POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Vivarium Technician
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 9301
GRADE 21
CLASSIFICATION Nonexempt
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Designated Faculty Member and/or Manager, Animal Research Facilities
MAJOR ADMINISTRATOR Director, Research Administration
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Vivarium Technician follows established practices and procedures to provide routine animal care and husbandry and assists research staff in performing technical work related to the care and use of research animals. The Vivarium Technician maintains the support spaces of the vivaria.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A high school diploma or the equivalent is required.
Experience: At least one year of experience working with animals is required.
Skills: General ability to work with animals is required. The ability to learn to recognize and treat animal health problems is required. The ability to communicate clearly and effectively is required. The ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds is required.
Other: The ability to lift and carry up to fifty pounds of materials is required. Positions associated with this position classification are located in facilities requiring the position to be designated “sensitive” as defined by University policy. Positions associated with this position classification may include job duties, responsibilities, or activities that are subject to export control regulations. This position works weekends and holiday breaks as assigned and responds to after-hour emergencies as required. A reliable mode of transportation is required. Online compliance training, enrollment in the Occupational Health and Safety Program, and applicable immunizations are required.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Provides care and husbandry to animals that are conventionally housed as well as those maintained in specialized housing, such as isolators, carriers, etc.
2. Receive animals from suppliers, identify animals as instructed, and issue selected animal species to researchers.
3. Prepare special diets in accordance with the principal investigators’ protocols and administer these diets to the appropriate animals.
4. Assist with conditioning and breeding programs.
5. Administer treatments or medications according to the veterinarian’s orders.
6. Acclimatize animals for placement in experimental studies.
7. Assist in general recordkeeping as well as specialized monitoring and surveillance programs.
8. Feed and water animals as outlined by standard operating procedures or supervisor’s instructions.
9. Maintain cleanliness and sanitation of animal cages, rooms, halls, etc. and support spaces of the vivaria.
10. Operate cage washing equipment and other types of cleaning and sanitizing equipment.
11. Observe and report changes in the health status or condition of animals.
12. Assist research staff and co-workers in performing technical procedures.
13. Euthanize animals in accordance with standardized procedures.
14. Dispose of dead animals as outlined by standard operating procedures.
15. May collect blood samples and feces, urine, or other types of specimens from animals.
16. Provides administrative support to the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).
16. Contributes to a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and development of skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds.
17. Performs other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
SUPERVISION
The Vivarium Technician is supervised by the designated faculty member or the Manager, Research Facilities and may occasionally supervise part-time animal care staff.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
REVISED MAY 2019
