Lead Operations Technician - Animal Facility

SPECIFIC POSITION DUTIES (RESPONSIBILITIES, TASKS, ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS)

Leadership Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day leadership, guidance, and support to Operations Technicians and production staff.
• Assist supervisors with coordinating daily staffing assignments and work priorities to meet production and animal care objectives.
• Train, mentor, and onboard new employees on animal handling, husbandry procedures, SOPs, safety practices, and documentation requirements.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for animal care, husbandry, milking, breeding, and production activities.
• Monitor work quality and compliance with SOPs, WIs, GMPs, GDP standards, and animal welfare requirements.
• Assist management in identifying training needs, performance gaps, and process improvement opportunities.
• Support investigations, corrective actions, and deviation resolution activities as required.
• Promote a positive team environment focused on safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Technical & Operational Responsibilities

• Perform and oversee daily animal care activities, including feeding, health observations, nail trimming, and identification of clinical concerns.
• Perform and coordinate husbandry functions, including cage changes, equipment operation, facility sanitation, and cleaning procedures.
• Conduct rabbit milking procedures and ensure production schedules and performance goals are achieved.
• Safely handle and restrain rabbits for routine animal care, transfers, sample collection, breeding activities, and veterinary procedures.
• Perform technical procedures, including intraperitoneal (IP) injections and, when qualified, intramuscular (IM), intravenous (IV), and subcutaneous (SC) injections.
• Apply animal identification methods, including ear tags, tattoos, and RFID transponders.
• Support and coordinate breeding activities, including natural mating, artificial insemination, kindling, and weaning procedures.
• Administer veterinary treatments and provide support for animal health programs under established protocols and veterinary direction.
• Utilize electronic and paper-based systems to accurately document production, animal care, treatment, and compliance activities.
• Identify and communicate animal health, welfare, and operational concerns to management and veterinary staff.
• Identify workplace safety concerns and initiate or support corrective actions to maintain a safe work environment.
• Participate in audits, inspections, and regulatory activities as needed.
• Assist with implementation of process improvements to enhance efficiency, animal welfare, and compliance.
• Participate in rotating weekend and holiday coverage schedules as required.
• Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS (EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS}

• Required

• High School Diploma or GED and 6+ years of laboratory animal, agricultural animal, veterinary, breeding colony, or related animal care experience.

• OR

• Associate's degree in animal science, Biology, Veterinary Technology, or a related field and 4–6 years of relevant animal care experience.

• OR

• Bachelor's degree in animal science, Biology, Life Sciences, Veterinary Technology, or a related discipline and 4+ years of relevant animal care experience.

• Preferred

• Previous experience leading, mentoring, training, or coordinating the work of others.
• AALAS certification at the LAT or LATG level preferred.
• Experience working in a GMP-regulated pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural, or laboratory animal environment.
• Experience with rabbit production colonies, breeding programs, or large-scale animal husbandry operations.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to motivate, train, and develop team members.
• Strong knowledge of laboratory animal science, animal husbandry practices, and animal welfare standards.
• Working knowledge of GMPs, Good Documentation Practices (GDP), and regulated production environments.
• Ability to prioritize work, coordinate multiple activities, and meet production deadlines.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to read, understand, interpret, and follow SOPs, work instructions, and technical documentation.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality and compliance.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook and Excel.
• Ability to work independently while promoting teamwork and collaboration.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to push and pull wheeled carts weighing up to 500 pounds.
• Ability to lift, carry, and manipulate up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, and perform repetitive tasks for extended periods throughout the workday.
• Ability to perform work requiring repetitive hand and wrist movements.
• Ability to work in environments with exposure to animals, animal-derived materials, cleaning agents, disinfectants, and potentially allergenic substances.
• Ability to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) and work in a regulated production environment.

The hourly rate for this role is $31 per hour. Compensation will depend on factors such as relevant skills, experience, and internal equity.

In accordance with the Massachusetts Pay Transparency Act, we are committed to equitable compensation practices and transparency in our hiring process.

This position does not afford for visa sponsorship or relocation assistance.

FOR INTERNAL EMPLOYEES:

LFB is always seeking qualified, committed people to join our team.

If you refer someone you believe will be a great addition to our organization, and that person is hired, you will receive a referral bonus!  If you refer a:

• Regular employee working a minimum of 24 hours per week, you get $2,500!
• Regular employee working less than 24 hours per week, you get $1,500!