Animal Care Technician - Contract - San Diego, CA
Be the hands-on heart of research-ensuring the health, care, and wellbeing of every animal, every day.
Proclinical is seeking an Animal Care Technician 1 to join our client's team in the US. This is an entry-level position responsible for performing essential daily care, husbandry, and welfare checks for research animals in a controlled vivarium environment. This role is fundamental to maintaining high standards of animal welfare and supporting research integrity by ensuring a clean, safe, and compliant facility.
Primary Responsibilities:
The successful candidate will work under direct supervision and strictly adheres to established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and regulatory guidelines.
Skills & Requirements:
- Associate diploma or higher
- 0-2 years of hands-on experience in a laboratory animal facility (vivarium setting), or a relevant combination of experience and education (e.g., veterinary technician experience with relevant lab animal exposure).
- AALAS Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) certification preferred
- Experience in a vivarium setting or other highly regulated animal facility (e.g., GLP, AAALAC).
- Familiarity with maintaining aseptic techniques and barrier practices.
- Basic understanding of animal welfare and husbandry principles.
- Demonstrated reliability and punctuality, including the ability to participate in required weekend and holiday work rotations.
The Animal Care Technician's responsibilities will be:
Animal Care and Husbandry
- Perform daily husbandry activities for research animals, including cage changing, feeding, watering, bedding replacement, and environmental enrichment.
- Conduct daily health and welfare observations and promptly report concerns to supervisory or veterinary staff.
- Ensure animals are accurately identified and housed according to facility standards.
- Maintain appropriate environmental conditions and enrichment for assigned species.
- Assist with animal transfers, receipt activities, and routine animal handling procedures.
Vivarium Operations and Sanitation
- Clean and sanitise animal rooms, enclosures, equipment, and facility areas in accordance with SOPs.
- Dispose of waste following established biosafety and biosecurity procedures.
- Operate and maintain vivarium equipment, including transfer stations, biosafety cabinets, and animal racks.
- Monitor and replenish animal care supplies and inventory as required.
- Follow all PPE, barrier, biosafety, and facility access protocols.
Documentation and Compliance
- Complete and maintain accurate husbandry, health, and environmental records using paper and electronic systems.
- Follow all approved protocols, SOPs, and regulatory requirements relating to animal care and welfare.
- Identify and report compliance concerns, procedural deviations, or animal welfare issues to supervisory staff.
Compensation:
If you are having difficulty in applying or if you have any questions, please contact Shannon Briggs at s.briggs@proclinical.com.
If you are interested in applying to this exciting opportunity, then please click 'Apply' or to speak to one of our specialists please request a call back at the top of this page.
Proclinical is a leading life sciences recruiter focused on finding exceptional people and matching them with the finest positions across the globe. Proclinical is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.
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