Senior Animal Technician

**Job Summary**
Supervises the day-to-day husbandry care operations of animals within a laboratory animal research facility, ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations and guidelines across the research laboratories under your responsibility. The role includes educating, guiding, and training staff in related research fields. Key duties involve providing comprehensive husbandry care for laboratory animals, conducting standardized testing, collecting research data, and assisting the attending veterinarian with animal treatment techniques and procedures as needed.

**Key Responsibilities**
- ** Daily Operations**:

- Plan and oversee the daily operations of the vivarium facility, including frequent inspections, environmental control monitoring, equipment troubleshooting and repair, and consulting on space and equipment usage.
- Monitor cleaning and sanitizing of cages.
- Ensure adequate levels of food and water in cages.
- Maintain breeding colonies with accurate recordkeeping, proper breeding techniques, correct animal identification, sterile handling, and documentation.
- ** Maintenance**:

- Conduct routine maintenance and basic mechanical repairs on mobile caging, racks, tables, and automatic watering equipment.
- Perform euthanasia procedures as directed by the veterinarian, including cervical dislocation (on mice), carbon dioxide asphyxiation, or injection of euthanasia solutions or chemicals.
- ** System Monitoring**:

- Monitor the Building Management System and automatic watering system daily, report data, and take corrective actions when needed.
- ** Recordkeeping**:

- Maintain records related to animal cages, colony status, and the general health of animals, including cage cards, animal histories, and colony census.
- ** Veterinary Care**:

- Provide routine veterinary care by observing animals daily to assess health and welfare. Implement appropriate care methods to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases or injuries.
- ** Cleanliness and Sanitation**:

- Supervise and maintain cleanliness in animal rooms and other areas such as storage rooms by sweeping, mopping, and sanitizing equipment and instruments according to established procedures.
- ** Vivarium Activities**:

- Perform all aspects of basic husbandry care for small animals used in live research.
- Conduct standardized tests and collect monitoring or research data as directed.
- Develop, monitor, collect, and dispatch samples or perform tests as part of the program’s monitoring system.
- ** Surgical Support**:

- Administer pre-surgical treatments under veterinarian direction, including identifying animals and administering induction drugs at proper dosages.
- Prepare animals for surgery following sterile standards.
- Assist in surgery as a surgical nurse, anesthetist, or surgeon’s assistant.
- Clean and sterilize the operating room, anesthesia equipment, and instruments before and after surgery.
- Assist in performing post-mortem exams.
- ** Other Duties**:

- Perform additional tasks and duties as required to meet the role’s demands and contribute to the goals of the University.

**Qualifications**:
**Education and Certifications**:

- ALTA, LAT, and ALTG certifications.
- BSc in Veterinary Science, Biology, or a relevant field.
- At least 3 years of prior experience working in a laboratory animal research setting with rodents.

**Languages**:

- Proficiency in English.

**Experience**:

- 3-5 years of experience working in a small animal facility.
- Experience in blood collection techniques.
- Extensive experience with blood collection methods, anesthesia, and necropsy techniques.
- Expertise in managing breeding colonies.
- Strong computer skills.

Required Documents

**Non Academic**:

- Curriculum Vitae with cover letter.
- Experience Certificates.
- Highest Academic Qualification.

**Benefits**:
**Non Academic**:

- Competitive tax-free salary.
- Housing allowance in accordance with HRM Law.
- Annual leave in accordance with HRM Law.
- End-of-contract indemnity.