Technical and Remote Support Specialist

Title: Technical and Remote Support Specialist

Location: Durham, NC

Status: Full-Time

Travel: may be required

Position Summary: The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is one of 27 institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). NIEHS's broad focus on the environmental causes of disease makes the institute a unique part of the NIH. NIEHS is home to the National Toxicology Program (NTP), the nation's premier program for testing and evaluation of agents in our environment. The focus of the NIEHS research is to discover how the environment affects people to promote healthier lives.

The Animal Husbandry Support Contract for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences provides care, maintenance, and technical services for laboratory animals, seven (7) days per week, including weekends and holidays, for 72,447 square feet of laboratory animal facility space (which includes ancillary support areas outside of the main facility, including a separate facility located approximately one mile from the main facility). The contractor is responsible for the care and maintenance of the animals, the sanitation of equipment, technical training, and the general maintenance of the facilities in such a manner as to maintain the highest level of Accreditation from the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International (AAALAC, Intl.) The services provided by this contract are considered mission critical.

The Technical and Remote Support Specialist will report directly to the Contract Manager/Assistant Manager. The Technical and Remote Support Specialist will oversee training and competence activities for contract technical staff and will oversee animal care and technical support services for remote facilities, including the Conventional Animal Facility (CAF) and C129. Ensure compliance, including the social housing program, review of animal rooms and husbandry documentation, and management of cubicle space. Review and development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in conjunction with the Animal Resources Program Manager. Responsibilities shall be performed as outlined in the Statement of Work.

The ideal candidate will have great communication skills and works well with a team, is adaptable, acts in a positive, professional, and helpful manner, and demonstrates a strong work ethic. This position is pending contract award.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Oversee husbandry, technical support, breeding support, and facility management of the CAF and C129.
• Train new employees on all SOP's, policies and procedures set forth in the contract.
• Provide facility orientation for new employees and manage training program for hands on training of new ASP (animal study proposal) participants and provide input on their competency. Additional training for lab personnel upon request.
• Coordinate, schedule and implement mandatory training for all employees in accordance with the contract.
• Overall responsibility for ensuring and documenting that all contract personnel complete required occupational health safety trainings, NIEHS mandated trainings (e.g. cybersecurity, harassment in the workplace, etc.) and that all contract personnel maintain job competence through ongoing SOP review.
• Initiate and update SOP's as requested by the Government.
• Provide technical backup at the direction of Project Manager/Assistant Project Manager including, but not limited to, module supervision, routine animal husbandry, identification, surgery, and sample collection. Provide study assistance to research personnel as requested on the Experimental Summary Sheet and directed by the facility manager.
• Maintain database for studies occurring in isolation cubicles.
• Maintain complete understanding of all chemicals used in animal studies, attend study meetings as scheduled concerning safety protocols, techniques, disposition of animals and chemical hazards.
• Maintain Safety Data Sheets.
• Organize and conduct classes for employees taking AALAS certification exams.
• Develop and maintain employee training manuals and records.
• Attend and participate in scheduled Animal Health and supervisor's meetings.
• Participate in Management weekend/holiday on call rotation schedule.
• Flush eye wash stations and record weekly
• Position reports directly to the Assistant Manager/Manager.
• Ensure compliance with social housing policy and eye wash monitoring

Minimum Requirements:

• Shall be certified by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) as a Laboratory Animal Technician (LAT)
• At least 3 years of experience in an animal facility
• Certification as and Laboratory Animal Technologist is encouraged and preferred.
• At least one year of experience in supporting rodent breeding colonies, performing rodent technical procedures (e.g. injections, gavage, etc.), and providing and overseeing training and technical competence in other personnel is preferred.
• Knowledge of computer software, particularly PowerPoint, Microsoft WORD and Excel are essential for job performance.

Physical Demands:

Employees are subject to adverse variables of environmental conditions, both inside and outside. Work areas are often hot, humid, and noisy due to operation of cage washing machines and autoclaves. Employees are potentially exposed to minor injuries such as cuts, bites, scrapes, pulled muscles, burns and unpleasant odors, and the possibility of exposure to hazardous materials including radioisotopes. Employees are exposed to animals and animal urine, feces, and dander that can act as allergens or as potential sources of zoonotic disease.

Animal care personnel are required to wear a contractor supplied, washable cotton/polyester two-piece uniform of scrub pants and a long sleeve, snap-front shirt (a one piece cotton coverall may be substituted), safety shoes, disposable shoe cover, head cover, surgical mask), and gloves when working in the animal rooms.

Protective clothing is required to be worn by ALL personnel entering an animal room from the return corridors. The disposable PPE identified above is furnished by the Government. The contractor is responsible for an annual fit test of all personnel required to wear an N95 respirator

Must be professional and able to handle multiple tasks and support multiple projects simultaneously. Contract may have vaccination requirements.

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Disclaimer: This is not to be an exclusive list of all responsibilities', duties, and skills required of the person in this job. KIC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KIC considers all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, physical or mental disability, family responsibility, marital status, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran's status or any other legal protected status. Pursuant to The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act 43 U.S.C. Sec. 1601 et seq., and federal contractual requirements, Kikiktagruk Inupiat Corporation, may legally grant certain preference in employment opportunities to KIC Shareholders and their Descendants. EOE/AA/M/F/D/V. Please view Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP . Successful candidate must pass, comply and adhere to KIC's Drug and Alcohol policy/testing requirements and pass a thorough background check including fingerprinting.