FUNCTION OF WORK:
Serves as leadworker in animal colony management and maintenance; assists researchers, clincians, etc.

LEVEL OF WORK:
Advanced journeyman.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:
General from the Facility Director, Technologist, Manager, or Technician.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:
Leadworker.

LOCATION OF WORK:
Central animal facility, remote animal facility or laboratory, statewide.

JOB DISTINCTIONS:
Differs from Laboratory Animal Care Assistant's 1 and 2 by serving as a leadworker in basic animal colony management and operation duties and by responsibility for routine research assignments and laboratory work.

Differs from Laboratory Animal Technician by the absence of difficult research assignments, laboratory work and full supervisory duties.

EXAMPLES OF WORK:
Performs and/or serves as leadworker in performing the following duties:

Cleans animal cages, disposes of refuse materials and washes down floors and walls of animal rooms.

Prepares feed and water for the animals.

Changes bedding in cages and provide nesting materials.

Observes and practices proper procedures to approach, pick-up, hold and transfer animals from cages.

Exercises proper caution with diseased animals to prevent outside contamination.

Observes animals and reports signs of sickness or unusual behavior to supervisor.

Removes dead animals from cages, reports death to Laboratory Animal Technician and disposes of dead animals as directed.

Collects laboratory samples; blood, feces, urine, saliva and bacteriological swabs.

Grooms, dips, clips, etc. animals.

Segregates pregnant animals, cares for mothers and young after delivery. Feed supplementary diets as necessary, wean litters and maintain production records.

Administers, upon direction, medications orally, subcutaneously, I.M. and nasogastric intubation.

Maintains stock in supply areas.

Maintains simple records for animal identification.

Prepares special diets and feeds them to designated animals.

Monitors environmental conditions in animal rooms and throughout the facility.

Reviews job performance and workload of subordinate Laboratory Animal Technicians.

Assists Laboratory Animal Technician and Laboratory Animal Technologist with training programs for subordinates.

Assists Laboratory Animal Technician in the treatment of sick animals.

Assists Laboratory Animal Technician in pre-operative and post- operative care of animals.

Assists Laboratory Animal Technician in setting-up and running routine lab work.

Assists Laboratory Animal Technician with pest control.

Assists Laboratory Animal Technician in carrying out standard operating procedures for quarantine animals.

Assists Laboratory Animal Technician with feed and supply orders for the facility.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Two years of experience in the care of laboratory animals.

SUBSTITUTIONS:
Either one of the following may be substituted for the required experience:

1. Certification as an Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science may be substituted for all of the experience.

2. College training which included six semester hours per year in laboratory animal technology or laboratory animal science may be substituted for the experience on the basis of thirty semester hours for one year of experience.