Laboratory Animal Resources – NHP Animal Care Technician

(NHP Animal Technician I/II)

Work Hours: 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM from Monday through Friday and supervisor scheduled weekends/holidays/weather emergencies/university closings.

Summary:

Primate Research Program at Princeton University is a centralized facility reporting to the Attending Veterinarian or Director of the Primate Resources and is responsible for animal and veterinary care of research animals at Princeton University. The primary responsibility of the Nonhuman Primate Technician for the Life Sciences provides animal care for USDA cover species/Nonhuman primates housed within the facility. The NHP Animal Technician ensures the cleanliness of the facility and the maintenance of adequate supplies of food and bedding materials, including PPE.  The Animal Technician will work together with other technicians according to a schedule prepared by the Attending Veterinarian or Director. The NHP Animal Technician pursues and improves methods of animal husbandry and resource utilization.  They will ensure the highest quality of laboratory animal care and research support, and has good communication skills with co-workers, management team, PI’s, research staff, students, facility maintenance crews and other support services.

Animal Husbandry:

1. Animal Technicians are considered essential services staff.  Essential service staff performs jobs that are necessary and required to maintain basic University operations during scheduled or unscheduled work closures due to emergencies, events or other situations.
2. Provides animal care for FDA covered species/NHP’s housed according to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) including giving food and water to the animals, changing  cages, sanitizing all supplies (cages, water bottles, food bins and other animal care related equipment), maintaining clean animal rooms, procedure rooms, hallways and other support areas, keeping records related to animal care.
3. Completes work in a timely fashion and according to established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and follows other written and verbal instructions as needed.
4. Monitors animal health and welfare daily and reports sick and dead animals to the responsible researcher and Veterinary Services.  Provides treatments to laboratory animals as prescribed by researchers and/or Veterinary Services.
5. Monitors, documents, and reports deviations of normal, species specific, environmental parameters such room temperature, humidity, lights, and air quality.
6. Provides innovative and species specific environmental enrichment for laboratory animals – including non-human primates, under the direction of Veterinary Services and according to research needs.
7. Conduct AM and PM animal health observations.
8. Participates in our NHP behavioral training program (target/clicker training).  Target training is incorporated into daily husbandry activities.
9. Operates cage washing machinery, ventilated caging, Edstrom watering system, bedding dispensing units, full size to table top autoclaves and other animal care equipment typical of animal care operations while following safety procedures.
10. Discovers and reports any facility maintenance issues to the Facility Manager.

Receiving, Inventory, Census, and Other Record Keeping:

1. Receives and maintains adequate inventory levels of cleaning materials, PPE supplies and bedding materials.
2. Receives and maintains adequate levels of food, fruit, vegetables and other dietary supplements, and ensures adequate labeling of expiration dates consistent with the type and use of food.
3. Prepares for the receiving of new animal shipments according to researcher’s specifications.  Receives new shipments of animals in LAR’s electronic management software to the exact room location to start census.  Collects facility-wide animal census on a regular basis.
4. Enters data accurately and timely into the electronic management systems, order and service request forms, husbandry logs, census sheets, vivarium calendar, and time reporting system. Provides receiving documents in a timely manner.

Minimum Qualifications:

Required:

1. High school Diploma or General Education Diploma (GED).
2. AALAS certification at the ALAT level (or within the first year of employment).
3. 2 years of work experience with non-human primates preferred but not required.
4. Willing and able to work safely with biological and chemical hazards and able to lift a minimum of fifty (50) lb.
5. Work attendance during scheduled or unscheduled work closures due to emergencies, events or other situations. Animal Technicians are considered essential services staff. Essential services staff performs jobs that are necessary and required to maintain basic University operations.
6. Ability to work weekends and holidays when scheduled by supervisor.
7. Basic knowledge of biology and behavior of laboratory animal species including non-human primates.
8. Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a laboratory animal resources team and ability to share husbandry knowledge with other animal care staff, students and new researchers.
9. Proven ability to work independently and communicate well with different levels within the organization, and work well with a diverse team for a common goal consistent with the mission of the Laboratory Animal Resources Department.
10. Proficient knowledge of federal, state and local Animal Welfare legislation and sound judgment how to balance optimal animal care, research goals, and regulatory compliance.
11. Ability to handle assignments and changing priorities as circumstances may dictate.
12. Excellent interpersonal skills, and the ability to communicate well person to person as well as per E-mail.
13. Ability to use Microsoft Office Applications including Outlook and other software applications used in animal research and compliance such as an electronic animal management system.
14. Ability to follow-up tasks from beginning to completion and carry out duties in accordance to supervisor deadlines and university policies. 
15. Work successfully in a team environment and accept constructive criticism willingly and make corresponding changes.
16. Preserve confidential information and not disclose contents of this information except in the performance of the work assignment and in accordance with University and departmental policies and procedures.
17. The final candidate will be required to successfully pass a background check.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Associates degree in an animal related field.
2. ALAT Certification.