Animal Care Specialist I

The Animal Care Specialist provides cagewash support for the Center of Comparative Medicine (CCM) Animal Facilities. This position is for a cage wash technician and includes activities for the proper care of laboratory animals. Responsibilities include performing equipment sanitation, maintaining husbandry equipment records, and supporting the facility teams in daily work as needed. All CCM Technicians are required to work in a team environment following Lean Management principles and participate in continuous improvement projects. This position involves daily exposure to laboratory animals, their waste products, and possibly chemical agents, radioactive isotopes and ABSL2 hazards. Rotating weekend and holiday work hours are required.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Following Duties are performed daily with minimal supervision:

• Performs Facility Cage Wash Operations

o Understands and follows appropriate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and safety procedures,

o Operates automated cage wash equipment and sterilizers to sanitize primary animal holding cages, support equipment, and general access areas.

o Performs routine cleaning, descaling, and preventative maintenance on cage wash equipment and autoclaves, including checking and cleaning filters and spray manifolds.

o Performs routine repairs on caging and cage wash equipment.

o Assembles caging.

o Keeps facility supplied with appropriate level of clean caging and rack supplies.

o Prepares acidified water bottles using an automated bottle filler.

o Receives, transports, processes and stores facility supplies including animal feed, bedding, and enrichment.

o Ensures all quality assurance standards are met.

o Assists in sanitation and decontamination in all areas of the facility as needed.

o Prepares and maintains all required cage wash records, logs and inventories as required.

o Records critical facility data/documentation daily required by local, state and federal regulatory agencies.

o Maintains a clean and organized work area.

o Reports any abnormal conditions of the equipment to management staff.

o Performs any other duties as assigned.

• Provides Facility Maintenance and Sanitization

o Maintains work areas to be free of infectious agents and other contaminates by following the sanitation monitoring program SOPs.

o Performs sanitation and semi-annual maintenance of ventilate rack equipment.

o Maintains filters of ventilate blowers as described in the SOP.

• Performs Facility Support Functions

o Complies with CCM and BWH policies and SOPs.

o Provides facility support functions as assigned (BioWare trouble shooter, van driver, etc.).

o Reports facility and environmental issues that fall outside animal welfare regulatory requirements (as defined in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals).

• Works within a Team Environment following Lean Management Principals.

o Utilizes lean management tools in conjunction with teammates, such as value stream mapping and 5S, to problem solve and continuously improve operations.

o Attends team meetings and training sessions on all aspects of laboratory animal care and uses of animals in biomedical research as scheduled.

o Acts as a resource for new CCM Technicians.

• Accountable for providing team support, checking-in with team members, and aiding team members as required to complete team work assignments.

The Following Duties may be performed daily under supervision from the Manager:

• Receives facility supplies and monitors material replenishment systems

• Assists in the creation, validation and maintenance of visual controls within the facility.

• Works weekends and holidays, as assigned.

• Participates in Animal Care Certification training.

• All other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or equivalency degree preferred.

• Experience in a laboratory animal facility preferred.

SKILLS / ABILITIES / COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

• Proficient in verbal and written English.

• Ability to lift and move 50 lbs on a regular basis.

• Long periods of standing.

• Has a customer-focused, positive attitude and enjoys working with similarly dedicated persons in a team fashion within a high-energy research environment.

• Ability to work effectively in a team environment.

• Ability to problem solve work process within the scope of their job.

• Ability to learn and use bar code/tablet technology and basic computer skills including email and Microsoft Outlook.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• The animal facility has a variety of environmental conditions. Specifically, employees may be exposed to noise, dust, chemicals, extreme heat, and animal waste products. The duration of exposure to any of the above is dependent on the assigned duties. Appropriate protective clothing and equipment may be required and will be provided, accompanied by appropriate training.

• This position may also expose the employee to animals treated with chemical hazards, radioactive dyes and other induced conditions as part of approved protocols.

• Employees are expected to conduct all work in a safe manner that includes maintaining knowledge of animal handling techniques consistent with the condition of the animal, protocol, regulations and department policy, including radioactive treatments and bodily fluids.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

No direct reports.