Lab Animal Technician ; Temporary

Department Overview

The Oregon National Primate Center (ONPRC) is located 12 miles west of the OHSU main campus, and sits on 162 acres of land featuring forested areas, research and administration buildings, indoor and outdoor animal housing, and 2-mile perimeter walking path. Our mission is to improve human health and the quality of life through the support of nonhuman primate research programs that advance our knowledge of the causes, preventions, treatments, and cures of debilitating diseases.

The purpose of the Laboratory Animal Technician 1, Equipment Sanitation Technician is to provide research support, routine health care, and husbandry for laboratory animals maintained at the Oregon National Primate Research Center. The primary function of this position is to provide laboratory animals with sanitized primary housing in accordance with federal regulation and guidelines, to perform the research support tasks, routine health care, and manual and technical husbandry tasks, which are directly related to the care of laboratory animals.

This includes cleaning, sanitizing and sterilizing animal primary housing and equipment following strict protocols. The area of work assignment and specific tasks will vary, depending on animal populations and care requirements, service requirements, and staffing needs, during regular and non-regular working hours, including weekends, holidays, or on an overtime basis. Duties must be performed in a professional manner and will require contact with investigative staff.

Research Support Services

• Responsible for, assist with, coordinate, and complete a large volume of tasks following various clearly defined and established research protocols and procedures while balancing the requirements of equipment sanitation in support of laboratory animals used in research.
• Participate in the development, coordination and implementation of institution-wide animal care and use procedures.
• Implement established procedures and policies governing the safe and humane care and use of laboratory animals.
• Safely perform (using proper techniques), equipment sanitation, standard veterinary procedures, including but not limited to venipuncture, medication dose calculations, administration of medications via intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, and oral routes.
• Collect body fluids.

Equipment Sanitation & Animal Husbandry

• Exchange non-human primate cages by removing animals from cages using a transfer box.
• Transfer animals to clean cages.
• Transport dirty cages and/or racks to designated wash area.
• Clean and sanitize cages, racks and/or group housing enclosures. Includes operation of a mechanical cage washer, lift trucks, forklifts, pressure washers, and foamers.
• Perform routine sanitization of animal primary housing, shelters, equipment and facilities. Includes sweeping, mopping, scrubbing, washing and disinfection of floors, walls, ceiling, sinks and other equipment.
• Operate floor scrubbers, autoclaves, forklift, lift trucks and pressure washers, foamers, and dispensing units.
• Inspect cages and/or racks for damage; remove damaged cages and/or racks and report the needed repairs.
• Recognize and report problems with facilities (i.e., inappropriate room temperatures, leaking or broken water pipes, plugged drains, damaged surfaces, etc.).
• Perform simple facility maintenance tasks, including but not limited to replacing drinking water valves, replace lighting, etc.
• Feed and water animals.

Animal Health Care Services

• Participate in general animal health surveillance by observing animals in all housing configurations, recognizing abnormalities in physical condition or behavior, and reporting and recording observations to the clinical veterinarian or research staff.
• Perform animal health procedures such as weighing, TB testing, and blood collections.
• Capture, restrain, identify, and sex common varieties of laboratory animals, and the transport animals in support of veterinary, husbandry or investigative procedures.

Other

• Complete and submit data processing forms; using computer keyboard, access and/or input information from the computerized animal record files.
• Assist with acquisition and maintenance of all appropriate regulatory, research, and animal records and reports.
• Other duties as assigned.

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Six months of experience providing husbandry for animals (i.e., watering, feeding, changing bedding, housing, checking animal's health, etc.).
• As an on-the-job trained position, it is not required to have prior experience with laboratory animals. Basic knowledge of the care of animals can be demonstrated through the care of pets, farm animals or 4-H animals.
• Professional and service-oriented attitude.
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Ability to consistently interact with research investigative staff, supervisors and co- workers in a positive and constructive manner.
• Ability to use proper techniques to safely perform standard clinical procedures…