Research Animal Specialist

Site: The General Hospital Corporation

Mass General Brigham relies on a wide range of professionals including doctors nurses business people tech experts researchers and systems analysts to advance our mission. As a not-for-profit we support patient care research teaching and community service striving to provide exceptional care. We believe that high-performing teams drive groundbreaking medical discoveries and invite all applicants to join us and experience what it means to be part of Mass General Brigham.

Research Animal Specialists at the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Comparative Medicine (CCM) provide basic husbandry health surveillance and compliance monitoring to laboratory animals. Responsibilities also include performing equipment sanitation maintaining husbandry records and supporting the facility teams in daily work as needed. For this role candidates interested in working with Non-Human Primates Swine and other USDA covered species are preferred.

All Research Animal Specialists are required to work in a team environment following Lean Management principles and participate in continuous improvement projects. This position involves daily exposure to laboratory animals their waste products and possibly chemical agents radioactive isotopes and ABSL2 hazards. Rotating weekend and holiday work hours are required. CCM offers a wide variety of career and skill building opportunities as well as an extensive benefits package offered to MGH employees.

The Following Duties are performed daily with minimal supervision:

1) Provides Animal Husbandry Tasks
- Serve as a member of a research animal care team which is responsible for daily animal husbandry and welfare checks in the facility.
- Perform daily work involving the handling of genetically engineered animal models animals with immuno-compromised health status and animals recovering from surgery or other invasive procedures etc.
- Assemble caging supplies with proper handling to ensure sterility level of equipment feed and water.
- Perform daily animal pen/caging sanitization or changing. Following aseptic technique ensuring animals are not contaminated when outside primary enclosure.
- Provide compliance monitoring of cage conditions. (Overcrowded cage management spot changing of dirty cages etc.).
- Track progress of neonates notification of team members & PI staff and weaning of cages per SOPs.
- Ensure animals are provided with food and water daily.
- Record critical facility data/documentation on a daily basis required by local state and federal regulatory agencies.
- Perform routine euthanasia on laboratory animals according to the American Veterinary Medical Associations (AVMA) Panel on Euthanasia.

2) Provides Animal Health Monitoring
- Evaluate animals health each day and report abnormal clinical signs to the team lead and veterinary staff per SOP.
- Provide follow-up notification and treatment of common health concerns prescribed by the veterinary staff per SOP.
- Reports progress of therapies to the team veterinary staff and PI staff via health card notifications and email.

3) Performs Facility Cage Wash Operations
- Operate and maintain automated cage wash equipment and sterilizers in order to sanitize primary animal holding cages support equipment and general access areas.
- Assemble caging.
- Prepare acidified water bottles using an automated bottle filler.
- Receive transport process store facility supplies animal feed bedding and enrichment

4) Provides Facility Maintenance and Sanitization
- Maintain animal rooms so that secondary enclosure is free of infectious agents and other contaminates by following the sanitation monitoring program standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Report facility and environmental issues that fall outside animal welfare regulatory requirements (as defined in theGuide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals).

5) Performs Facility Support Functions
- Use current technology including PDAs and bar code application to record daily cage census.
- Comply with CCM and MGH policies and SOPs.
- Provide facility support functions as assigned. (bioware trouble shooter van driver etc.)

6) Works within a Team Environment following Lean Management Principals
- Utilize lean management tools in conjunction with the Team Lead and other teammates such as value stream mapping and 5S in order to problem solve and continuously improve operations.
- Attend team meetings and training sessions on all aspects of laboratory animal care and uses of animals in biomedical research as scheduled.


The Following Duties may be performed daily under supervision from the Team Lead or Manager:

- Perform husbandry and health monitoring of animals inABSL2 areas.
- Assist the Team Lead or designee with housing incoming animals.
- Provide research support services.
- Collect sentinel samples processing and evaluation.
- Perform husbandry and health monitoring of USDA covered species updating Individual Animal Records when required.
- Ordering and receiving facility supplies monitoring material replenishment systems.
- Assist in the creation validation and maintenance of visual controls within the facility.
- Comply with CCM and MGH policies and standard operating procedures.
- Provide treatment and follow-up of non-standard health concerns as prescribed by the veterinary staff.
- Works holiday and weekends as assigned.
- Other duties as assigned.

Job Summary

Summary:
Assists in the daily operation of the Animal Facility in feeding of and caring for animals used in experiments.

Does this position require Patient Care
No

Essential Functions:
- Consistently implements sterile techniques using a barrier microisolator cage system.
- Tracks animal health and notify supervisors and animal care staff of observations.
- Keeps records of animal mortalities.
- Maintains records such as animal inventory Animal Husbandry and Room Maintenance Records for each assigned room.
- Reports all facility and environmental issues to the animal technician supervisor.
- Attends staff and educational meetings as scheduled by supervisory staff.
- Performs other duties as assigned Complies with all policies and standards.

Education
High School Diploma or Equivalent required

Can this role accept experience in lieu of a degree

No

Licenses and Certifications

Work Experience
Previous experience with Animals 0-1 year preferred

Knowledge Skills and Abilities
- Detail-oriented.
- Multitasking skills.
- Long periods of standing and/or moving.
- Good communications skills in English both oral and written.

Skills/Abilities/Competencies Required:

• Experience in care of animals preferred.

• Proficient in verbal and written English and Mathematics pertinent to the duties of this position and situations encountered in the animal facility.

• Ability to lift and move 50 lbs. on a regular basis

• Long periods of standing

• Has a customer-focused attitude and enjoys working with similarly dedicated persons in a team fashion within a high-energy research environment.

• Ability to learn and use bar code/PDA technology and basic computer skills including email and Microsoft Outlook.

• Valid drivers license (for specified facilities).

Working Conditions:

• The animal facility has a variety of environmental conditions. Specifically employees may be exposed to noise dust chemicals extreme heat and animal waste products. The duration of exposure to any of the above is dependent on the assigned aspects of this position may expose the incumbent to potentially fatal zoonotic diseases. Appropriate protective clothing and equipment may be required and will be provided accompanied by appropriate training.

• Travel between facilities may be required. Driving MGH vans to transport animals and equipment may be required.

• This position may also expose the employee to animals treated with chemical hazardsradioactive dyes and other induced conditionsas part of approved protocols.

• Employees are expected to conduct all work in a safe manner that includes maintaining knowledge of animal handling techniques consistent with the condition of the animal protocol regulations and department policy including radioactive treatments and bodily fluids.

Onsite

185 Cambridge Street

40

Regular

Day (United States of America)

Pay Range

$17.16 - $22.98/Hourly

Grade

3

At Mass General Brigham we believe in recognizing and rewarding the unique value each team member brings to our organization. Our approach to determining base pay is comprehensive and any offer extended will take into account your skills relevant experience if applicable education certifications and other essential factors. The base pay information provided offers an estimate based on the minimum job qualifications; however it does not encompass all elements contributing to your total compensation addition to competitive base pay we offer comprehensive benefits career advancement opportunities differentials premiums and bonuses as applicable and recognition programs designed to celebrate your contributions and support your professional growth. We invite you to apply and our Talent Acquisition team will provide an overview of your potential compensation and benefits package.

The General Hospital Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religious creed national origin sex age gender identity disability sexual orientation military service genetic information and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process to perform essential job functions and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. To ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 the Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974 and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact Human Resources at .

Mass General Brigham Competency Framework