The Specialist II Small Animal Care serves as part of the animal operations team to ensure a culture of care in the implementation of Colossals animal research program. Specialists will assist with routine care of small animal species. This position directly reports to the Manager of Small Animal Care.
This position will be based in Dallas TX to provide daily onsite support. Relocation assistance is available.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Scheduled shifts: The animal care team is responsible for providing year-round coverage of small animal avian and mammalian needs. This necessitates you to provide 1 day of scheduled weekend coverage with a compensatory day-off during the week. Likewise holiday coverage will be fairly allocated and scheduled with compensatory PTO. Team members may be called upon to provide back-up coverage if colleagues call out sick.
- Animal Handling & Care: Calmly & safely handle animals minimizing stress for all. Deploy effective species specific programs to maximize animal well-being. Calculate prepare and provide customized daily meals based on nutritional needs of individual animals and species. Provide preventative and interventional care under direction of veterinarian. Identify animals through RFID and other identification systems.
- Reproductive management: Participate in studies to better understand the reproductive physiology of multiple species. Manage matings pregnancies and weaning.
- Research: Participate in the execution of studies including data and sample collection.
- Procedural support: Participate in planned procedures by providing monitoring and supportive care. There is the opportunity to perform anesthetic and surgical procedures.
- Census Management: Maintain census of colony animals and enter into colony management software to track populations by species and project.
- Biosecurity and Biosurveillance: Follow SOPs to ensure biosecurity and help perform quarterly biosurveillance testing.
- Record Keeping Animal Sick Log & Care: Help maintain all medical records. Maintain & review with veterinarian manager and animal care team members cases. Provide approved medical interventions and humane euthanasia as needed to prevent suffering.
- Compliance: Help ensure full compliance in the execution of all approved IACUC protocols. Help prepare for IACUC AAALAC and USDA inspections and respond to reports in a timely manner.
- Inventory Control: Record the receipt use and disposal of medications and drugs following state and federal requirements. Ensure that adequate stocks are maintained for general surgical medical testing shipping and enrichment items.
- Medical Support: Provide appropriate perioperative support monitoring and pain relief for all planned procedures.
- On-boarding and Training: All team members must enroll in and remain compliant with required Occupational Health and Safety training programs to be able to work within vivaria. Note: OHS required vaccination and testing is a precondition for employment. Team members will participate in required online training and receive hands-on training in the safe handling administration of medications anesthesia and post-operative care of animals.
Required Skills and Abilities:
- Experience with colony management of multiple small animal species
- Knowledgeable in reproductive management and surgeries
- Experience training personnel on key hands-on techniques
- Experience with the safe administration of medications
- Experience with anesthesia and perioperative support
- Experience in surgical techniques in multiple species
- Experience with colony management software
- Strong written and oral communication skills as well as creative problem-solving skills
- Enjoys the fast-paced startup environment and teamwork
- Practiced interpersonal and critical thinking skills
- Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail
- Ability to function well in a growth-oriented nimble environment
Experience:
- 1 or more years of experience providing hands-on animal care teams in a research small animal clinical or zoological setting
Preferred Education/Accreditations:
- Graduate from a 2 or 4 year Veterinary Technical program accredited by the AVMA and have passed the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) or a state Licensed Technician Veterinary Exam (LVTE)
- Active licensure in good standing or ability to be licensed in Texas
- Proficiency in multiple rodent care skills including but not limited to: Rodent breeding colony management weaning/sexing rodents sampling for genotyping/identification.
- Proficiency in multiple rodent health care techniques such as teeth and nail trimming in-life bleeds terminal bleeds injections ear tagging/notching.
- Understanding of rodent health conditions and concerns.