Animal Care Technician-Team Lead - Fergus

The team lead of Animal Care Technicians (from here on called "Team Lead") has a proven understanding of the importance animal care has within the organization and research studies. The team lead plays a crucial role in the supervision of the animal care technicians as well as, h ...

Job description

The team lead of Animal Care Technicians (from here on called "Team Lead") has a proven understanding of the importance animal care has within the organization and research studies. The team lead plays a crucial role in the supervision of the animal care technicians as well as, handling and caring of research animals, maintenance of laboratory/facility equipment, and ensuring compliance with established protocols and procedures.

The supervisor will take on responsibilities for scheduling, overseeing and mentoring animal care technicians. This involves imparting knowledge on procedures, animal care techniques, and safety protocols, proactively ensure that the team operates efficiently and in accordance with ethical and regulatory standards.

Key Activities

• Ensure smooth running of animal husbandry operations Ensure smooth running of animal husbandry operations,
• Oversee Animal Care Technicians,
• Understanding the nature of studies being conducted,
• Responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of test and trial results.
• Informing Director of Facilities of problems or concerns,
• Assuming functions of various personnel as dictated by staffing requirements.
• in matters pertaining to human resources including performance reviews, accident reports, and other duties as assigned.
• Assist in the training of staff ensuring competency and currency is maintained across all areas.
• Conduct scheduled and ad hoc audits to ensure effective husbandry procedures are followed and facility remains at required standard.
• Scheduling staff in study and non-study procedures.

Duties associated with the Companion Animal Department

• Maintaining a clean work environment:
  • Especially within the following vicinities: metabolics, food and water bowls (incl. disinfecting), kennels (scoop, flush, power wash and squeegee), animal rooms, diet kitchen, loading dock and any other rooms or areas that may be assigned.
  • Sanitizing and disinfecting animal housing areas
• Animal Care:
  • Ensuring animals are well groomed (incl. brushing, bathing, and trimming nails)
  • Prepping areas and animals for feed
  • Laundry
  • Preparing and feeding non-study animals
  • Socialization of animals
  • Animal observations
• General duties
  • Assisting with transporting animals from their kennels/rooms to the weighing station
  • Basic animal handling
  • Labelling of cryovials or tubes
  • Preparing syringes
  • Completing other basic clerical duties as assigned (filing, photocopying and pagination)
• Data management
  • Executing basic data entry
  • Maintaining accurate record keeping
• Involvement with internal working groups (e.g., animal care committee, health, and safety, etc.).
• Explaining techniques to new employees and visitors.
• Participate in non-study cognitive testing – Pretraining.
• Create nail trim/bathing scheduling and disinfection calendar
• Training staff on various procedures
  • Specifically training for husbandry, bathing, dog bowl fill, animal handling.
    
• Complete other duties as assigned.

Duties associated with the Rodent Department

• General duties
  • Ensuring clean animal/test rooms and test apparatus
  • Verifying appropriate food and water supply for animals
  • Feed, bedding and general equipment inventory
  • Basic animal handling
  • Laundry
  • Animal observations
• Data management
  • Executing basic data entry
  • Maintaining accurate record keeping
• Training Staff on various procedures
  • Specifically, husbandry, bathing, and animal handling
• Create and maintain disinfection calendar.
• Complete other duties as assigned

Supervisory Duties

• Ability to recognize areas of concerns and strengths amongst team.
• Accountable to Director of Facility to facilitate training competency in line with training policy ensuring consistency and compliance.
• Communicate clearly and upwards escalating issues to the correct level of management.
• Ensure delivery of all communication and information is efficient, consistent and concise.
• Set and uphold expectations and timelines of department, cultivate an agile mentality that can adjust and react to business needs as required.

Communication

Communications are primarily with the Director of Facilities and other facility staff and employees within the organization. Collaboration, execution, and reporting of the quality assurance program. Verbal communication is required to request and receive instructions for work, to report on activities, results, problems, and to participate in planning and scheduling of work and equipment use. Written communication is required for accurate and detailed recording of procedures, for reporting results and for completing documentation. Reading and comprehension of written protocols and manuals is essential.

Responsibility for the Care of Others

The team lead will be responsible for the work of subordinates, to ensure industrially acceptable levels of performance and report concerns regarding non-subordinate staff to the Director of Facilities.

Responsibility for the Care of Individuals

The team lead will be responsible for enforcing company policies aimed to ensure the safety and well-being of Transpharmation employees.

Responsibility for the Care of Resources

The team lead will provide suggestions and strategy for improving efficiency of or decreasing potentially unnecessary financial obligations and costs.

Environment

There will be occasional periods of several hours per day exposed to noxious odours from diagnostic materials and/or samples. There will also be the occasional need to work with chemicals in a controlled environment. The position would also require working with laboratory animals in various wings of the facility. There will be occasional periods of several hours per day performing physically repetitive procedures on animals.

Risk to Health

There will be the occasional exposure to small quantities of toxic irritant or corrosive chemicals as well as exposure to freezers (-80C) while storing and retrieving materials.

Physical Demands

The demands of this position include: walking, standing, bending, twisting, lifting, holding power wash wand and pulling a trigger for extended periods of time, lifting animals in and out of cages on a regular basis, carrying liquid containers and boxes weighing up to 20 kg and daily periods of keyboarding.

Physical Dexterity

Agility, accuracy, and consistency will be required while handling the pressure washer, with data entry, and to move between locations within and amid facilities effectively. The ability to engage in physical activity is required. Strong motor skills in fingers, hands, and arms.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent is preferred.
  
• 1-2 years experience within a laboratory environment
• 1-2 years experience with handling confidential laboratory and scientific data
• 1-2 years experience working with animals.
• Proven experience within a leadership role.
• Knowledge of the basic principles of biology
• Knowledge of the principles of safe handling of potentially pathogenic substances and contaminated materials
• Knowledge of safe use and disposal of chemical liquids and other hazardous components
• Attention to detail and conscientiousness.
• Knowledge of computers, including word processing, spreadsheets and databases
• Knowledge and understanding of Transpharmation Standard Operating Procedures
• Familiar with the following acts and regulations: ISO Guide , GLP Code of Federal Regulations, CCAC guidelines and policies and the Animals for Research Act
• Knowledge of occupational health and safety practices

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Location

Fergus, Ontario

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Department

OPS - Animal Care

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Employment Type

Full-Time

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Minimum Experience

Mid-level

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Compensation

$23.21/hour

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