ANIMAL CARE TECHNICIAN

CAREER OPPORTUNITY Full-Time Animal Care Technician Hiring Range: $43,000 - $48,000 + Up To $2,000 Sign-on Bonus Pay Band: Agency: Virginia State University Location: VSU/Coop Ext & Agri Res Sta Agency Website: www.vsu.edu Recruitment Type: General Public - G This position will maintain the research herd and on-farm facilities of the Small Ruminant Program while carrying out the mission of Agricultural Research. The incumbent will participate in the management of field and laboratory studies and manage complex research projects in consultation with the principal investigators. Participate in the day-to-day management of research herd including breeding, kidding, foot trimming, tagging, vaccinations, deworming, FAMACHA scoring, feeding, and weighing of hair sheep and meat goats. Clean barns and equipment. Upkeep and maintain pastures, barns, fences, equipment and farm machinery. Maintain computerized records of the herd including breeding herd, animals on research, herd health and fixed assets. Implement animal care procedures following laws, regulations, guidelines, and policies. Interact with Institutional Animal Care and Use committee to ensure all animal welfare guidelines are followed. Provide information to principal investigators on the health and management of the herd. Work closely with principal investigators in implementing research objectives including data collection and reporting results. Ensure vehicles, farm machinery and equipment are operated and maintained properly. This position is critical to continual operations of VSU Randolph Farm. The standard work hours are from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday-Friday; must be able to have flexibility in working hours, for occasional weekend/holiday work, outside of normal work hours. Due to nature of position rare weekends, and emergency work situations. • Weekend work- required occasionally to care for animals. • Working indoors/outdoors in animal-herd housing facility and pasture-fields. Physical requirements: The physical requirements of the job will require working with small-ruminants (goats/sheep). To include moving, handling, and interacting with sheep's, goats, and guardian dogs. As needed assistance will be required to assistance in the on-farm and facilities management dur