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Animal Care Technician

Position Details

Position Information

Position Title Animal Care Technician
Department/Unit Medical Education Program - NB
Location Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
Posting Number S201-24
Employee Group NSGEU Local 77
Position Type Term
Duration of Contract (if applicable) Approximately one (1) year
Employment Type Full Time
Full-time Equivalency (FTE) 1.0 FTE
Salary $24.52 - $31.04 per hour ($41,444 - $52,452 per annum, 32.5 hours per week)
Classification T6
Provisional Statement
About Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is Atlantic Canada’s leading research-intensive university and a driver of the region’s intellectual, social and economic development. Located in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, with an Agricultural Campus in Truro/Bible Hill, Dalhousie is a truly national and international university, with more than half of our almost 21,000 students coming from outside of the province. Our 6,000 faculty and staff foster a vibrant, purpose-driven community, that celebrated 200 years of academic excellence in 2018.
Job Summary
Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick (DMNB) is a campus of Dalhousie’s Faculty of Medicine. The main administrative office is located on the UNB Campus in Saint John, New Brunswick. Reporting to the Manager, Life Sciences Research, Division of Animal Care, and to the Director of Operations DMNB, and working under the day-to-day direction of the Senior Animal Care Technician DMNB, the Animal Care Technician will provide quality care for animals (including mammals and fish) and maintain supply inventories and a variety of documentation for the successful operations of the DMNB Animal Care Centre.
Key Responsibilities
  • Deliver feed, water, bedding and tank cleaning, environmental enrichment and specialized diets according to established procedures.
  • Maintain animal rooms including cleaning and disinfecting, filter changes and stocking supplies. Inspect housing units to ensure proper functioning.
  • Perform daily health checks on animals and submit health reports to veterinary staff. Administer prescribed treatments including basic nursing care, medical treatments and post-operative care in accordance with standard operating procedures.
  • Ensure all proper documentation and logs are maintained for all animals.
  • Assist research staff and students with husbandry issues; mouse colony management; proper use of specialized equipment; surgery preparation; and medical procedures/techniques.

Note
The current schedule for this role is Saturday, Sunday, and 3 weekdays, to be determined in collaboration with the successful applicant. Days of work are subject to change based on operational requirements and coverage needs. The Division of Animal Care is responsible for live-animal husbandry, therefore considered an essential service and runs 365 days per year. As such, holiday and weekend shifts are required as well as flexibility in the scheduling of weekday hours. Scheduling and compensation will be in accordance with the collective agreement.

The successful candidate may be required to comply with Canadian Immunization Guide: Workers with Occupational Exposure to Animals or Materials from Animal (e.g. Tetanus), as directed by the Department.

Due to operational requirements, the successful applicant is required to work in-person on campus.

Required Qualifications
  • Animal Health Technician Diploma or BSc Biology plus approximately one to three years’ previous related experience (or equivalent combination of training and experience).
  • Demonstrated communication (verbal and written) skills.
  • Proven organizational skills.
Assets
  • CALAS Registry Board Examination RLAT certification.
  • Work experience in lab animal care.
  • Computer skills.
Job Competencies
The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate proficiency in Dalhousie’s core competencies (https://www.dal.ca/dept/leaders.html), in particular:

- Self-Awareness & Professionalism
- Respect & Inclusion
- Adaptability
- Knowledge & Thinking Skills
- Communication
Additional Information
Dalhousie University supports a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Our total compensation package includes health and dental plans, a health spending account, an employee and family assistance program and a tuition assistance program.
Application Consideration
Bargaining unit employees (NSGEU local 77) are given priority consideration and will be notified on the status of their application following assessment. All other applications will be considered when there is no qualified candidate from the bargaining unit.

We sincerely appreciate all applications and note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted directly by the hiring department or Human Resources.
Diversity Statement
Dalhousie University commits to achieving inclusive excellence through continually championing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The university encourages applications from Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (especially Mi’kmaq), persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians), and members of other racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, persons identifying as members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community. In accordance with our Employment Equity Policy, preference will be given in hiring processes to candidates who self-identify as members of one or more of the equity-deserving groups listed above. For more information, including details related to our Employment Equity Policy and Plan and definitions of equity-deserving groups please visit www.dal.ca/hiringfordiversity
Posting Detail Information

Number of Vacancies One (1)
Open Date 07/04/2024
Close Date 07/18/2024
Open Until Filled No
Special Instructions to Applicant
Quick Link for Direct Access to Posting

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents
  1. Résumé / Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Optional Documents
  1. Cover Letter