Animal Care Technician III & Vivarium Administrative Support

Description

The ADA Forsyth Institute was founded in 1910 as the Forsyth Dental Infirmary for Children (later, the Forsyth Institute), to provide dental care to the disadvantaged children of Boston. While continuing to serve children in need, yet recognizing the ultimate goal is to prevent dental disease, the Institute in 1915 began to focus on scientific research and is today the world’s leader in oral health research. In October of 2023, the Institute joined with the American Dental Association to form the ADA Forsyth Institute, a 501(c)(3) entity dedicated to improving people’s oral and overall health and powering the profession of dentistry through cutting-edge basic research, creative translational science, innovative clinical technologies, and global public health outreach. Consistent with the Institute’s founding mission, the ADA ForsythKids mobile dental program continues to serve children in need. 

The ADA Forsyth Institute (AFI) is seeking an Animal Care Technician III & Vivarium Administrative Support professional to join our Animal Facility/Core Services team. This position plays an important role in supporting the health and well-being of research animals and the safe, efficient operation of AFI's vivarium. The role is primarily hands-on, with approximately 80% of responsibilities focused on animal care, vivarium operations, and research support and approximately 20% focused on administrative, operational, and facility support activities.

The successful candidate will work closely with animal care leadership, investigators, research staff, veterinary personnel, Facilities, and other institutional departments to maintain a clean, organized, safe, and regulatory-compliant research environment.

The administrative and operational responsibilities of this position are intended to support, rather than independently manage, vivarium operations and compliance programs. Training will be provided on applicable administrative processes, institutional systems, documentation requirements, and facility procedures.

Key Responsibilities

Animal Care & Vivarium Operations

• Perform daily animal husbandry duties, including food and water checks, cage changing and cleaning, routine health monitoring, and documentation in accordance with established SOPs and approved protocols.
• Monitor animal health and welfare and accurately document observations and concerns.
• Monitor environmental conditions within animal holding rooms and promptly report discrepancies.
• Operate cage washers, autoclaves, sterilizers, and other equipment used for cleaning and sterilization.
• Perform humane euthanasia in accordance with institutional protocols and applicable animal welfare standards.
• Maintain clean, organized, and sanitized animal rooms, procedure rooms, wash areas, corridors, storage spaces, and common areas.
• Handle, transport, receive, and deliver animals, supplies, equipment, and waste materials as needed.
• Maintain routine facility records, including cage census logs, environmental monitoring records, sanitation records, and equipment documentation.
• Monitor animal care and vivarium supplies and communicate anticipated shortages or operational needs to management.

Research Support

• Assist investigators and research staff with animal procedures in accordance with approved protocols and SOPs.
• Support mouse colony management, including establishing breeding cages and weaning pups.
• Assist with procedures such as oral gavage and intraperitoneal (IP), intravenous (IV), and subcutaneous (SC) injections, as trained and authorized.
• Assist with euthanasia, necropsy, and tissue collection procedures.
• Support training of investigators and research staff in animal handling, restraint, and procedures under the direction of animal care leadership.
• Provide backup husbandry coverage during weekends, holidays, emergencies, and staffing shortages as required.

Administrative, Operational & Facilities Support

Under the direction of animal care leadership and with appropriate training:

• Maintain and update cage census, animal inventory, supply inventory, equipment, and other routine facility records.
• Assist with coordinating the receipt and shipment of research animals and maintaining associated documentation.
• Support cage inventory tracking and compilation of information used for internal billing and user invoices.
• Assist with ordering and monitoring food, bedding, enrichment items, PPE, caging, cleaning supplies, and other facility materials.
• Enter and maintain information in databases, spreadsheets, shared files, and vivarium recordkeeping systems.
• Assist with maintaining and updating facility SOPs, forms, logs, and related documentation.
• Support visitor and facility access documentation in accordance with institutional and IACUC procedures.
• Organize records and supporting documentation for internal inspections, IACUC activities, regulatory reviews, audits, and accreditation visits.
• Support investigator onboarding and routine animal facility training documentation.
• Maintain organized electronic and paper facility records.
• Support laboratory and vivarium waste management activities, including sharps, regulated medical, chemical, and biological waste streams.
• Conduct biological monitoring and validation testing of sterilizers as trained and maintain required records.
• Report equipment malfunctions, repair needs, safety concerns, and supply shortages to appropriate personnel.
• Assist with laboratory and vivarium safety inspections and compliance documentation as directed.
• Perform other related animal care, administrative, and operational duties as assigned and trained.

Qualifications

Required

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, particularly when maintaining records and supporting multiple operational activities.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced research environment.
• Basic computer proficiency, including experience with data entry, spreadsheets, and electronic recordkeeping systems.
• Ability to safely lift, transport, and move animal cages, supplies, and equipment associated with vivarium operations.
• Ability to perform the physical requirements associated with routine laboratory animal care and facility operations.
• Ability to provide occasional weekend, holiday, emergency, or other coverage as operationally required.

Preferred

• Associate degree or technical certification in animal science, biology, environmental health and safety, or a related field.
• 2–4 years of experience in laboratory animal care, vivarium operations, laboratory support, hazardous waste management, or a related research environment.
• Certification or training in laboratory animal care, HAZWOPER, DOT, or other relevant safety programs.
• Knowledge of animal welfare regulations, laboratory safety practices, and hazardous waste handling procedures.
• Experience supporting research animal procedures and/or mouse colony management.