Senior Animal Caretaker
Full medical, dental, and vision coverage; Paid time off; 11 Paid Holidays; Tuition remission (eligible employees and dependents can obtain a degree tuition free); Generous retirement plan; PTEA Union Rate; Salary: $26.99 per hour.
Position Summary
The Animal Caretaker III position is based in Temple’s University Laboratory Animal Resources Department (ULAR). The individual filling this position will be responsible for providing exemplary animal care, husbandry, customer service, and study support. The individual will also assume a lead husbandry role in animal procurement, front‑end billing, staff training, and project management. Responsibilities include ensuring good husbandry, nutrition, and sanitation of animals used for research, testing, and educational purposes, and monitoring compliance with institutional animal care and use policies and federal laws.
Job Responsibilities
Animal Husbandry
- Understand and follow all ULAR SOPs, IACUC policies and guidelines, safety procedures, and Quality Assurance Standards.
- Perform daily animal health checks and report any abnormal conditions to the veterinary staff; ensure all laboratory animals have food and water.
- Change animal caging, including feed and water, according to ULAR SOPs and/or specific approved protocols and the schedule established by the Area Supervisor.
- Determine age, sex, and weaning times for animals according to ULAR SOPs and IACUC policy.
- Dispose of dead animals according to standard SOPs and policies.
- Assist with the restraint, handling, and manipulation of various animal species as requested by investigators or other ULAR staff.
- Receive, examine, transfer, identify, and properly house incoming animal shipments according to ULAR SOPs.
- Maintain daily documentation: room logs, animal census sheets, care and enrichment logs, room equipment logs, and other forms as requested by the Area Supervisor; ensure all animals are tagged and cages identified.
- Clean and sanitize the animal facility, assigned rooms, and cages according to ULAR SOPs.
- Maintain and repair animal caging and support equipment; operate mechanical equipment such as cage washing machines, the Hydropac water delivery system, and autoclaves.
- Perform routine cleaning, descaling, and preventative maintenance on cage washers and autoclaves, including checking and cleaning filters and spray manifolds.
- Process dirty caging: break down parts, dump bedding, and soak caging components.
- Process clean caging and accessory equipment: put bedding into cages, fill water bottles, and autoclave cages and supplies.
- Prepare and submit records, charts, logs, cage cards, and inventories as required by ULAR SOPs.
- Perform other duties as assigned to support animal care and welfare.
Procurement
- Prepare housing and paperwork/cage cards for incoming shipments.
- Receive all animal deliveries.
- Properly house all animals into previously determined holding rooms.
- Maintain all applicable documentation.
Front End Billing
- Collect cage activation and deactivation cards from all ULAR facilities on the Health Sciences Campus.
- Use Cayuse software to activate or deactivate billing cycles for all applicable animals.
- Organize and maintain hard copies of all cards input into the Cayuse database.
Staff Training
- Train employees in cage wash operations as needed (according to ULAR SOP).
- Train employees in animal husbandry as needed (according to ULAR SOP).
- Train employees in room sanitation as needed (according to ULAR SOP).
Project Management
- Develop action plans to complete assigned projects.
- Organize materials and personnel required to complete assigned projects.
- Execute action plans to complete assigned projects.
- Track equipment inventory.
Licenses, Certificates, and/or Registrations Required
Must have AALAS ALAT certification and receive AALAS LAT certification or above within two years of filling the position unless the applicant has an A.S./B.S. degree in an animal or biology related discipline. An A.S./B.S. degree in an animal or biology related discipline eliminates the AALAS certification requirement.
Required Education and Experience
High School/GED or six or more years of directly related experience handling both rodent and USDA covered species.
Preferred Education, Experience, Licenses and/or Certifications
Preferred Education: A.S./B.S. degree in an animal or biology related discipline.
Preferred Experience: Prior experience working with animals in private practice, laboratory animal, or zoo animal setting; prior experience with animal husbandry and behavior; prior experience with cagewash operations; AALAS LATG certification eligible.
Additional Technical Requirements
- Proficient at working with and handling rodents, USDA covered species, and other animal species involved in the Temple University animal program.
- Demonstrated ability to continuously lift 50 lbs.
- Strong organizational skills; detail‑oriented; able to handle multiple tasks.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Demonstrated computer skills; able to operate standard office equipment and software including MS Office.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to interact with diverse populations of students, faculty, and staff.
- Ability to work holiday and weekend hours as needed.
- Ability to perform husbandry for all applicable species housed at Temple University.
EEO Statement
Temple University values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity for all persons regardless of age, color, disability, ethnicity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.
Compliance Statement
Employees have an obligation to avoid ethical, legal, financial and other conflicts of interest to ensure that their actions and outside activities do not conflict with their primary employment responsibilities at the institution. Employees are also expected to understand and be in compliance with applicable laws, university and employment policies and regulations, including NCAA regulations for areas and departments which their essential functions cause them to interact.
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