Husbandry Technician I

Title: Husbandry Technician I

Location: Durham, NC

Status: Full-Time

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 Husbandry Technician I will provide care and maintenance for laboratory animals, which currently consists of rats and mice, but could include other species such as rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, frogs, and fish. The Husbandry Technician I will be responsible for monitoring and caring for the health and well-being of animals housed at NIEHS. 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.

The responsibilities of the Husbandry Technician I shall include, but not limited to the following:

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Performs daily health observations and monitors the condition of research animals.
• Provides custodial care, fresh food, and water to animals according to the standard operating procedures.
• Observing health and condition of animals.
• Use of appropriate size caging.
• Maintenance of housing systems use of prescribed enrichment devices.
• Sanitation and cleaning of cages.
• Maintenance of animal room equipment and supplies.
• Monitoring facility for pests and weekly animal census.
• Placing and maintaining cage cards on all animal cages.
• Sanitize and decontaminate animal rooms; operate all prescribed equipment; maintain records and enter data into computer; perform audits; monitor animal room environmental conditions; assemble equipment and supplies; dispose of waste and trash; prepare solutions and reagents; prepare and identify animals for delivery or shipment to other rooms or facilities; report sick and dead animals; euthanize and dispose of moribund or dead animals; handle and restrain laboratory animals; collect microbiological samples; provide special care for animals in quarantine; identify animals by methos; administer routine treatments; follow prescribed procedures at all times; and learn and become familiar with unique phenotypes of rodents housed an NIEHS.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements:

• High School Diploma or GED
• Willing to be trained to properly handle all species of animals housed at NEIHS.
• Ability to use critical thinking skills, decisive judgement, and the ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work in a stressful environment and take appropriate action when needed.
• Flexibility in scheduling and ability to work nights, weekends, holidays and/or on-call.
• Must be able to obtain/maintain site access and pass a background check.

Work Environment:

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.

Physical Demands:

Duties require constant lifting (sometimes greater than 50 pounds) and pushing and pulling of carts and dollies. Duties also require continuous walking, standing, sitting, and considerable arm and hand movements.

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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.