Animal Attendant, Animal Research Center - Service Department - job 1 of 2

Minimum Qualifications:

High school or equivalent; no experience required.

Job Summary:

To assist in providing care of laboratory animals in a humane, safe and sanitary manner including duties associated with cage washing, sanitation and preparation of animal research facilities.

Job Duties:
Cage Washing:

• Prepares soiled caging for washing.
• Operates washing equipment and ensures proper working order during daily operating procedures, routine cleaning, and preventive maintenance.
• Operates autoclave to sterilize or decontaminate caging equipment.
• Performs daily quality control checks and documents effectiveness of cleaning and sanitizing.
• Assembles clean and sanitized caging for distribution according to supply orders.
• Maintains sanitary conditions of cage washing rooms and other ancillary areas, such as hallways and storage areas.
• Disposes of soiled waste and trash.
• Transports caging and supplies between animal rooms and cage washing rooms.

Husbandry:

• Provides daily husbandry care, including feeding and watering, for all species.
• Changes and sanitizes animal caging as scheduled.
• Maintains enrichment program as specified for each species.
• Sanitizes rooms, equipment and hallways as scheduled.
• Documents daily, weekly and monthly duties accurately.
• Observes animals for behavior change and/or evidence of disease and notifies veterinary staff as appropriate.
• Receives transports and distributes incoming animals as specified.
• Ensures accurate cage cards and census.
• Provides specialized animal care, including quarantine, biohazard and sterile housing.
• Ensures equipment in animal rooms are functioning properly.

Cage Washing and Husbandry:

• Adheres to internal controls and reporting structure.
• Attends in-house training programs to become more knowledgeable in the field of laboratory animal science.
• Provides superior customer service.
• Follows safety precautions and wears correct protective equipment.
• Follows rules and regulations related to laboratory animal care.

Marginal or Periodic Job Functions:

• May assist ARC logistics team with transport of caging or materials and with the receipt and storage of supplies.
• Performs related duties as required.

Salary Range:
Actual salary commensurate with experience.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:
UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a VEVRAA Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance women, minorities, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.