Casual Animal Care Attendant I

University of Northern British Columbia • Contract • Prince George, British Columbia, Canada • USD $ 22 - USD $ 23 / hour • 1w ago

Northern Health Sciences Research Facility
CUPE, University Casual Pool (shift coverage for weekday, weekends, and holidays; generally 1-5 shifts per month)

Reporting to the Animal Care and Welfare (ACW) Manager, the Animal Care Attendant I will assist in the operation and maintenance of the Northern Health Science Research Facility (NHSRF) and the Northern Medical Program (NMP) Anatomy Lab, ensuring duties are performed in compliance with the University of Northern British Columbia’s (UNBC) policies and procedures, and the guidelines of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC).

Responsibilities
Duties within the NHSRF include but are not limited to:

General care and husbandry of research laboratory animals including: maintaining daily care of laboratory animals, animal handling, feeding, watering, cage cleaning and sanitizing, direct daily observation, and monitoring of health status and record keeping;
Providing minor medical treatments for animals such as applying topical medication, oral drug administration, or injections;
General upkeep of facility which includes: thoroughly disinfecting animal rooms and equipment; disease control and waste management; general cleaning within the facility; maintaining an orderly and clean assembly of facility supplies and equipment, including stock levels of all consumables and components; and other duties as assigned by the ACW Manager;
Cleaning and operating disinfection/sterilization equipment (e.g. cage washer and autoclave);
Maintaining detailed records; and
Recognition and reporting of concerns to the NHSRF Coordinator or ACW Manager, and assisting with troubleshooting as requested.

Duties within the NMP Gross Anatomy Lab and Multipurpose Lab (tissue dissection) include but are not limited to:

Maintaining the NMP Labs which includes: sanitization of laboratory rooms and equipment; disinfection and waste management; maintenance of facility supplies and equipment, including monitoring stock levels of all consumables and components;
Operating sanitization/sterilization equipment in the NMP Labs including dissection equipment washer, and autoclave;
Preparing the NMP labs for instructional sessions by cleaning and disinfecting the laboratory spaces and, cleaning equipment and surfaces with human remains, such as dissection tools, cadaver bags, and on/under cadaver tables.; and
Laundering of uniforms and linens.

Qualifications
The successful candidate will possess;

a High School Diploma;
a minimum of one-month related experience in an animal care setting (e.g., a vet clinic) or a combination of animal and laboratory research experience; and
must be comfortable working in the presence of human remains (i.e., cadavers) and biohazardous materials.

A combination of education and experience will be considered.
Required safety and ethics training will be provided, and willingness to participate in continuing education is required. Registered Laboratory Animal Technologist registration is preferred. Knowledge of Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) guidelines, familiarity with Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), and handling chemical agents and laboratory safety guidelines is considered an asset.

The successful candidate must be self-directed, comfortable working with animals, have a philosophy compatible with animal-based research, be reliable and dependable, and have exceptional interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills. The successful candidate must demonstrate the ability to work independently with minimal supervision and must have the ability to exercise tact, diplomacy, discretion, and confidentiality. This position requires performing strenuous physical activity such as heavy lifting.

Salary
This position has been classified at Grade 1. The hourly rate for this position is $22.57 to $23.03, with the normal starting rate at $22.57 per hour.

Normal hours of work will be variable, as this position is intended to cover regular staff shift coverage. Shifts are generally 4-7 hours and occur on weekdays, weekends, statutory and UNBC President’s Discretionary Days.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Employment Equity
The University of Northern British Columbia is fully committed to creating and maintaining an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment that is accessible to all. We are devoted to ensuring a welcoming, safe, and inclusive campus free from harassment, bullying, and discrimination. This commitment is woven into our motto and mission. In the Dakelh language, UNBC’s motto ‘En Cha Huná translates to “they also live” and means respect for all living things. Through the respect for all living things, we are able to grow and learn better together, each bringing our own unique individual differences and contributions to inspire leaders for tomorrow by influencing the world today.

Employment equity requires that we remove barriers and overcome both direct and indirect discrimination. In this way, the pool of excellent candidates increases substantially. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.

About UNBC
Since its founding in 1990, the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) has emerged as one of Canada’s best small research-intensive universities, with a passion for teaching, discovery, people, and the North. UNBC’s excellence is derived from community-inspired research, hands-on learning, and alumni who are leading change around the world.

Since time immemorial, Indigenous peoples have walked gently on the diverse traditional territories where the University of Northern British Columbia community is grateful to live, work, learn, and play. We are committed to building and nurturing relationships with Indigenous peoples, we acknowledge their traditional lands, and we thank them for their hospitality. UNBC’s largest campus in Prince George is located on the traditional unceded territory of the Lheidli T’enneh, in the spectacular landscape near the geographic centre of beautiful British Columbia.

UNBC consistently ranks in the top three in its category in the annual Maclean’s university rankings. UNBC also recently placed among the top five per cent of higher education institutions worldwide by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

With a diverse student population, the University is friendly, inclusive, and supportive. Prince George is a city of ~80,000 people with impressive cultural, educational, and recreational amenities. For more information about living and working in Prince George, please refer to http://www.unbc.ca/experience and https://moveupprincegeorge.ca. Make your mark with this leading post-secondary institution.

To Apply
Applicants should create an applicant profile and apply on this position by uploading and submitting a cover letter and resume. This position is part of CUPE Local 3799 and is an on-campus position, based at the Prince George campus.

The University of Northern British Columbia is committed to employment equity and encourages
applications from the four designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minorities) as well as the 2SLGBTQ+ communities and individuals with intersectional identities.

Persons with disabilities, who anticipate needing accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, may contact UNBC Health & Wellbeing at employeewellbeing@unbc.ca. Any personal information provided will be maintained in confidence.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. We thank all applicants for their interest in UNBC however, only those applicants selected for further consideration will be contacted.

UNBC does not use artificial intelligence to screen candidate applications.