Full-time Animal Care Technician needed for spring/summer and beyond!
Background: The USGS National Wildlife Health Center focuses on research, epidemiology, and surveillance for high consequence wildlife diseases. As such, we aim to understand the ecology of diseases in their native hosts and to develop solutions to better manage wildlife diseases in the environment. This position is part of our animal services team, which provides humane care and handling of laboratory and wild-caught animals used in wildlife disease research and maintains our animal experimentation facility. Some example research projects planned for 2020-2021 include development of vaccines for rabies, sylvatic plague, and white-nose syndrome; ecology of highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild waterfowl; toxicity of common pesticides and toxins produced by harmful algal blooms; pathogen characterization of emerging diseases, and others.
Job duties: The Animal Services Team seeks a recent graduate or students in the last year of study who can work full-time or part-time to provide basic animal husbandry, sanitation and monitoring for a wide variety of domestic and wild-caught animals. As part of animal husbandry, the technician may encounter noxious odors, animal dander and waste, and infectious agents capable of producing disease in animals and humans. In addition to husbandry, the technician will also assist with the cleaning and disinfection of animal rooms, cages, food containers and other equipment, including the use of abrasive and potentially hazardous chemicals. Lastly, the technician is required to follow biosafety level 2 or 3 recommendations, including clothing changes and showers, personal protective equipment, and work flows designed to minimize cross contamination or accidental exposures of employees and research animals to pathogens. Technician is expected to work 8 hr shifts at least 2-3 days a week up to 5 days ($15.64 /hr based on experience). Regular weekend and Holiday shifts are expected.
Successful applicants must be a current student or have graduated within 12 months and can be appointed for up to two years.
Work requirements: The technician will need a background in sciences and previous work experience in animal care is preferred but not required. Previous experience working with a rodent breeding colony, husbandry of wildlife, or in a biological containment facility is desirable. The technician will need to complete a medical evaluation and participate in the NWHC occupational health and safety program, including rabies vaccination. The technician must be able to lift at least 40 lb. Because the NWHC is not located on campus, the technician will need reliable transportation. The ideal applicant is comfortable working independently but works well as part of a team.
Interested in joining our team? Please send your resume and cover letter to Dana Calhoun (dmcalhoun@usgs.gov). Applications will be reviewed on 4/25/2020.