Animal Technician- UCSF

Title: Animal Technician

Location: San Francisco, CA

Assignment length: 6 months contract with possibility of extension

Shift: 7:30 am - 4:00 pm (includes a 30 min break)

Job description:

• Graduation from high school/GED, completion of training equivalent to the Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician certification of the AALAS, and one year of animal care experience.

Summary:

• The Laboratory Animal Resource Center (LARC) supports the research programs of the faculty by providing all services associated with the care and use of laboratory animals including the purchasing/receiving, daily care and monitoring of the health of all species. The Animal Technician is responsible for the daily care of animals in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Duties include changing cages and racks, delivering food and water in accordance to established procedures, maintaining equipment and animal housing areas according to standard operating procedures and federal and state regulations. Perform record keeping duties such as per-diems records, animal health surveillance, feed logs, temperature/humidity charts, animal receipt and disposition logs and performs other duties as assigned. LARC provides care for various species of laboratory animals housed in multiple LARC research facilities located throughout the city of San Francisco.
• Under direction of the Animal Resources Supervisor or assigned lead, the Animal Technician (AT) has experience, training and is capable of performing all duties within the scope of the job description for Assistant Animal Technicians. Animal Technicians performs assigned duties in a manner that achieves the LARC mission. Animal Technicians are expected to identify problems, remedy and report them immediately. Animal Technicians must ensure the proper care and use of animals and Animal Technicians must be able to perform some technical procedures required within LARC or to support the research effort.

Animal Care and Room Sanitation (60%)

• Daily maintenance of vivarium facilities, under general supervision.

• Change cages/racks, clean primary enclosures per schedule, feed and water different species of animals used in LARC.
• Maintain all animals and animal housing areas according to LARC standard operating procedures for each species.
• Always handle animals humanely and with care. Mistreatment can result in severe, negative employment consequences.
• Monitor room conditions for temperature, humidity, and sanitation. Report conditions outside of set ranges to your Supervisor/Principal Technician.
• Identify animal care needs as they arise and report them to the Supervisor.
• Communicate with the faculty regarding animal housing/husbandry issues in a professional and articulate manner.
• Prepare animal cages for transportation between UCSF facilities.
• Perform cage wash duties as needed.
• Conduct all activities according to federal, state, AAALAC, and UCSF requirements and regulations, including BSL 2 and higher areas.
• Review assigned areas for items or activities that might raise protocol or regulatory compliance concerns. If found, remedy those that relate to the duties of Animal Technician (AT) and report all others to supervisors or other staff as directed.
• Assist in the training of new employees and act as area leader of Assistant Animal Technicians.

Animal Health (15%)

• Identify and report all sick and unhealthy animals to Supervisor, Animal Health Technician, veterinary staff, and/or Principle Investigators (PI's).
• Assist in restraint of animals as needed.
• Assist in animal health screening programs (which range from rodent sentinel program to large animal sample collection) as assigned.
• Assist in training animals for physical exam or research behaviors.
• Perform treatments, administer routine medications, apply technical skills under close supervision (e.g. collect fecal samples, various injections, etc.).
• Other animal health duties as assigned.

Record Keeping (10%)

• Perform record-keeping duties, such as per-diems records, feed logs, temperature and humidity charts, animal receipt, and disposition logs.
• Perform sanitation record verification, such as water temperature or autoclave logs.
• Perform all duties as assigned in animal housing rooms and log in daily check sheet.
• Perform Census bar code cage scanning and data entry
• Fill out records needed for various assurances to animal welfare regulatory agencies and UCSF-IACUC.

Maintenance (10%)

• Ability to use small hand tools to repair cages, racks, and minor mechanical needs (e.g., automatic watering systems, water fillers, etc.).
• Maintain and change rack, biosafety cabinet, humidifier, and room filters.
• Maintain/restock supplies in common areas, including feed, PPE, and equipment.
• Mop/sweep hallways.

If the Client extends an offer then the candidate should go through the health screening process.

• Need immunization records for MMR and Varicella (Mumps, Measles & Rubella and Varicella) should be positive, if you have negative results in any of these then you have to take 2 MMR vaccinations with a gap of 28 days since you cannot take 2MMR vaccinations at a time.
• For the TB test you have other available options- TSPOT or QF TB Gold or 2 step PPD's for 2 step PPD's you need visit clinic twice and to get these results it may take more than 1 week and should provide latest documents 2019 valid within 3 months )
• Annual Physical Test
• Flu Short
• Ishihara Vision Test