LAR Veterinary Technician Job Description:

Summary:

Provides veterinary technical support to all Laboratory Animal Resources (LAR) Facilities. This position reports directly to the LAR Staff Veterinarian.

The veterinary technician performs the following duties, under the supervision and/or direction of LAR veterinarians: animal care, triage and treatment of sick or injured animals, , species-specific enrichment provision, and assists the veterinarian with performance of diagnostic and preventative procedures. Maintains medical records and inventory of LAR medical supplies. Provides non-surgical technical assistance and training to researchers as directed. Provides technical support, including induction, maintenance, and documentation during anesthesia and post operative care for all USDA regulated animals.

Duties:

· Veterinary Technicians are considered essential services staff. Essential services staff performs jobs that are necessary and required to maintain basic University operations during scheduled or unscheduled work closures due to emergencies, events or other situations.

· Veterinary Technicians have weekend and holiday on-call duties. Must be within a 1-hour radius of the Princeton University campus when on-call to respond to animal emergencies.

· Performs regularly scheduled rounds of all LAR facilities.

· Maintain records and performs the appropriate treatment for sick animals under the direction of the staff veterinarian, including treatments to be provided on weekends.

· Provides curative and experimental treatments to laboratory animals as prescribed by researchers and/or the LAR veterinarians.

· Assists in coordinating treatment schedules and participates in the delivery of timely treatments as needed, including off hours and on weekends.

· Monitors mandatory documentation maintained by researchers (e.g., post-operative monitoring, regular weighing for animals on water restriction) for the attending veterinarian.

· Develops, documents and, as needed, provides the environmental enrichment programs for all laboratory animals, in particular the enrichment program for the non-human primates (in collaboration with the PI’s and LAR management).

· Responsible for the oversight of procedural spaces to make sure all calibrations and maintenance is performed and documented.

· Schedule regular maintenance of veterinary equipment, to ensure that equipment is functioning properly and to remain in compliance with regulations and guidelines.

· Maintains a reasonable stock of drugs and supplies used in the appropriate care of laboratory animals.

· Ensures, that drugs and supplies are not out of date. Assists LAR Management with performing monthly audits of LAR facilities.

· Administers the dispensing and documentation of controlled drugs under the direct supervision of the attending veterinarian and according to state and federal guidelines.

· Ensures that appropriate safety protocols are followed when hazardous materials are used in connection with research animals.

· Other duties as assigned by the Staff Veterinarian.

Essential Qualifications:

Required:

· BA/BS in Animal Science or related field and/or

· Veterinary Technology Degree from an AVMA accredited school and/or

– AALAS certification at the Laboratory Animal Technologist Level

– Minimum 2-3 years experience working with non-human primates in a responsibility described above.

– Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a laboratory animal resources team and ability to share knowledge with other animal care staff, students, and new researchers.

– Proven ability to work independently and communicate well with different levels within the organization, and work well with a diverse team for a common goal consistent with the mission of the Laboratory Animal Resources Department.

· Ability to handle assignments and changing priorities as circumstances may dictate.

– Excellent interpersonal skills, and the ability to communicate well person to person as well as email.

– Ability to use Microsoft Office Applications including Outlook and other software applications used in animal research.

· The final candidate will be required to successfully pass a background check.