The Vivarium provides The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota research community with animal care, procurement services, veterinary knowledge, and maintenance of housing facilities for animal-related research activities. Under direction and supervision, the Senior Research Vet Tech provides veterinary technical care, research related and clinically prescribed procedures, operational duties in a variety of areas, and in-house training assistance for research animals/laboratories, which may include rodents, small mammals, reptiles, fish, and amphibians.

Focus of Job Responsibilities

The following examples do not include all possible responsibilities in this work and do not limit the assignment of related responsibilities in any position of this classification. 

Veterinary Technical Care - 30%

• Provide medical care to animals in support of biomedical research. 
• Maintain an understanding of research studies and protocols to ensure animals receive appropriate care while respecting the integrity of each study. 
• Assess pain in all species, respond proactively and manage pain appropriately.
• Using independent judgement and established standards of care provided by Research Animal Resources/consulting veterinarian, access and treat health conditions that may be related to a research study or spontaneously acquired.
• Communicate with Research Animal Resources consulting veterinarian with questions, clarifications, etc. as needed.
• Perform minor, routine treatments under the direction of Research Animal Resources consulting veterinarian. 
• Administer medications by oral, subcutaneous, intradermal, intramuscular, and intravenous routes. 
• Perform periodic rounds to monitor ongoing treatments and health concerns. 
• Maintain accurate and timely records, including GLP and electronic records, animal intake, housing, iLabs study assistance/service requests, and enrichment logs. 
• Regularly review medical records for accuracy and completeness. 
• Use and maintain a variety of complex veterinary equipment including, but not limited to, anesthesia machine and ventilator, infusion pump, syringe pump, stereotaxis, suction, warmers, microscope, etc. 
• Develops pharmacy inventory controls. Orders, maintains, and audits controlled substances stock and DEA required records. 
• Dispense pharmaceuticals, controlled substances, and supplies.
• Maintain inventory of pharmaceuticals and supplies.
• Assist with standard operating procedures creation, updating, and maintaining for the facility.
• Prepare for and assist facility manager during regulatory site visits from AAALAC, IACUC and other authorities. 
• Serve as a lead worker (e.g., assign, schedule, direct work) of facility staff when facility manager is unavailable but does not supervise.

Laboratory Animal Care Duties - 25%

• Feed, care, and observe the physical condition of laboratory animals for signs of disease or illness following strict protocols and instructions written/orally presented.
• Operate cage and bottle washers, autoclaves, and bedding dispensing/disposal equipment.
• Move/lift heavy equipment and animals.
• Maintain appropriate room, animal receipt, shipping, and other records.
• Perform euthanasia of small animals and zebrafish.
• Store feed and supplies.
• Clean and sanitize equipment, rooms, and facilities.
• Assess animals daily for progressions of conditions or new conditions.
  Support the health and responsible use of animals in biomedical research.
• Interact and communicate effectively with animal husbandry, consulting veterinarian, facility manager, and investigative staff.

Research Study Assistance â“ 25%

• Perform technical services for investigators including, but not limited to, anesthesia preparation, monitoring and recovery, breeding colony management, ear punching, ear tagging, injections, sedation, euthanasia, and tissue harvesting. 
• Perform research related surgical procedures, anesthesia, and/or surgical assistance.
• Assist with anesthetic depth, monitoring, recovery, and post-operative care.
• Administer study treatments to research animals.
• Bill investigators for treatments and technical services.
• Administer emergency care as needed.
• Prepare animal patients for, perform, and assist in a variety of veterinary medical and surgical procedures, such as anesthesia prep, monitoring and recovery, dental procedures, wound management, and euthanasia.

In-house Training of Laboratory/Facility Staff - 10%

• Provide training for investigative staff related to procedures performed by laboratory personnel.
• Train investigators to use proper technique for injections, tissue collection, anesthesia and asepsis, safety, restraint, identification, assessment, euthanasia, and other techniques. necessary for quality research results and animal welfare.
• Help facilitate in-house training required to work in the facility.
• Aid in training and mentoring of veterinary technician interns.
• Work with Research Animal Resources consulting veterinarian to learn new/updated procedures to be able to teach these procedures in-house.
• Serves as a resource for advanced techniques, and mentors and trains new or less experienced staff. 

Colony Health Surveillance - 5%

• Conduct quarterly health surveillance of sentinel animals.
• Prepare diagnostic samples for outside laboratory submission. 
• Schedule and perform testing, serology, parasitology, etc. and assist in coordinating the sentinel program.
• Coordinate and schedule quarantine animal arrival, housing, health surveillance testing, and release.

Other duties as assigned. - 5%

The Research and Innovation Office (RIO) and The Hormel Institute endorses a âœwork with flexibility❠approach that offers a welcoming and flexible work environment where everyone is inspired to do their best. Work location options include working fully remote, partially remote, or entirely in the office and are based on the work of the position. Some on-site work may be necessary for certain positions, even those designated as fully remote.  Because we are a land-grant institution that serves the state, the University will continue to- in most cases- expect employees to live in Minnesota. This position has been designated as eligible for Flexible Work Profile One. Flexible Work Profile One is expected to work primarily on-site. Your office will be located at The Hormel Institute in Austin, MN. The Hormel Institute management retains the right to modify flexible work arrangement agreements on a temporary or permanent basis for any reason at any time.

Required Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited veterinary technology program plus four (4) years of laboratory animal experience, or six (6) years of equivalent education and experience. 
  LAT certification required. 
• Must be able to understand and follow written and oral instructions in English. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to work in a laboratory team environment with a diverse group of personnel.
• Effectively interact with animal husbandry, veterinary, facility manager, and investigative staff. 
• Skill in completing assignments accurately and with attention to detail. 
• Problem solving skills, strong interpersonal skills, knowledge of veterinary medicine terminology, knowledge of proper restraint and handling of small animals.
• Understands and works within clinical scope of position.
• Flexibility to work with consulting veterinarian and facility manager to meet animal patient care needs. 
• Proficient with PC and software.

Physical & Environmental Requirements

• Must be able to lift, push and pull up to 50 pounds with or without accommodation.
• Proof of current Tetanus vaccine must be provided before start of employment.
• Due to the high level of noise, a hearing test is performed annually when assigned in a hearing conservation area.
• The employee may work in wet rooms or around large industrial cage washers and steam autoclaves.
• The employee may be required to wear a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) or N95 mask.
• There may be exposure to animal allergens, pathogens, and chemicals, and may include handling of, and/or exposure to animal tissue and zoonotic organisms.

About University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

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