Research Animal Specialist, MGH CCM

Company: Mass General Brigham Health Plan, Inc.
Location: Boston
Posted on: May 1, 2025

Job Description:

Research Animal Specialist, MGH CCMApply remote type Onsite locations Boston-MA Charlestown-MA time type Full time posted on Posted 3 Days Ago job requisition id RQ4011948 Site: The General Hospital CorporationAt Mass General Brigham, we know it takes a surprising range of talented professionals to advance our mission-from doctors, nurses, business people and tech experts, to dedicated researchers and systems analysts. As a not-for-profit organization, Mass General Brigham is committed to supporting patient care, research, teaching, and service to the community. We place great value on being a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization as we aim to reflect the diversity of the patients we serve.Research Animal Specialists at the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Comparative Medicine (CCM) provide basic husbandry, health surveillance, and compliance monitoring to laboratory animals. Responsibilities also include performing equipment sanitation, maintaining husbandry records, and supporting the facility teams in daily work as needed. For this role candidates interested in working with Non-Human Primates, Swine, and other USDA covered species are preferred.All Research Animal Specialists are required to work in a team environment following Lean Management principles and participate in continuous improvement projects. This position involves daily exposure to laboratory animals, their waste products, and possibly chemical agents, radioactive isotopes and ABSL2 hazards. Rotating weekend and holiday work hours are required. CCM offers a wide variety of career and skill building opportunities, as well as an extensive benefits package offered to MGH employees.The Following Duties are performed daily with minimal supervision:

• Provides Animal Husbandry Tasks

• Serve as a member of a research animal care team, responsible for daily animal husbandry and welfare checks in the facility.
• Perform daily work involving the handling of genetically engineered animal models, animals with immuno-compromised health status, and animals recovering from surgery or other invasive procedures.
• Assemble caging supplies with proper handling to ensure sterility level of equipment, feed and water.
• Perform daily animal pen/caging sanitization or changing, following aseptic technique.
• Provide compliance monitoring of cage conditions.
• Track progress of neonates, notification of team members & PI staff, and weaning of cages per SOPs.
• Ensure animals are provided with food and water daily.
• Record critical facility data/documentation on a daily basis required by local, state and federal regulatory agencies.
• Perform routine euthanasia on laboratory animals according to the American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) Panel on Euthanasia.
• Provides Animal Health Monitoring
  • Evaluate animal's health each day and report abnormal clinical signs to the team lead and veterinary staff per SOP.
  • Provide follow-up notification and treatment of common health concerns prescribed by the veterinary staff per SOP.
  • Reports progress of therapies to the team, veterinary staff, and PI staff via health card notifications and email.
  • Performs Facility Cage Wash Operations
    • Operate and maintain automated cage wash equipment and sterilizers.
    • Assemble caging.
    • Prepare acidified water bottles using an automated bottle filler.
    • Receive, transport, process, store facility supplies, animal feed, bedding, and enrichment.
    • Provides Facility Maintenance and Sanitization
      • Maintain animal rooms to ensure they are free of infectious agents and other contaminants.
      • Report facility and environmental issues that fall outside animal welfare regulatory requirements.
      • Performs Facility Support Functions
        • Use current technology including PDAs and bar code application to record daily cage census.
        • Comply with CCM and MGH policies and SOPs.
        • Provide facility support functions as assigned.
        • Works within a Team Environment following Lean Management Principles
          • Utilize lean management tools in conjunction with the Team Lead and other teammates.
          • Attend team meetings and training sessions on all aspects of laboratory animal care and uses of animals in biomedical research as scheduled.The Following Duties may be performed daily under supervision from the Team Lead or Manager:
            • Perform husbandry and health monitoring of animals in ABSL2 areas.
            • Assist the Team Lead or designee with housing incoming animals.
            • Provide research support services.
            • Collect sentinel samples processing and evaluation.
            • Perform husbandry and health monitoring of USDA covered species, updating Individual Animal Records when required.
            • Ordering and receiving facility supplies, monitoring material replenishment systems.
            • Assist in the creation, validation and maintenance of visual controls within the facility.
            • Comply with CCM and MGH policies and standard operating procedures.
            • Provide treatment and follow-up of non-standard health concerns as prescribed by the veterinary staff.
            • Works holiday and weekends as assigned.
            • Other duties as assigned.Job SummaryAssists in the daily operation of the Animal Facility, in feeding of and caring for animals used in experiments.Does this position require Patient Care? NoEssential Functions:
              • Consistently implements sterile techniques using a barrier microisolator cage system.
              • Tracks animal health and notify supervisors and animal care staff of observations.
              • Keeps records of animal mortalities.
              • Maintains records such as animal inventory, Animal Husbandry, and Room Maintenance Records for each assigned room.
              • Reports all facility and environmental issues to the animal technician supervisor.
              • Attends staff and educational meetings as scheduled by supervisory staff.
              • Performs other duties as assigned. Complies with all policies and standards.QualificationsEducation: High School Diploma or Equivalent requiredCan this role accept experience in lieu of a degree? NoLicenses and CertificationsWork Experience: Previous experience with Animals 0-1 year preferredKnowledge, Skills and Abilities
                • Detail-oriented.
                • Multitasking skills.
                • Long periods of standing and/or moving.
                • Good communications skills in English, both oral and written.Additional Job Details (if applicable)Skills/Abilities/Competencies Required:
                  • Experience in care of animals preferred.
                  • Proficient in verbal and written English and Mathematics pertinent to the duties of this position.
                  • Ability to lift and move 50 lbs. on a regular basis.
                  • Long periods of standing.
                  • Has a customer-focused attitude and enjoys working with similarly dedicated persons in a team fashion.
                  • Ability to learn and use bar code/PDA technology and basic computer skills.
                  • Valid driver's license (for specified facilities).Working Conditions:
                    • The animal facility has a variety of environmental conditions. Employees may be exposed to noise, dust, chemicals, extreme heat, and animal waste products.
                    • Travel between facilities may be required.
                    • This position may expose the employee to animals treated with chemical hazards, radioactive dyes, and other induced conditions.
                    • Employees are expected to conduct all work in a safe manner that includes maintaining knowledge of animal handling techniques.Remote TypeOnsiteWork Location185 Cambridge StreetScheduled Weekly Hours40Employee TypeRegularWork ShiftDay (United States of America)EEO Statement:The General Hospital Corporation is an Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law.Mass General Brigham Competency FrameworkAt Mass General Brigham, our competency framework defines what effective leadership "looks like" by specifying which behaviors are most critical for successful performance at each job level.
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Keywords: Mass General Brigham Health Plan, Inc., Barnstable Town , Research Animal Specialist, MGH CCM, Other , Boston, Massachusetts