Summary

Under minimal supervision, provides skilled care and handling of gnotobiotic laboratory animals. Primarily working in germ-free areas to include: standard housing, biohazard, non-human primate and specialized animal colonies. Also responsible for limited supervisory duties including direction and oversight of work, but excluding discipline

Job Duties

• Feeds and waters animals under gnotobiotic housing conditions.
• Conducts daily health checks of animals maintained in specialized housing systems.
• Enters sterile supplies into animal housing areas with the use of specialized equipment and aerosolized sterilants and verifies sterility before supplies are used.
• Changes cages as scheduled; sanitizes rooms, equipment and hallways.
• Performs technical procedures such as: blood collection, parenteral and oral administration of materials, permanent animal identification, and animal restraint with a high degree of proficiency.
• Trains less experienced staff members on husbandry and technical procedures .
• Assists with surgical manipulation of animals, provides pre- and post-surgical care of animals.
• Establishes, monitors and maintains non-animal and animal inventories.
• Orders laboratory supplies and pharmaceuticals.
• Administers prescribed medications.
• Maintains accurate colony management records and animal inventory records.
• Records study-related data and communicates results to stakeholders.
• Implements study plans and coordinates with other staff members to achieve scientific objectives.
• Participates in specific technical services provided by CCM .
• Provides training and mentorship to entry level GF technicians.
• Assigns work activities of less experienced GF technicians.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED.
• Four years of relevant experience.
• Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS).

Preferred Qualifications

• One year of experience in gnotobiology 
• ALAT must be obtained within one year of hire or promotion. The effective date for obtaining the ALAT certification will be rounded up to the beginning of the next quarter after reaching the one-year anniversary in the position if the date does not fall on the beginning of a quarter
• Candidates with data collection experience, previous research roles, and/or animal care and handling experience preferred.