Animal Husbandry Care Attendant, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

The University of Calgary • Part-time • Calgary, Alberta, Canada • USD $ 47.76k - USD $ 558.06k / year • 1m ago

Description

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine is currently seeking two (2) Recurring Part-time Animal Husbandry Care Attendant(s).

Reporting to the Manager Animal Support Unit, the Animal Husbandry Care Attendant provides routine husbandry care of the teaching and research animals housed at the Veterinary Sciences Research Centre (formerly the Life Sciences Research Station), the Clinical Skills Building, and at other facilities that are part of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine e.g. Wildlife Research Centre).

The position is physically demanding (heavy lifting and long periods of standing are required), and requires attention to detail and maintenance of confidentiality.

Shifts are variable, requiring work on weekdays, weekends, statutory holidays, staff vacation, and leave coverage as required (the minimum shift is 3 hours).

Work shifts can be at the Veterinary Sciences Research Centre, Clinical Skills Building, or Wildlife Research Centre, and attendance or participation in events at the Foothills Campus may be required as part of the job.

Recurring Part-time employees are hourly employees engaged to perform work on an irregular schedule.

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

The Animal Husbandry Care Attendant follows CCAC and University guidelines to ensure that animals are in a fed, clean, and safe state
Judgment is required when monitoring changes in animal behaviour and when seeking problem-solving assistance
May refer matters to Animal Heath Technologist or Veterinarian
Provides animal husbandry care for all species of laboratory animals used in research, which includes feeding, watering and changing cages following strict safety guidelines for prevention of exposure to disease
Monitors and assesses general animal health, and reports problems to the AHT or Veterinarian
Provides basic treatment for animals under direction of Facility Veterinarian
May be required to administer oral medications and assist with other basic treatment activities
May be required to assist in the development, preparation, and delivery of teaching activities and materials for the undergraduate and graduate programs of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Provides custodial duties to maintain facility sanitation procedures
Responsible for operation and up-keep of equipment e.g. laminar flow cabinets, ventilated caging systems, autoclave, bob cat, quad under safety guidelines
Receive and set up incoming animals; responsible for shipping animals, supplies, or any other required materials to other locations as directed by the operations manager or other designated individuals
May be required to assist with ordering and maintenance of animals, and other supplies required for the facility
Record keeping is required for a variety of tasks including identification/tagging of new animals, weaning and recording of as well as unscheduled deaths
Work with chemicals safely and properly, e.g. dilutions, using appropriate containers and protective gear
Responsible for keeping skills up-to-date and taking courses that will assist in personal and professional development
Ensure supplies are kept stocked in a timely manner to ensure continuous availability
Maintain confidentiality and adhere to safety regulations at all times

Qualifications / Requirements:

Evidence of an ability to work with animals (coming from previous relevant training programs or previous work experience) is required
Past animal husbandry care experience in a research or other relevant scientific/institutional setting, and with a variety of species, is considered an asset. Relevant experience in a research/scientific/institutional setting includes
- Veterinary Clinics, or
- University/Research Animal Care Facilities
Past animal husbandry care experience in non-research facilities may be considered in the absence of the above noted qualifications. These non-research facilities include
- An SPCA or other animal care organization
- Zoos, or
- Farm hand experience
The Animal Husbandry Care Attendant must be organized, responsible, and able to work independently
Demonstrated ability to function as a productive team member is also necessary
The position requires fluency in written and oral English, strong communication skills to facilitate interaction with facilities users, and good attention to detail to ensure standard operating procedures are followed
The Animal Husbandry Care Attendant must not have any known animal allergies that will interfere with their ability to perform the required tasks

Application Deadline: November 27, 2025

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.

This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Technical Job Family, Phase 1.

For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website.

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy ii' taa'poh'to'p committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

The university's commitment to the Indigenous Strategy is evident through the oversight of 18 Elders serving on the Circle of Advisors and the many unit-based circles working towards implementation of the strategy including the Faculty Advisory Circle and teams such as the Office of Indigenous Engagement, the Writing Symbols Lodge, and the Indigenous Research Support Team. Many Indigenous-based events and processes are impacting curriculum, programming and polices at the University of Calgary.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments (oic@ucalgary.ca) and requests for accommodations can be sent to People & Culture (hrhire@ucalgary.ca).

Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role.

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.