Animal Care Technician

Required License/Registration/Certification

None.

Requires heavy lifting, pushing or pulling of objects over 50 pounds; animal handling; mice, rats, pigeons, dogs, monkeys (including carcasses); risk of injuries from use of equipment on the job; exposure to temperature extremes, cuts/punctures, and blood borne/airborne pathogens. Able to work in hot, wet areas and wear personal protective clothing.

Monday – Friday; 7:00 am – 3:30 pm (40 hours per week). This position is required to participate in weekend, after hours, holiday and on‑call rotations. Mandatory overtime may be required to meet staffing needs. This position is required to report when the University is closed due to inclement weather.

The Animal Care Technician I performs routine animal husbandry and caretaking duties in support of research and teaching programs. This position is responsible for daily care of laboratory animals (rodents, non‑human primates, dogs and other species), including feeding, watering, sanitation, health observations, and environmental enrichment, while maintaining strict compliance with institutional policies, animal welfare regulations, and standard operating procedures. The Technician works under direct supervision, follows established schedules, and contributes to a safe, clean, and humane animal care environment.

Reliability, attention to detail, teamwork, and adherence to attendance and safety requirements are essential to success in this role.

IEBC (Internal Employee Being Considered).

MS Windows, Word, and Outlook.

No.

Minimum of four months of satisfactory work in a laboratory animal facility or 1 year experience in an animal related field;
Valid state driver’s license;
Completion of PMI Laboratory Animal Care course.

01/22/2026

We value the well‑being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.

The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status.

Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre‑employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.

• * Do you have experience conducting routine inspections (specifically regarding attention to detail) and reporting the findings to your supervisor?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Describe in detail your ability to work independently in handling a large, varied, and complex workload, including how you addressed challenges in completing the job responsibilities.

  (Open Ended Question)

• * Rate your level of expertise in using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Windows, Excel, and PowerPoint).
  • None
  • Basic
  • Average
  • Proficient
  • Expert
• * Define your understanding of teamwork and give a recent example of how you demonstrated being a team player in a work setting.

  (Open Ended Question)

• * Please provide an example that demonstrates your ability to successfully develop and maintain productive working relationships with others (customers or co‑workers).

  (Open Ended Question)

• * The nature of the duties of this position require sustained physical effort involving manual skill, lifting over 50 lbs, dexterity, and hand/eye coordination. This will include risk of back injury from moving, lifting or positioning equipment, or materials; risk of injuries from use of equipment on the job; exposure to hazardous chemicals and fumes including waste, animal pathological specimens, blood borne/airborne pathogens, recombinant DNA or viral vectors;
  
  as well as animal handling (including carcasses) Can you meet these requirements with or without reasonable accommodations?
  • Yes
  • No