Animal Health Tech Ii

SUMMARY:

The Animal Health Technician II position is responsible for the basic daily husbandry operations in all facilities and with all species in accordance with standard operating procedures and training to ensure compliance with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, the Animal Welfare Act and Regulations as well as all applicable federal, state, local and institutional laws, regulations, and policies.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

AHT II, Level A Provides advanced care and husbandry for all rodent species.

AHT II, Level B In addition to the responsibilities of level A, provides basic care and husbandry for all aquatic and USDA covered species (including NHP).

• Performs general husbandry observations including daily health and husbandry, changes cages, and performs flood and rack line checks.
• Provides feed and water for assigned populations.
• Prepares, provides, and maintains all devices for environmental enrichment.
• Receives and examines incoming animals, houses and identifies appropriately.
• Provides special study support and basic colony management and administers treatment according to prescribed instructions.
• Performs animal euthanasia following the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) guidelines.
• Performs equipment maintenance in animal holding rooms (eg.: ATS, Ventilated racks) as well as general facility and room maintenance.
• Ensure compliance with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, the Animal Welfare Act and Regulations as well as all applicable federal, state, local and institutional laws, regulations, policies.
• Maintains records in accordance with animal care facility industry standards and all applicable laws, regulations, and institutional/departmental policies and guidelines.

• Assists in the development of Standard Operating Procedures with Supervisors/Managers.
• Assists in the training of AHT I/ IIA (IIB) and performs all job responsibilities of AHT I as assigned.
• Performs other related duties as assigned by management.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Required: Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience in an animal environment; or completion of an Animal Health Technology program, and 1 year of related work experience.

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED), or one to three months related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Required: ALAT Certification by AALAS or 4 years' experience working in an animal environment. 

• Preferred: Experience working in a lab animal environment
• Computer skills required: Microsoft Office and Excel preferred

• Other skills required: Must be able to work weekends and holidays as well as shifted work weeks such as Wednesday – Sunday or Saturday – Wednesday. Management reserves the right to change or modify assigned schedules based on operational needs.

SALK VALUES:

• Integrity - Guides our moral compass and underpins our every action. We do what is right in all situations for no other reason than because it is right. We uphold honesty and ethical behavior and make good on our commitments. We understand that words and deeds matter and that integrity leads to trust.
• Community - Enables us to harness the power of our collective talents. We work together towards common goals. We recognize the importance of diversity where everyone’s ideas, identities, backgrounds, and perspectives are valued and pave the paths that propel us forward. We understand our pioneering role in the broader scientific community and take pride in our efforts to have a positive impact on the world.
• Accountability - Keeps us focused, and keeps us honest. We are responsible not only for our own success, but the success of our teams and the entire Institute. We consider how the actions we take and the decisions we make in our own work may impact others.
• Respect - Creates the foundation of trust and brings out the best in us all. We value the experiences, identities, and feelings of those we work with, regardless of their position or their relationship to us. We provide feedback in a constructive manner, use appropriate language, and allow others to share their thoughts and ideas without fear of ridicule.
• Empowerment - Amplifies all voices and inspires the pursuit of greatness. We lift each other up, enabling us to grow continuously and live to our fullest potential. We support the expression of ideas, encourage self-advocacy, inspire confidence and recognize that an environment of mutual respect is critical to our collective success.

COMPETENCIES:

• Innovation - Displays original thinking and creativity; Meets challenges with resourcefulness; Generates suggestions for improving work; Develops innovative approaches and ideas; Presents ideas and information in a manner that gets others' attention.
• Judgement - Displays willingness to make decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions; Includes appropriate people in decision-making process; Makes timely decisions.
• Leadership - Exhibits confidence in self and others; Inspires and motivates others to perform well; Effectively influences actions and opinions of others; Accepts feedback from others; Gives appropriate recognition to others.
• Oral Communication - Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; Listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions; Demonstrates group presentation skills; Participates in meetings.
• Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional
• Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret written information.
• Quality - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Applies feedback to improve performance; Monitors own work to ensure quality.

The expected pay range for this position is $18.03-$23.00 per hour. Salk Institute provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the institute reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Continually required to stand
• Continually required to walk
• Occasionally required to sit
• Frequently required to utilize hand and finger dexterity
• Continually required to climb, balance, bend, stoop, kneel or crawl
• Continually required to talk or hear
• Occasionally required to taste or smell
• Occasional exposure to wet and/or humid conditions (non-weather)
• Occasional work near moving mechanical parts
• Occasional work in high, precarious places
• Occasional work around fumes, airborne particles, or toxic chemicals
• Occasional exposure to outside weather conditions
• Occasional exposure to bloodborne and airborne pathogens or infectious materials
• While performing the duties of this job, the noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.
• The employee must occasionally lift and /or move more than 50 pounds.

The Salk Institute is an internationally renowned research institution that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. We seek bold and interactive leaders passionate about exploring new frontiers in science. Our collaborative community embraces diverse perspectives and unique life experiences, fostering innovation, and a sense of belonging. Together, we strive to improve the wellbeing of humanity through groundbreaking research.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or physical requirements.  Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. All individuals who accept a position with the Salk Institute must be willing to work in an animal-related research environment, must successfully complete the Institute’s background investigation and must be willing to sign a confidentiality agreement.