Animal Care Helper - Queens University

Job Summary

• Feeding and watering assigned animals or cages as prescribed. Filling water bottles and feed containers at room level with prescribed feed for that species.
• Observing animal behaviour and body condition while attending to their cages and report any abnormalities to the Associate Director, Animal Care Services or Animal Health Technician.
• Reporting any apparent problems in the cages or rooms within the facility to the Associate Director, Animal Care Services.
• Following prescribed methods to transfer animals from one cage to another.
• Putting enrichment devices in or on cages as prescribed.
• Moving clean and dirty caging. Flushing watering systems for automatic watering cages.
• Performing minor room maintenance such as changing exhaust filters as prescribed.
• Preparing bedding for pens or cages as directed. Process includes sterilization by running autoclave.
• Accurately identify, handle, weigh, and restrain animals used in the facilities using indelible pens, cage cards, animal record cards, and appropriate restraint devices.
• Lifting heavy animals and equipment e.g. bags of food, paper, cleaning fluids, caging, and food containers.
• Cleaning and general cosmetic care of rooms.

These skills are applied to the housing, maintenance and use of the following species: mice, rats, guinea pigs, non-human primates, hamsters, etc.

Review full job description and requirements online.

Job Requirements:

• The minimum job requirement is a secondary school diploma and 1 year of post-secondary education in a related field. Ability to follow directions and work with animals and experience handling animals is required. The graduate would normally develop proficiency after a month of direct training with follow-up support over 6 months.
• The duties, skills, and specialized techniques required include the following: adapt basic knowledge and skills to those required on the job, and properly handle animals.

•  All individuals working the animal facility may come in contact with: toxic, carcinogenic, teratogenic compounds, infectious microbiological agents, dust, and other allergens.

• There is a requirement to handle animals, which may pose a risk of scratches, bites, and zoonotic agents inherent to the animal.
• The incumbent must lift heavy objects and animals e.g. 30 to 40-kilo bags of feed and caging.
• The incumbent must use cleaning solutions.
• The animal care service operates 365 days a year, the incumbent may work weekends and holidays along with other staff and technicians. The Associate Director, Animal Care Services will be available during these shifts.

All individuals working in the animal facility must have a patient, humane and caring attitude towards all animals, and a balanced ethical attitude to the humane use of animals in research, combined with the strength and knowledge to handle them successfully.