The Animal Care Specialist 2 provides cagewash support, basic husbandry, and health surveillance to laboratory animals. Responsibilities also include performing equipment sanitation, maintaining husbandry equipment records, and supporting the facility teams in daily work as needed. All Animal Care Specialists are required to work in a team environment following Lean Management principles and participate in continuous improvement projects. This position involves daily exposure to laboratory animals, their waste products, and possibly chemical agents, radioactive isotopes and ABSL2 hazards. Rotating weekend and holiday work hours are required.



PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES




The Following Duties are performed daily with minimal supervision:



• Able to perform all duties and responsibilities of a Animal Care Specialist 1 (see ACS 1 job description for detailed descriptions of each area of responsibility).


• Performs Facility Cage Wash Operation


• Provides Facility Maintenance and Sanitization


o Maintains animal rooms so that secondary enclosure is free of infectious agents and other contaminates by following the sanitation monitoring program standard operating procedures (SOPs).


• Performs Facility Support Functions

o Uses current technology including tablets and bar code application to record daily cage census.


o Complies with CCM and BWH policies and SOPs.


o Provides facility support functions as assigned (BioWare trouble shooter, van driver, etc.).



o Works within a Team Environment following Lean Management Principals.


• Performs Animal Husbandry Tasks


o Serves as a member of a research animal care team, which is responsible for daily animal husbandry and welfare checks in the facility.


o Performs daily work involving the handling of genetically engineered animal models, animals with immuno-compromised health status, and animals recovering from surgery or other invasive procedures, etc.


o Assembles caging supplies with proper handling to ensure sterility level of equipment, feed and water.


o Performs daily animal pen/caging sanitization or changing. Following aseptic technique, ensuring animals are not contaminated when outside primary enclosure.


o Provides compliance monitoring of cage conditions. (Overcrowded cage management, spot changing of dirty cages, etc.).


o Tracks progress of neonates, notification of team members & PI staff, and weaning of cages per SOPs.


o Ensures animals are provided with food and water daily.


o Records critical facility data/documentation daily required by local, state and federal regulatory agencies.


o Performs routine euthanasia on laboratory animals per the American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) Panel on Euthanasia.


o Acts as a resource to new Animal Care Specialists.


• Provides Animal Health Monitoring


o Evaluates animal's health each day and report abnormal clinical signs to management and veterinary staff per SOP.


o Provides follow-up notification and treatment of common health concerns prescribed by the veterinary staff per SOP.


o Reports progress of therapies to the team, veterinary staff, and PI staff via health card notifications and email.


• Accountable for providing team support, checking-in with team members, and aiding team members as required to complete team work assignments.



The following duties may be performed daily under supervision of the Manager:



• Performs husbandry and health monitoring of animals in ABSL2 areas.


• Assists the manager or designee with housing incoming animals.


• Performs husbandry and health monitoring of USDA covered species, updating Individual Animal Records when required.


• Receives facility supplies and monitor material replenishment systems.


• Assists in the creation, validation and maintenance of visual controls within the facility.


• Works weekends and holidays, as assigned.


• All other duties as assigned.



Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS



• High school diploma or equivalency degree preferred.


• A minimum of 1 year of laboratory animal care experience or BWH Animal Care Certification required.



SKILLS / ABILITIES / COMPETENCIES REQUIRED



• Proficient in verbal and written English


• Ability to lift and move 50 lbs on a regular basis.


• Long periods of standing.


• Has a customer-focused, positive attitude and enjoys working with similarly dedicated persons in a team fashion within a high-energy research environment.


• Ability to work effectively in a team environment.


• Ability to problem solve work process within the scope of their job.


• Ability to learn and use bar code/tablet technology and basic computer skills including email and Microsoft Outlook.



WORKING CONDITIONS



• The animal facility has a variety of environmental conditions.


o Specifically, employees may be exposed to noise, dust, chemicals, extreme heat, and animal waste products.


o The duration of exposure to any of the above is dependent on the assigned duties. Appropriate protective clothing and equipment may be required and will be provided, accompanied by appropriate training.


• This position may also expose the employee to animals treated with chemical hazards, radioactive dyes and other induced conditions as part of approved protocols.


• Employees are expected to conduct all work in a safe manner that includes maintaining knowledge of animal handling techniques consistent with the condition of the animal, protocol, regulations and department policy, including radioactive treatments and bodily fluids.



SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY



No direct reports.



EEO Statement

BWH is an Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.