The Oregon National Primate Center (ONPRC) is located 12 miles west of the OHSU main campus, and sits on 162 acres of land featuring forested areas, research and administration buildings, indoor and outdoor animal housing, and 2-mile perimeter walking path. Our mission is to improve human health and the quality of life through the support of nonhuman primate research programs that advance our knowledge of the causes, preventions, treatments, and cures of debilitating diseases.

The purpose of the Veterinary Research Support Technician 1, Equipment Sanitation Technician, is to provide research support, routine health care, and husbandry, for laboratory animals maintained at the Oregon National Primate Research Center. The primary function of this position is to provide laboratory animals with sanitized primary housing in accordance with federal regulation and guidelines, to perform the research support tasks, routine health care, and manual and technical husbandry tasks, which are directly related to the care of laboratory animals. This includes cleaning, sanitizing and sterilizing animal primary housing and equipment following strict protocols.

 

The area of work assignment and specific tasks will vary, depending on animal populations and care requirements, service requirements, and staffing needs, during regular and non-regular working hours, including weekends, holidays, or on an overtime basis. Duties must be performed in a professional manner and will require contact with investigative staff. This classification is distinguished by the increased responsibility and accountability related to animal care protocols, and accountabilities related to support of research protocols.

 

Research Support Services

• Responsible for, assist with, coordinate, and complete a large volume of tasks following various clearly defined and established research protocols and procedures while balancing the requirements of equipment sanitation in support of laboratory animals used in research.
• Participate in the development, coordination and implementation of institution-wide animal care and use procedures.
• Implement established procedures and policies governing the safe and humane care and use of laboratory animals.
• Safely perform (using proper techniques), equipment sanitation, standard veterinary procedures, including but not limited to venipuncture, medication dose calculations, administration of medications via intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, and oral routes; collect body fluids.

Equipment Sanitation & Animal Husbandry

• Exchange non-human primate cages by removing animals from cages using a transfer box.

• Transfer animal to clean cage.

• Transport dirty cages and/or racks to designated wash area.

• Clean and sanitize cages, racks and/or group housing enclosures.

• Includes operation of a mechanical cage washer, lift trucks, forklifts, pressure washers, and foamers.

• Perform routine sanitization of animal primary housing, shelters, equipment and facilities. Includes sweeping, mopping, scrubbing,  washing and disinfection of floors, walls, ceiling, sinks and other equipment.

• Operate floor scrubbers, autoclaves, forklift, lift trucks and pressure washers, foamers, and dispensing units.

•  Inspect cages and/or racks for damage; remove damaged cages and/or racks and report the needed repairs.

• Recognize and report problems with facilities (i.e., inappropriate room temperatures, leaking or broken water pipes, plugged drains, damaged surfaces, etc.).

• Perform simple facility maintenance tasks, including but not limited to replacing drinking water valves, replace lighting, etc.

• Feed and water animals.

Animal Health Care Services

• Participate in general animal health surveillance by observing animals in all housing configurations, recognizing abnormalities in physical condition or behavior, and reporting and recording observations to the clinical veterinarian or research staff.
• Perform animal health procedures such as weighing, TB testing, and blood collections.
• Capture, restrain, identify, and sex common varieties of laboratory animals, and the transport animals in support of veterinary, husbandry or investigative procedures.

Other

• Complete and submit data processing forms.

• Using computer keyboard, access and/or input information from the computerized animal record files.

• Assist with acquisition and maintenance of all appropriate regulatory, research, and animal records and reports.

• Other duties as assigned.

• High School diploma or GED, AND
• Six months experience providing paid or voluntary care for animals.
• Possession of a valid Driver's License and ability to drive DCM/ONRPC vehicles on and off campus as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Professional and service-oriented attitude.
• Ability to consistently interact with research investigative staff, supervisors and co-workers, in a positive and constructive manner, to provide research support in a professional manner, and with a service-oriented attitude.
• Ability to use proper techniques to safely perform standard clinical procedures, including ability to accurately calculate medication dosages.
• Possess sufficient dexterity and manual skills to safely perform (or learn to perform) basic animal husbandry and animal handling (using proper techniques).
• Ability to use computer keyboard.
• Ability to read, write, and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to communicate effectively in oral and/or written formats with both technical and professional staff.

• Bachelor's degree in related field preferred.

• 18 months of experience in the health care of experimental animals in a research setting and/or as a veterinary technician or assistant highly preferred.

• Certification by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science at the Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician level (ALAT), or Certified Animal Health Technician (AHT), or equivalent combination of training and experience desired.

Regular work schedule is 7:30am-4:00pm, Monday through Friday.

Weekly work schedules established by DCM leadership staff, including voluntary and mandatory weekend, overtime, and holiday work schedules.

 

Working Conditions

• Daily work may involve moving on wet and/or slick surfaces, through narrow corridors between rows of cages, working outdoors, and climbing stairs to corral observation towers.
• Perform work in covered and uncovered areas that are not environmentally controlled.
• Work in areas where there is risk of exposure to zoonotic agents through injury, by direct contact with animals or their tissues and body fluids, or by contact with equipment contaminated by animals or their tissues and body fluids.
• Work where there is risk of exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals and sanitizing chemicals.
• Work in areas or in conditions that require fit testing and use of an N-95 respirator. 

Physical Conditions

• Ability to lift and carry objects weighing up to 23 kg (50 lbs), and lift objects weighing approximately 19 kg (42 lbs) to approximately shoulder height.
• Ability to push and pull heavy wheeled equipment such as cage racks and loaded carts.

• Ability to move unassisted through various animal housing areas located in several separate buildings, indoor and outdoor, and in covered areas that are not environmentally controlled, in order to make animal observations, perform animal husbandry tasks, handle, move, or restrain animals, collect samples, administer treatments, and perform other procedures.  This involves moving on wet and/or slick surfaces, through narrow corridors between rows of cages, and climbing stairs to corral observation platforms.

Benefits 

• Healthcare for full-time employees covered 100% and 88% for dependents.
• $50K of term life insurance provided at no cost to the employee.
• Two separate above market pension plans to choose from.
• Vacation - up to 200 hours per year dependent on length of service.
• Sick Leave - up to 96 hours per year.
• 9 paid holidays per year.
• Substantial Tri-Met and C-Tran discounts.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Childcare service discounts.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Employee discounts to local and national businesses.

We are Oregon's only public academic health center.

In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington.

All are welcome.

OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply.

To request reasonable accommodation, contact askhr@ohsu.edu