Animal Caretaker I
- Iowa State University
- Ames, IA
- 5mo ago
- Full-Time
- On-site
...
Position Title:
Animal Caretaker IJob Group:
MeritRequired Minimum Qualifications:
• Ability to read, write, and follow instructions. • Possession of a valid state or commercial driver's license, as required.Preferred Qualifications:
Previous experience working in a veterinary hospital, animal shelter, or emergency care setting.Experience handling and restraining small or large animals.
Experience with infection control and biosecurity protocols in clinical environments.
Job Description:
Come join our team as an Animal Caretaker!
At Iowa State University Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center (LVMC), you will collaborate with a team of experts and make a meaningful impact on the future of veterinary medicine. Under direct supervision, the Animal Caretaker in the Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Service (ECC) is responsible for ensuring the proper handling, feeding, and care of animals, as well as maintaining the cleanliness and functionality of animal facilities in compliance with federal, state, and university regulations. This role supports animal health and welfare while assisting veterinary technicians in daily operations.
What You’ll Do:
Clean and disinfect animal enclosures, isolation rooms, and equipment following strict protocols to ensure pathogen-free environments and containment of infectious agents.
Handle, restrain, and care for animals, providing support during veterinary treatments and procedures.
Feed and water patients based upon instruction from clinical staff.
Observe and report animal health status, including any signs of illness, injury, or stress, to the clinical staff.
Maintain patient cleanliness by keeping bedding clean and dry and perform bathing as instructed by clinical staff.
Assist in facility upkeep by performing minor repairs and reporting significant malfunctions to the supervisor.
Transport animals while adhering to safety protocols.
Job Details:
Schedule: Full-time, rotating schedule
Shift: Swing Shift, 4:00PM – 2:30AM, including weekends and holidays, no on call.
Location: Ames, IA
Work Environment: On-site, hands-on role in a clinical veterinary hospital setting
About the Department:
The Small Animal Emergency & Critical Care (SA ECC) unit is a dynamic and collaborative environment where veterinary professionals provide life-saving care to small animal patients. Our team is committed to excellence in patient care, education, and service. As an Animal Caretaker, you’ll be a vital part of this mission, helping ensure our patients receive the best possible support during their stay.
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an on-going basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.
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.