Sr Animal Caretaker
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA
Temple University's Central Animal Facilities division at LKSOM is searching for a Senior Animal Caretaker! Become a part of the Temple family, and you will have access to the following:
Full medical, dental, and vision coverage
Paid time off
11 Paid Holidays
Tuition remission - eligible employees and their dependents can obtain a degree TUITION FREE
A generous retirement plan and so much more! PTEA Union Rate
Animal Caretaker III (V14) $26.99 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. will be responsible for ensuring good husbandry, nutrition, and sanitation of animals used for research, testing, and educational purposes. The individual is also responsible for monitoring compliance with institutional animal care and use policies and federal laws.
Job Responsibilities/Description
Animal Husbandry
1. Understand and follow all ULAR SOPs, IACUC policies and guidelines, safety procedures, and Quality Assurance Standards.
2. Perform daily animal health checks and reports any abnormal animal conditions to the veterinary staff. This is to include, ensuring all laboratory animals in their care always have food and water.
3. Change animal caging, to include feed and water, according to ULAR SOPs and/or specific approved protocols and the schedule established by the Area Supervisor.
4. Determine age, sex, and weaning times for animals according to ULAR SOPs and IACUC policy.
5. Dispose of dead animals according to standard SOPs and policies.
6. Assist with the restraint, handling, and manipulation of various animal species as requested by the investigators or other ULAR staff members.
7. Receive, examine, transfer, identify, and properly house incoming animal shipments according to ULAR SOPs.
8. Maintain daily documentation to include room logs, animal census sheets, animals care and enrichment logs, room equipment logs, and other forms as requested by the Area Supervisor. This includes ensuring all animals are tagged and cages are properly identified.
9. Clean and sanitize the animal facility, assigned rooms, and cages according to ULAR SOPs.
10. Maintain and repair animal caging and support equipment. 11. Operate mechanical equipment such as cage washing machines, the Hydropac water delivery system, and autoclaves.
12. Perform routine cleaning, descaling, and preventative maintenance on the cage washers and autoclaves, including checking and cleaning filters, and spray manifolds.
13. Process dirty caging to include breaking down part, dumping bedding, and soaking caging components.
14. Process clean caging and accessory equipment appropriately, including putting bedding into cages, filling water bottles, and autoclaving cages and supplies.
15. Prepare and submit records, charts, logs, cage cards, and inventories as required by ULAR SOP's.
16. Other duties as assigned to support animal care and welfare.
Procurement
1. Prepare housing and paperwork/cage cards for incoming shipments.
2. Receive all animal deliveries
3. Properly house all animals into previously determined holding rooms
4. Maintain all applicable documentation.
Front End Billing
1. Collect cage activation and deactivation cards from all ULAR facilities on the Health Sciences Campus.
2. Use Cayuse software to activate or to deactivate billing cycles for all applicable animals.
3. Organize and maintain hard copies of all cards input into Cayuse database.
Staff Training
1. In accordance with ULAR SOP, train employees in cage wash operations as needed.
2. In accordance with ULAR SOP, train employees in animal husbandry as needed.
3. In accordance with ULAR SOP, train employees in room sanitation as needed.
Project Management
1. Develop action plans to complete assigned projects.
2. Organize materials and personnel required to complete assigned projects.
3. Execute action plans to complete assigned projects
4. Equipment inventory tracking Licenses, Certificates, and/or Registrations required for the job:
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: 1) Prior experience working with animals in private practice, laboratory animal, or zoo animal setting. 2) Prior experience with animal husbandry and behavior. 3) Prior experience with cagewash operations. 3) AALAS LATG certification eligible. Additional Technical Requirements:
1) Proficient at working with and handling rodents, USDA covered species, and other animal species involved in the Temple University animal program.
2) Demonstrated ability to continuously lift 50lbs.
3) Strong organizational skills, along with the ability to be detail-oriented and to handle multiple tasks.
4)Strong written and verbal communication skills. 5)Demonstrated computer skills, along with the ability to operate standard office equipment and software including MS Office.
6)Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact with diverse population of students, faculty, and staff.
7) Ability to work holiday and weekend hours, as needed.
8) Ability to perform husbandry for all applicable species housed at Temple University Temple University: 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: In the performance of their functions as detailed in the position description 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. Temple University's Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains statistics, policies, and procedures related to campus safety. Go here to review. You may request a copy of the report by calling Temple University's Department of Public Safety at 215-204-7900.
Full medical, dental, and vision coverage
Paid time off
11 Paid Holidays
Tuition remission - eligible employees and their dependents can obtain a degree TUITION FREE
A generous retirement plan and so much more! PTEA Union Rate
Animal Caretaker III (V14) $26.99 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. will be responsible for ensuring good husbandry, nutrition, and sanitation of animals used for research, testing, and educational purposes. The individual is also responsible for monitoring compliance with institutional animal care and use policies and federal laws.
Job Responsibilities/Description
Animal Husbandry
1. Understand and follow all ULAR SOPs, IACUC policies and guidelines, safety procedures, and Quality Assurance Standards.
2. Perform daily animal health checks and reports any abnormal animal conditions to the veterinary staff. This is to include, ensuring all laboratory animals in their care always have food and water.
3. Change animal caging, to include feed and water, according to ULAR SOPs and/or specific approved protocols and the schedule established by the Area Supervisor.
4. Determine age, sex, and weaning times for animals according to ULAR SOPs and IACUC policy.
5. Dispose of dead animals according to standard SOPs and policies.
6. Assist with the restraint, handling, and manipulation of various animal species as requested by the investigators or other ULAR staff members.
7. Receive, examine, transfer, identify, and properly house incoming animal shipments according to ULAR SOPs.
8. Maintain daily documentation to include room logs, animal census sheets, animals care and enrichment logs, room equipment logs, and other forms as requested by the Area Supervisor. This includes ensuring all animals are tagged and cages are properly identified.
9. Clean and sanitize the animal facility, assigned rooms, and cages according to ULAR SOPs.
10. Maintain and repair animal caging and support equipment. 11. Operate mechanical equipment such as cage washing machines, the Hydropac water delivery system, and autoclaves.
12. Perform routine cleaning, descaling, and preventative maintenance on the cage washers and autoclaves, including checking and cleaning filters, and spray manifolds.
13. Process dirty caging to include breaking down part, dumping bedding, and soaking caging components.
14. Process clean caging and accessory equipment appropriately, including putting bedding into cages, filling water bottles, and autoclaving cages and supplies.
15. Prepare and submit records, charts, logs, cage cards, and inventories as required by ULAR SOP's.
16. Other duties as assigned to support animal care and welfare.
Procurement
1. Prepare housing and paperwork/cage cards for incoming shipments.
2. Receive all animal deliveries
3. Properly house all animals into previously determined holding rooms
4. Maintain all applicable documentation.
Front End Billing
1. Collect cage activation and deactivation cards from all ULAR facilities on the Health Sciences Campus.
2. Use Cayuse software to activate or to deactivate billing cycles for all applicable animals.
3. Organize and maintain hard copies of all cards input into Cayuse database.
Staff Training
1. In accordance with ULAR SOP, train employees in cage wash operations as needed.
2. In accordance with ULAR SOP, train employees in animal husbandry as needed.
3. In accordance with ULAR SOP, train employees in room sanitation as needed.
Project Management
1. Develop action plans to complete assigned projects.
2. Organize materials and personnel required to complete assigned projects.
3. Execute action plans to complete assigned projects
4. Equipment inventory tracking Licenses, Certificates, and/or Registrations required for the job:
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: 1) Prior experience working with animals in private practice, laboratory animal, or zoo animal setting. 2) Prior experience with animal husbandry and behavior. 3) Prior experience with cagewash operations. 3) AALAS LATG certification eligible. Additional Technical Requirements:
1) Proficient at working with and handling rodents, USDA covered species, and other animal species involved in the Temple University animal program.
2) Demonstrated ability to continuously lift 50lbs.
3) Strong organizational skills, along with the ability to be detail-oriented and to handle multiple tasks.
4)Strong written and verbal communication skills. 5)Demonstrated computer skills, along with the ability to operate standard office equipment and software including MS Office.
6)Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact with diverse population of students, faculty, and staff.
7) Ability to work holiday and weekend hours, as needed.
8) Ability to perform husbandry for all applicable species housed at Temple University Temple University: 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: In the performance of their functions as detailed in the position description 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. Temple University's Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains statistics, policies, and procedures related to campus safety. Go here to review. You may request a copy of the report by calling Temple University's Department of Public Safety at 215-204-7900.
Posted 2026-05-09
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