintenance schedules. (30%)
• Maintains and stocks appropriate supplies and equipment inventories. Performs minor preventative maintenance duties on animal care and ancillary equipment ensuring it is maintained and functioning at optimal performance. Performs and assists with facility annual performance verifications, administers some facility trainings, and monitors the integrated pest management program. (10%)
• Initiates and maintains compliance records such as animal room logs, sanitation logs, autoclave logs, census activity sheets, select agent tracking logs, etc. Assists in standard operating procedures development. Performs and assists with technical services such as blood/tissue/weight/temp collections and administering animal medications. Participates in multiple training classes as prescribed and participates in UGA Occupational Health & Safety program. Performs weekend and holiday duties as scheduled;
  
  and other duties as assigned. Provides assistance and resources to facility users and departmental staff. (10%)

• Experience handling various animal species, working in a veterinary, research or laboratory setting, experience working in ABSL-2, ABSL-3, or ABSL-3
  
  Ag environments, and/or basic understanding of infectious disease research strategies is preferred.
• Developed communication and critical thinking skills, situational awareness, observational skills, and a desire to promote and foster teamwork while still being able to work independently.
• Ability to listen and take direction.
• Able to adapt quickly to changing priorities.

• Sustained periods of standing, bending, stooping, reaching above shoulder level and lifting 50 pounds.
• Work may be physically demanding involving the transport, relocation and positioning of supplies and caging equipment.
• Work under challenging environmental conditions (high humidity/temperature, unpleasant odors, animal excreta, and noise) while wearing PPE.
• Work involves exposure to biohazards, chemicals, and/or physical risks, which requires following established safety procedures.
• Daily showers (2+).
• Wear various PPE (PAPRS, protective…