Job Title: Animal Research Technician

Location: Minneapolis VA Medical Center

Job Code: Research Technician, Full-time, Benefit-eligible, Non-Exempt

Supervisor: Matthew Rassette

Project and Project Number:  Holding and Training Protocol - #1594715

Salary: $43,680 plus fringe

Summary:

The Center for Veterans Research and Education (CVRE), whose mission is helping to support

innovative research and education initiatives that improve the health and well-being of Veterans, is

seeking an Animal Research Technician. The primary purpose of this position is that of an Animal

Research Technician within the Veterinary Medical Unit (VMU), a functional department within the

Medical Research Service at the VA. The incumbent is to serve as an Animal Research Technician in

the Research Department, VMU. The incumbent must be a self-starter, with good communication

skills (both verbal and written); quality and detail orientated, with the ability to organize and

prioritize the workload, and ensuring deadlines are met.

Responsibilities:

• Ensure that all animals are maintained in appropriate caging under proper sanitary and

other environmental conditions, provide dietary requirements, ensure that quality care is

provided to all research animals in the veterinary medical unit.

• Receive and perform preliminary physical examination of all animals entering the

veterinary medical unit, notify vendor of animals rejected for illness or inaccurate order

specifications, report unusual or abnormal findings to the VMU Supervisor and/or

Veterinarians.

• Initiate and oversee new animal receiving process, administer prescribed medications or

vaccines, quarantine all incoming animals to observe and monitor their state of health and

acclimatization, perform examinations for external and internal parasites and administer

appropriate treatments.

• Maintain records on ordering and receipt of animals, supplies, and equipment, conduct

annual inventory on animal caging and support equipment, report all overages or shortages

found during inventory, evaluate the need for all caging and equipment assigned to the

Veterinary Medical Unit.

• Perform several types of diagnostic procedures on animal specimens such as:

microbiological testing using sterile culture swabs, collecting skin scraping for microscopic

examination of external parasites, maintain a program of surveillance and prevention of

diseases by conducting serological assays on rodent serum (or other assays) for infectious

agents that may cause diseases in animals.

• Provide animal related services and support for investigators and technicians engaged in

Research, as appropriate: advise and monitor investigators in the selection and

administration of appropriate anesthetics, analgesics, and tranquilizers on laboratory

animals, prepare anesthetics, analgesics, and tranquilizers for distribution, maintain

accurate records on control drug usage, administer antibiotic injections and medications

according to scheduled protocol or treatment sheet, assist investigators or the Veterinary

Medical Officer (VMO) in surgical procedures and radiographic examinations, euthanatize

laboratory animals according to procedures recommended by the AVMA Panel on

Euthanasia.

• Initiate suggestions for implementation of new or changed unit procedures, share in

decision making with the Veterinary Medical Unit Supervisor to improve or change

standard operating procedures and unit practices.

• Participate in the daily husbandry routines, conduct on-site training, and ensure that all

assignments are properly performed and completed.

• Ensure that good animal care and husbandry practices are followed, perform visual

observation of laboratory animals daily for gross changes in health status or behavior.

• Maintain work schedules including record keeping for attendance, sick and annual leave

use, requests for leave, weekend, and holiday coverage.

• Meet regularly with the VMU Supervisor to apprise them of the status of all daily operations

within the facility and of potential problems and to receive information and instructions

and to plan for future requirements.

• Comply with all safety/fire prevention rules/regulations, using protective equipment when

required and provided. Promptly report all accidents and notify supervisor of

unsafe/unhealthful conditions in the workplace. Attend scheduled training sessions and

participate in facility or service level safety promotions as directed by supervisor. Know fire

drill and emergency plans for work area, including location of all emergency fire equipment.

• Access printed and electronic files containing information which must be protected under

the provision of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws and regulations. Ensure

entry into the personal computers/computer system under his/her access and verify code

is limited to his/her use only. Entering and extracting of information from these systems is

to be strictly limited to legitimate job-related duties.

Applicant must include:

1. Cover Letter

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s Degree

Experience: None required if master’s degree has been earned, 6-12 months if bachelor’s

Licensure/Registration/Certification: None

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Planning and management skills

• Flexibility and judgment

• Written and verbal communication skills

• Organizational skills

• Working with computerized databases