Are you passionate about animal care and supporting groundbreaking research? We’re looking for a dedicated Animal Caretaker I to help maintain the health and well-being of a variety of research animals. This role is essential to ensuring high-quality animal care and compliance with research standards.
You’ll work closely with veterinary staff, facility managers, and research investigators to support animal health and research needs.
As a merit employee, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including:
LAR provides comprehensive animal care and veterinary services to support Iowa State University’s research community. Our team is committed to the highest standards of animal welfare and regulatory compliance, ensuring that research animals receive exceptional care in a safe and secure environment.
Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities
• Feeds and waters animals including the mixing and preparing of feed for standard or special diets.
• Weighs animals, keeping records on weights of feed and animal in coordination with the feeding program.
• Grooms, handles, and restrains animals.
• Checks newly purchased animals for conformance to order specifications.
• Cleans and disinfects animal enclosures, isolation rooms, buildings, and equipment, adhering to established policies for maintaining pathogen free environments and containment of animals exposed to infectious diseases.
• Operates mechanical equipment, such as autoclaves, ventilated racks, and cage washers.
• Checks for and reports failures in heating and ventilation systems to supervisor.
• Observes animals for signs of phenotype, illness, injury, or stress.
• Reports observations to supervisor.
• Assists in routine veterinary treatments or restraint of animals for experimental purposes.
• Maintains and performs minor repairs to animal equipment, enclosures, and animal facility.
• Reports major building repairs or malfunctions to facility supervisor.
• Transports animals, equipment, and supplies using carts or motorized vehicles.
• In agricultural setting, may operate farm machinery such as tractors, manure loaders and spreaders, feed grinders, and related equipment as required.
• In animal facility, may use ventilated racks and biological safety cabinets for isolation and containment activities.
• Under direction of properly trained personnel, may euthanize animals in accordance to standard procedures.
• Under direction of principal investigator and with adequate training may be responsible for maintaining breeding colonies.
• Maintains the following records: feed, animal inventory numbers, veterinary treatment, animal health status observations, animal room environment observations and other record keeping duties as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Knowledge of standard operating procedures for laboratory animal care or livestock care, as applicable.
• Ability to learn and apply federal, state, and/or university regulations regarding animal care and use in research and teaching.
• Ability to understand, communicate, and execute oral and written instructions.
• Ability to keep accurate records.
• Ability to recognize changes in conditions of animals and animal room environment, malfunctioning equipment, and unsafe conditions.
• Ability to construct and maintain related equipment and facilities.
• Ability to lift and/or move 50-100 pounds.
• Ability to perform physical labor such as restraining animals, loading and unloading supplies and animals, and standing for prolonged periods of time.
• Ability to work around noise, dust, odors, fumes, and extremes in temperature.
To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:
1) Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2) Letter of Application/Cover Letter
If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.
Why Choose ISU?
Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental; as well as:
• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Generous vacation, holiday and sick time and leave plans
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
• Life insurance and long-term disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellbeing program