Animal Technician Duties and Responsibilities
Purpose of Classification:
Receives animals into facility, completes federal forms for each
animal received and assigns space for animal. Maintains breeding
colonies, administers medical treatment according to prescribed
instructions, cleans cages and other equipment and feeds and waters
animals.
Distinguishing Characteristics:
This is
second in a series of seven classifications and is distinguished
from the Animal Caretaker in that incumbents are responsible for
receiving animals into the facility, completing federal forms for
each animal received, breeding and rearing animals and/or
administering medical treatment.
Examples of Duties:
- Receives animals into facility, matching animal to animal
order and placing animal into quarantine area.
- Completes federal forms, listing such items as weight, sex
and description of animal.
- Maintains breeding colonies of various animals, which
include breeding, feeding, weaning and keeping records of
activities.
- Cleans cages, feeding equipment and animal rooms; sprays
disinfectants and mops floors and walls.
- Observes health condition and behavior of animals; reports
injuries, disease or abnormal behavior to supervisor or
designated person; administers medical treatment according to
prescribed instructions; may give injections and take
temperatures; may assist investigator with research procedures
and euthanizes animals.
- Feeds, waters and cares for animals.
- Assigns and allocates space for animals.
- Trains students and new employees in the care and feeding of
animals and the cleaning of facilities.
- Inventories animals by head count or weighs animal cages;
moves animals to larger cages according to National Institute of
Health guidelines.
- Washes and sterilizes cages and other materials.
- Monitors room conditions such as temperature and lighting;
informs supervisor if system is not functioning properly.
- Bills appropriate investigators for supplies used in the
care and feeding of animals.
- Transports animals and supplies to designated locations.
- Researches techniques in feeding, watering, housing and
caring for various types of animals.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Knowledge of the environmental conditions necessary for the
care and use of laboratory animals.
- Knowledge of the feeding and reproduction of a variety of
animals.
- Skill in animal care techniques.
- Skill in both verbal and written communication.
Minimum Qualifications:
Associate's degree in Laboratory Animal Technology or related field
AND one (1) year of animal husbandry experience; OR, three (3) years
of animal husbandry experience; OR, American Association of
Laboratory Animal Science certification as an Assistant Laboratory
Animal Technician; OR, Any equivalent combination of experience
and/or education from which comparable knowledge, skills and
abilities have been achieved.
Next: Animal Technician Senior Job Description |
|
|
