Animal Care Technician

Staff - Union
Job Category
CUPE 116
Job Profile
CUPE 116 Salaried - Research Assistant /Technician 3
Job Title
Animal Care Technician
Department
Research Support | Centre for Comparative Medicine | Animal Care Services
Compensation Range
$4,618.00 - $5,036.00 CAD Monthly
Posting End Date
November 15, 2023
Note:
Applications will be accepted until 11:
59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above.
Job End Date
At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.
Job Summary
This individual will play a major role in providing for animal health, and welfare, as well as other animal care and use duties in the Centre for Comparative Medicine (CCM). CCM is a rapidly growing and dynamic environment in which staff partner with researchers from both academia and industry. Research conducted at CCM encompasses a broad range of topics from furthering our understanding of basic medical sciences, to enhancing our abilities to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease in human and non-human animals.
CCM Animal Care Technicians are responsible for the daily maintenance and care of specific species of large laboratory animals. The position requires thorough knowledge of working with non-human primates including animals exposed to hazardous and bio-hazardous agents, and radioactive compounds. Due to the work involving the use of potentially hazardous material, the use of personal protective equipment, annual TB testing, and adherence to strict safety protocols is expected.
Work schedule can include weekends and holidays. The individual must be able to lift up to 25 kgs several times throughout the day and work in an environment that requires continuous bending, stooping, twisting and turning.
Orientation and training will be provided on the job.
Organizational Status
Reports to Senior Operations Manager. Works under the direction of the Procurement Supervisor and the CCM Supervisor. Works closely with fellow animal care technicians, registered veterinary technicians and Clinical Veterinarians. Liaises with researchers and their teams.
CCM is a multi-species facility specialized in supporting animal research at UBC through surgical support, training, diagnostic and pathology support as well as housing. It is unique to British Columbia and is the largest facility of its kind in Western Canada.
As part of UBC Animal Care Services (ACS), the largest animal care program in Western Canada and the second largest in Canada, CCM is responsible for providing research support to the animal-based research community associated with the University of British Columbia and its affiliates through its veterinary services team, the compliance team, the procurement team and its facilities. ACS is committed to providing excellence in research support to all UBC researchers with accountability, communication, cooperation, customer service and integrity. ACS reports to the Associate Vice President Research &
Innovation.
Work Performed
Provide consistent, high quality and compassionate care to all animals.
Responsible for providing basic husbandry, handling, and restraint for large animal species, including non-human primates*, on a daily basis. Duties include health, behavior and welfare surveillance of laboratory animals;
along with continuous awareness of current species-specific welfare issues, such as common signs of illness, pain, trauma or depression, in accordance with Canadian Council of Animal Care guidelines. Other duties include:
animal handling, inventory and record keeping;
maintaining breeding colonies of various animals (breeding, feeding, weaning, weighing, and keeping records of activities);
performing rounds to observe and check the physical health and well-being of laboratory animals;
isolating infected or ill animals and reporting to veterinarian, and general housekeeping and maintenance of facility and equipment.
Implement and maintain species specific environmental enrichment programs to promote the psychological well-being of the animals.
Monitor the physical, behavioral and environmental requirements of individual species, including animals who have received radioactive isotopes and the non-human primates. Be aware of natural, normal behaviour as well as behavioural differences (such as aggressiveness and anxiety) and work with the animals to encourage cooperation within a framework of respect, using techniques such as clickers for training.
Evaluate and maintain an extensive inventory of food and supplies necessary for a variety of animal species.
Assist in ensuring the facility complies with all applicable regulations, guidelines, and standards that relate to animal care in ac