Job Description

Job Description: The Technologist performs specialized production duties to maintain and monitor the health, production and physical environment of animals within isolators, micro-isolator cages or barrier rooms. Provides training to departmental staff on all technical skills and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Client's Note: We are seeking an Animal Care Technologist for our GEMS-Breed Department located in Wilmington, MA.

This is temporary opportunity with the potential to become a regular Charles River Labs employee.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Has substantial understanding and knowledge to perform husbandry tasks, including supplying food, bedding, water and environmental enrichment.

Proficient at maintaining rat and mouse colonies, including setting up matings, weaning and sexing of offspring, genetic sampling of animals, processing samples and other technical tasks as required.

Proficient at handling rodents (mice and rats), including restraining of animals for collection of fecal pellets, ear/tail sampling as well as tagging animals for identification.

Has substantial understanding and knowledge to observe animals for any abnormalities or common health issues.

Has substantial understanding and knowledge to identify and select specific animals for customer shipments, genotyping, health monitoring, matings, transfers or other various tasks as needed.

Learn, understand, and comply with all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Able to complete new processes/tasks with minimal instruction.

Strictly follow all animal welfare standards and biosecurity procedures necessary to maintain isolator integrity and animal health status, including the proper sterilization and entry of supplies/animals into isolators.

Workload contains complex projects and requires judgement in resolving issues and/or in making recommendations. Be detailed-oriented and enter accurate data entry into Internet Colony Management (ICM).

Ensure compliance with all local, state and federal laws governing the use of research animals.

Ability to collaborate with others to train and mentor on knowledge and skills learned.

Ability to self-organize, plan and execute daily tasks.

Perform general housekeeping and adhere to EHS, safety, and ergonomic procedures.

Has substantial understanding of using general computer skills and ability to quickly learn and master required computer programs, databases and other applications (i.e. ICM and Microsoft Office)

Engage in studies, special projects, efficiency improvements, engagement opportunities, etc.

Identify issues and recommend potential solutions to management.

Able to effectively apply and incorporate CRL DNA into day-to-day work.

Perform all other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

To qualify for this role, candidates must possess one of the following combinations of educations/experience:

Bachelor's Degree (B.A./B.S.) plus a minimum of 0-1 years of related experience.

Associate's Degree (A.A./A.S.) plus a minimum of 1-2 years of related experience.

High School diploma or GED plus a minimum of 2-4 years related experience.

In addition:

Competent with using a tablet computer for data entry and communication (emails, IM's, etc)

The ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds is required.

The ability to communicate clearly and effectively is required.

Must possess a high level of initiative and ability to work with minimal supervision

Proficient in computers (IE: MS Office Suite)

PREFERRED QUALIFICATION: AAALAS certification at the ALATG.

The hourly pay rate for this position is $21.25. Please note that salaries vary within the range based on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, certifications, and location.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and occasionally ascend/descend a ladder to perform husbandry tasks.
• Frequently stand, walk, twist, bend, stoop, squat, grasp lightly, use fine manipulation, grasp forcefully, perform desk-based computer task, use telephone, write by hand, lift, carry, push and pull objects over 40 pounds.
• Occasionally sit, kneel, crawl, reach and work above shoulders.
• Ability to bend, squat, kneel, stand, reach above shoulder level, and move on hard surfaces for up to eight hours.
• Ability to work in dusty, dirty and odorous environment.
• Position may require repetitive motion.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works near moving mechanical parts and with computers and is regularly exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals. The employee is frequently exposed to fumes or airborne particles.
• Exposure to animal allergens, anesthetic gases, biohazards, radiation, sharps.
• Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is required (scrubs, disposable gown, exam gloves, head/beard cover, surgical/N95 mask, respirator.
• May require extended or unusual work hours based on research requirements and business needs.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Please review resumes as some will qualify for this role while others will for the Animal Care Associate role (another job posting)

Please make sure to inquire about the candidate's pets:

We require that our employees who work with specific animals avoid being exposed to certain types of animals outside the workplace. Employees are restricted from maintaining as pets or coming in regular contact with any animals of the type produced in Charles River RMS Production facilities, as well as any species of wild or domestic that are in the same family or genus. Specifically, RMS employees cannot own and should avoid coming into close personal contact with the following:

Common laboratory animals traditionally used in research such as mice, rats, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, gerbils, or nonhuman primates.

Wild rodents and related animals such as chinchillas, skunks, squirrels, chipmunks, hedgehogs, opossums, and deer mice.

The maintenance of animals that would require the feeding of any of the above-mentioned animals (alive or dead). Examples of these species include birds of prey, reptiles that are fed rodents or rabbits, or other animals that would eat laboratory rodents or rabbits as part of their regular diet.

Raccoons, skunks, and opossums or other similar wild animals that can serve as reservoirs for infectious diseases that can be passed to both animals and man.

Employees are permitted to keep as pets traditional domestic animals including dogs, cats, fish, birds, ferrets, and traditional farm animals species including horses, cattle, sheep, and goats.

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