Animal Caretaker I

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Come join our team as an Animal Caretaker!

At Iowa State University Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center (LVMC) you will collaborate with a team of experts and make a meaningful impact on the future of veterinary medicine. Under direct supervision the Animal Caretaker in the Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Service (ECC) is responsible for ensuring the proper handling feeding and care of animals as well as maintaining the cleanliness and functionality of animal facilities in compliance with federal state and university regulations. This role supports animal health and welfare while assisting veterinary technicians in daily operations.

What Youll Do:

• Clean and disinfect animal enclosures isolation rooms and equipment following strict protocols to ensure pathogen-free environments and containment of infectious agents.

• Handle restrain and care for animals providing support during veterinary treatments and procedures.

• Feed and water patients based upon instruction from clinical staff.

• Observe and report animal health status including any signs of illness injury or stress to the clinical staff.

• Maintain patient cleanliness by keeping bedding clean and dry and perform bathing as instructed by clinical staff.

• Assist in facility upkeep by performing minor repairs and reporting significant malfunctions to the supervisor.

• Transport animals while adhering to safety protocols.

Job Details:

• Schedule:Full-time rotating schedule

• Shift:Swing Shift 4:00PM 2:30AM including weekends and holidays no on call.

• Location:Ames IA

• Work Environment:On-site hands-on role in a clinical veterinary hospital setting

About the Department:

TheSmall Animal Emergency & Critical Care (SA ECC)unit is a dynamic and collaborative environment where veterinary professionals provide life-saving care to small animal patients. Our team is committed to excellence in patient care education and service. As an Animal Caretaker youll be a vital part of this mission helping ensure our patients receive the best possible support during their stay.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an on-going basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities

Feeds and waters animals including the mixing and preparing of feed for standard or special diets.

Weighs animals keeping records on weights of feed and animal in coordination with the feeding program.

Grooms handles and restrains animals.

Checks newly purchased animals for conformance to order specifications.

Cleans and disinfects animal enclosures isolation rooms buildings and equipment adhering to established policies for maintaining pathogen free environments and containment of animals exposed to infectious diseases.

Operates mechanical equipment such as autoclaves ventilated racks and cage washers.

Checks for and reports failures in heating and ventilation systems to supervisor.

Observes animals for signs of phenotype illness injury or stress.

Reports observations to supervisor.

Assists in routine veterinary treatments or restraint of animals for experimental purposes.

Maintains and performs minor repairs to animal equipment enclosures and animal facility.

Reports major building repairs or malfunctions to facility supervisor.

Transports animals equipment and supplies using carts or motorized vehicles.

In agricultural setting may operate farm machinery such as tractors manure loaders and spreaders feed grinders and related equipment as required.

In animal facility may use ventilated racks and biological safety cabinets for isolation and containment activities.

Under direction of properly trained personnel may euthanize animals in accordance to standard procedures.

Under direction of principal investigator and with adequate training may be responsible for maintaining breeding colonies.

Maintains the following records: feed animal inventory numbers veterinary treatment animal health status observations animal room environment observations and other record keeping duties as assigned.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of standard operating procedures for laboratory animal care or livestock care as applicable.

Ability to learn and apply federal state and/or university regulations regarding animal care and use in research and teaching.

Ability to understand communicate and execute oral and written instructions.

Ability to keep accurate records.

Ability to recognize changes in conditions of animals and animal room environment malfunctioning equipment and unsafe conditions.

Ability to construct and maintain related equipment and facilities.

Ability to lift and/or move 50-100 pounds.

Ability to perform physical labor such as restraining animals loading and unloading supplies and animals and standing for prolonged periods of time.

Ability to work around noise dust odors fumes and extremes in temperature.

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