Animal Health Technician I at Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California

Job Description:

The Animal Health Tech I position is responsible for routine processing of clean and soiled cages and accessories, maintenance and general janitorial duties in animal facilities,  equipment maintenance, basic QA testing, processing deliveries from vendors and performing basic rodent husbandry tasks based on 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, policies and guidelines.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

AHT 1, LEVEL A:

• Cleans, sanitizes/sterilizes, and maintains rodent cages, accessories, and equipment including large cage washers and sterilizing equipment. .


• Maintains and verifies sanitization/sterilization parameters and prepares specialized caging when required.


• Maintains sufficient supply of clean cages and accessories for use by technicians/investigators.


• Maintains stock and cleanliness of animal rooms and common areas.


• Manages animal carcasses in soiled cage wash and other procedure rooms for disposal.


• Performs general janitorial duties including sweeping, mopping, disinfecting, and trash disposal.


• Performs other related duties as assigned by management.

AHT 1, LEVEL B: IN ADDITION TO THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF LEVEL A

• Cleans, sanitizes and/or sterilizes multi-species (including NHP, amphibians and aquatics) cages, equipment and accessories.


• Removes and processes biohazard waste materials from caging and from facilities.


• Maintains storage rooms with appropriate levels of tools and caging materials.


• Manages USDA covered species carcasses in soiled cage wash, necropsy and other procedure rooms for disposal.


• Collects cages targeted for euthanasia and performs euthanasia as needed.


• Performs basic husbandry tasks which can include preparing disinfectant solutions, preparing caging supplies, and processing stock equipment and materials.


• Assists with creating Standard Operating Procedures and training lower level staff.

AHT 1, LEVEL C: IN ADDITION TO THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF LEVEL A/B

• Receives and processes all deliveries of equipment and materials from vendors.


• Assists with QA testing and tracking (e.g.: luminometer/ ATP, airflow, etc.).


• Performs husbandry health/line checks and cage changes, assists with additional equipment maintenance.


• Supports Rodent Sentinel health monitoring program with acquisition of bedding samples as assigned using approved techniques.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• No prior experience or training (AHT I, Level A)


• Minimum 6 months of related work experience (AHT 1, Level B)


• Minimum 1 year of related work experience (AHT I, Level C)


• 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.


• Preferred: AALAS Certification – ALAT or higher level.  


• 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.

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 $16.85 to $20.00 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.


• Additional remarks regarding work environment: Continually works in a subterranean environment.

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.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal access to opportunities for students, employees, applicants for employment and other visitors. Salk has also adopted and maintains a policy to encourage professional and respectful workplace behavior and prevent discriminatory and harassing conduct in our workplace.

Accordingly, the Institute prohibits harassment and discrimination in employment on the basis of, and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to, actual or perceived race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status (disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era, other covered veteran status), political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.