Pay Grade: MR02

Hiring Salary: $16.48

JOB SUMMARY/ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: This position will operate and maintain the program's cage washing and cage/rack systems. This position exists to provide key important and required job functions as a member of a specific work team that supports a large complex, integrated, and centralized laboratory animal resource program in an academic health science center campus. The program that this position supports requires a diverse team of technicians, supervisors, managers, and professionals who collectively operate a complex research facility that houses, maintains, cares for, and supports live animals for use in biomedical research.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Receives soiled caging into cage wash area, performs pre-cleaning of caging, and disassembles cages as necessary to prepare for loading into automated cage washing machines as directed by supervisor and in accordance to standard operating procedures.
2. Empties soiled bedding and waste from soiled cages and disposes of soiled bedding in accordance to instructions from supervisor and standard operating procedures.
3. Loads caging into automated cage washing machines in accordance to standard operating procedures.
4. Performs cage washing through operation of automated cage washing machines in accordance to standard operating procedures and as directed by supervisor.
5. Assesses sanitation and effectiveness of cage washing and sanitizing processes in accordance to standard operating procedures.
6. Performs preventive maintenance, start up, and shut down of equipment in accordance with standard operating procedures.
7. Prepares and fills orders for processed cages and equipment for specific work areas with input from animal care technicians and supervisors,
8. Loads bulk bedding into automated bedding dispenser.
9. Maintains records of cage washing machines sanitation effectiveness in accordance with standard operating procedure.
10. Assesses cage washing and cage processing equipment for proper operation daily.
11. Performs manual cage washing and sanitation as directed by supervisor.
12. Removes clean cages from automated cage washing equipment, adds bedding, and re-assembles cages as directed by supervisor and in accordance with standard operating procedures.
13. Performs other related duties as assigned.