Research Animal Care Specialist

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Job Title:

Research Animal Care Specialist

Department:

Veterinary Medicine | Veterinary Preventive Medicine

The Research Animal Care Specialist at the PAAR Facility, located on the CFAES Wooster Campus, provides direct and indirect animal care and research support within BSL-3 and BSL-3Ag high-containment environments. This role serves as a primary operational contact for research projects, actively participating in study setup, execution, and closeout. Daily duties involve working in immediate proximity to high-consequence animal pathogens and zoonotic agents, with a primary focus on the husbandry, handling, observation, and welfare of livestock species—specifically bovine, porcine, and avian breeds.

In addition to direct animal care and study execution, the role encompasses comprehensive research support operations both inside and outside of containment. This includes managing research waste streams and autoclave sterilization, tracking project supplies, and maintaining overall facility readiness.

50% Animal Care & Research Project Support

• Direct Animal Care & Husbandry: Provide daily care, feeding, watering, and meticulous health monitoring for research animals, specializing in bovine, porcine, and avian breeds in high-containment settings. Apply keen observational skills to detect subtle changes in animal behavior, physical health, or clinical status.

• Project Setup & Closeout: Lead operational prep work for incoming research projects (setting up animal housing, specialized pens, and study-specific supplies) and execute project closeout protocols (decontaminating housing spaces, organizing study records, and resetting animal rooms).

• Experimental Support & Pathogen Handling: Assist research teams and principal investigators with animal restraint, sampling, health observations, and experimental procedures while working directly with high-consequence zoonotic pathogens.

• Veterinary & Protocol Coordination: Ensure strict day-to-day adherence to approved Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocols and monitor daily animal welfare. Communicate routine health observations with the Attending Veterinarian and report clinical concerns, protocol variances, or animal welfare issues to the immediate supervisor, who serves as the primary liaison to veterinary leadership and compliance committees.

25% Waste Management & Facility Operations

• Decontamination & Waste Disposal: Manage research waste streams by operating autoclaves, tissue digesters, and decontamination systems to sterilize waste materials generated inside high-containment areas. Ensure the proper, safe disposal of all processed, sterilized waste.

• Facility Maintenance Support: Prepare, sanitize, and validate animal housing rooms, laboratories, and specialized equipment before and after project runs.

• Equipment & Space Readiness: Assist with basic troubleshooting and routine maintenance of containment equipment, coordinating with facility staff and vendors when repairs are required.

10% Compliance & Biosafety

• Regulatory Compliance: Maintain strict compliance with IACUC guidelines, the Select Agent Program, and regulatory biosafety standards.

• Documentation & Recordkeeping: Maintain meticulous, detailed logs of animal care, project closeouts, equipment validation, waste sterilization cycles, and biosafety incident reports for audit readiness.

• SOP Adherence & Training: Follow and update SOPs related to animal husbandry, biosecurity, and waste decontamination. Assist with escorting visitors or newly cleared users within the facility as needed.

10% Administrative & Project Logistics

• Supply & Inventory Control: Track, order, and stock necessary project supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE), animal feed, bedding, and sanitation chemicals to ensure uninterrupted study schedules.

• Facility Support & Emergency Response: Support facility database tracking, assist with supply staging outside containment, and assist with facility emergency response needs as required.

5% Other Duties as Assigned

• Performs other duties consistent with the position's classification and level of responsibility.

Additional Information:

Qualifications

Education: Associate degree in Animal Science, Veterinary Technology, Biological Sciences, or a related field required; Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant field preferred. 

Experience: 

Required: 2+ years of relevant experience in animal husbandry working with bovine, porcine, and avian species within a research environment, including direct experience working under IACUC-approved protocols.

Preferred: 4–6 years of experience in high-containment livestock management.

Critical Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities: 

Observational Skills & Attention to Detail: Exceptional attention to detail and acute observational skills are critical for detecting early signs of animal distress, illness, or biosafety protocol variances.

Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills required to effectively document experimental observations, liaise with supervisors and research teams, and maintain audit-ready records.

Physical Requirements: Ability to regularly lift, move, and handle equipment or animal supplies weighing up to 50 lbs.

Clearance Requirements: Must meet all necessary training, background check, and regulatory requirements to secure and maintain Select Agent clearance for high-containment work.

Special Conditions & Prohibitions

High Containment Notice: This position requires daily work inside BSL-3 and BSL-3Ag high-containment facilities and direct handling of high-consequence, zoonotic animal pathogens.

Work Schedule & Availability: While this is a regular full-time position, animal husbandry duties and project timelines will require work outside standard business hours, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holiday coverage.

Livestock Ownership Restriction: Because this position works directly with infectious diseases affecting animals, personal ownership or regular exposure to domestic livestock (specifically cattle, swine, and poultry) outside of work is strictly prohibited.

Health Restriction: Because this position involves work with zoonotic infectious diseases, individuals who are immunocompromised are strictly prohibited from performing these duties for biosafety and personal health reasons.

Target Salary Range: $16.82 - $21.85 per hour; commensurate with experience, internal equity, the unit’s available budget, and the candidate’s qualifications.

Location:

Sisson Hall (0080)

Position Type:

Temporary (Fixed Term)

Scheduled Hours:

40

Shift:

First Shift

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