Temple University
Vet Tech I
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Veterinary Technician I – Research Associate (Vet Tech)
Location: On-site at Temple University Departments: University Laboratory Animal Resources (ULAR), Central Animal Facilities – Temple University
Why Join Temple University?
Become part of the Temple family and enjoy access to our comprehensive benefits:
- Full medical, dental, vision coverage
- Paid time off (competitive PTO)
- 11 paid holidays
- Tuition remission – Eligible employees and their dependents can earn a degree tuition-free at Temple!
- Generous retirement plan (PTEA Union Rate: V15 $28.53/hour)
- A wide range of additional benefits from a prestigious university
Job Summary
The Research Associate (Vet Tech I) is a veterinary technician/veterinary nurse responsible for the high-quality care of research animals at Temple. Under the direction of ULAR veterinarians, this entry-level role focuses on:
- Providing high-quality veterinary care for a diverse range of species.
- Modification, training, and competency development in critical tasks.
- Assisting in clinical care, diagnostics, treatments, and procedures under supervision.
- Ensuring adherence to ethical and regulatory standards (e.g., Animal Welfare Act, "The Guide")
This position will require close mentoring, guided supervision, and continuous skill-building as you progress in competency. Starting as a support role, with long-term potential for increasing autonomy and expertise in the field.
Responsibilities
🔬 Animal Care
- Conduct scheduled health checks and identify clinical signs of injury or illness.
- Apply basic husbandry standards for rodents and other species on campus.
- Assist ULAR veterinarians in diagnostic evaluations, treatments, and procedures.
- Document procedures and treatments in records, including room logs and medical records.
- Follow all safety protocols (SOPs), regulatory requirements (e.g., Animal Welfare Act, The Guide), and biosecurity measures.
- Mini-site responsibilities: Rotational coverage for laboratory colonies, housing, and environmental management (cleanliness, temperature, feeding protocols).
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✅ Surgical Support & Anesthesia
- Support pre-, intra-, and post-operative animal care and recovery.
- Assist in setting up and maintaining aseptic operating environments (disinfection of rooms/equipment/supplies).
- Induce, monitor, and assist in maintaining anesthesia for research animals (with supervision).
- Troubleshoot anesthesia equipment functioning and report any complications.
- Assist in surgical procedures under guidance.
- Maintain detailed procedural records, including anesthetic monitoring notes.
- Ensure proper disposal of medical waste, including animal carcasses (per Temple standards).
🛡️ Preventive Health
- Participate in rodent animal health surveillance (testing/populations contingency).
- Assist in disease prevention efforts, including quarantine protocols.
- Perform physical exams on rodents and large animals to diagnose issues.
- Document health findings in the animal medical record.
- Actively improve and refine health surveillance programs.
🏋️ Training & Compliance
- Support onboarding and training of research staff, ULAR teams, and new colleagues.
- Sustain regulatory compliance (licensure checks, animal record withholding/red flags) adherence with University ethics policies.
Required Education and Experience
- Associate degree in a life science field (biology, zoology, veterinary science, histology, animal behavior, or related disciplines).
- 0–6 months of veterinary technician work experience OR related experience (e.g., research colony maintenance, veterinary technician assistant).
- Upper limit on experience: no more than six months of previous experience unless educational background is exceptional.
Note: Equivalent academic qualifications or certifications may be considered for experience-deficient applicants.
Required Skills and Abilities
Hard Skills
- Ability to read/write/comprehend conversations in English.
- Working familiarity with:
- Rodent care and USDA-covered species.
- Lifting up to 50 lbs on a regular basis.
- Biological laboratory techniques (autoclave use, centrifuges, animal clippers).
- Anesthesia monitoring tools and interpretation.
- Basic confocal microscopy and handling of microscope equipment.
- E-tube and fiber optics for rodent use.
- Excellence in organisational, scheduling, and documentation skills.
- Certificate recognition in documentation systems standard (CR TIKer, LIMS).
- Data collection (cable counting, gel documentation).
- Proficiency in *baseline office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
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Duties Flexibility
- Must work independently, as assigned.
- Availability for occasional weekend rotations, early-morning shifts, and late-afternoon work (flexibility vital for research schedules).
- Grace under pressure when handling multiple requests.
- Sensitivity to humane handling (at all stress levels).
Preferred Skills
- An undergraduate or bachelor’s degree in a life science field.
- A certified veterinary technician (CVT, RVT, LVT) status.
- AALAS Professional Certification (LAT Level or higher).
Meeting the Needs of Temple Animal Research
☑️ University Commitment to Safety and Diversity
Temple University is committed to diversity, equality, and inclusion, ensuring a welcoming environment for everyone. Please visit Accessibility for the university’s commitments.
☑️ Compliance Statement for Employees
- Employees must avoid conflicts of interest (financial, ethical, personal) that could impact this role's integrity.
- Adherence to University policies, regulations and NCAA compliance (where appropriate).
☑️ Additional Resources Access
- View Temple’s Annual Security Report to review campus safeguards and reporting mechanisms.
- Request print copies from the Temple University’s Department of Public Safety at 215-204-7900.
"Temple University is committed to an exemplary networking community and celebrates the unique contributions of each." Start your career – contribute to better animal care at Temple.
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