NHP Veterinary and Care Technician - Military veterans preferred

NHP Veterinary and Care Technician

US-NJ-Princeton

Job ID: 2025-20816
Type: Full-Time
# of Openings: 1
Category: Research and Laboratory

Overview

The Primate Research Program (PRR) at Princeton University is a centralized facility lead by its Director and Attending Veterinarian (Dir/AV) under the Office of the Dean for Research. Dedicated to the care of large research animals, particularly nonhuman primates (NHPs), the PRR ensures compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations.

The Nonhuman Primate Veterinary and Caretaker Technician (NHP V/CT) is responsible for providing daily care and veterinary assistance to NHPs in a research setting. This role involves ensuring the well-being and health of the primates through routine husbandry, medical care, and behavioral enrichment.

The NHP V/CT has dual responsibilities:
1. Maintain the facility's cleanliness, ensure an adequate supply of food, and create an appropriate and enriched environment for the primates. Working under the guidance of the Floor Leader, delegated by the Dir/AV, NHP V/CTs collaborate with fellow husbandry technicians on a predetermined schedule and tasks.
2. Assist with the veterinary care of the NHPs. Under the supervision of a PRR veterinarian and in close cooperation with the PRR NHP Veterinary Technician/Surgical Veterinary Anesthetist, the NHP V/CT will help with health surveillance and provide veterinary care to NHPs as instructed by a veterinarian.

The NHP V/CT plays a pivotal role in upholding the welfare and ethical treatment of research animals, constantly striving to enhance animal husbandry practices and resource management. Effective communication skills are essential for interactions with colleagues, management, investigators, research personnel, students, maintenance crews, and other support services, ensuring the highest standards of animal care and research support.

Veterinary/Care Technicians are considered essential services staff. Essential services staff perform jobs that are necessary to maintain basic University operations during scheduled or unscheduled work closures due to emergencies, events, or other situations. This position requires periodic weekend and holiday work.

Clinical Rounds and veterinary treatments:
• Performs regularly scheduled rounds of the PRR facility.
• Maintain records and performs the appropriate treatment for animals under the direction of the staff veterinarian, including treatments to be provided on weekends.
• Provides items for the environmental enrichment programs for the NHPs, in collaboration with PRR behaviorist, investigators and management.
• Helps the PRR VT in maintaining drug inventory.

Animal Husbandry:
• Provide essential care for USDA-covered nonhuman primate species housed within the facility.
• Maintain cleanliness and adequate supplies of food, bedding, and personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Collaborate with colleagues to enhance animal husbandry practices and resource utilization.
• Monitor and report animal health and welfare, implementing prescribed treatments as necessary.
• Enrich animal environments in accordance with research needs and best practices.

Facility Management
• Manage inventory of cleaning materials, PPE, and dietary supplements.
• Facilitate the receiving of new animal shipments and maintain accurate records.
• Ensure timely and accurate documentation and records.

Other tasks as assigned by the management or veterinary care groups

Essential Qualifications:

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in veterinary technology, animal science, biology, or a related field preferred.
• 1 year + of applicable experience.
• Certification as a Veterinary Technician (CVT, LVT, or RVT) preferred.
• Additional AALAS certification in laboratory animal technology (ALAT, LAT, or LATG) (ALAT required within first year of employment)
AALAS certification at the ALAT level (LAT or above within the first year of employment).
• Ability to work safely with biological and chemical hazards and lift heavy objects and animals.
• Flexibility for weekend, holiday, and emergency work.
• Basic knowledge of biology and behavior of nonhuman primate species.
• Compassion and dedication to animal welfare.
• Proficiency in communication and teamwork.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certification as a Veterinary Technician (CVT, LVT, or RVT).
• Experienced in veterinary care of nonhuman primates
• Degree in a biology or animal-related field.
• AALAS LAT (or above) Certification.
• 2+ years of experience with non-human primates species
• 1+ years experience is macaques and marmosets species

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

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