Job Opportunities

Are you looking to take your career to new heights with a leader in healthcare? SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is one of the nation's leading metropolitan medical centers. As the only academic medical center in Brooklyn, we serve a large population that is among the most diverse in the world. We are also highly-ranked by Castle Connolly Medical, a healthcare rating company for consumers, among the top 5 leading U.S. medical schools for training doctors.

Bargaining Unit:

UUP

Job Summary:

The Division of Comparative Medicine in the College of Medicine at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is seeking a full-time Veterinary Technician & Trainer / Instructional Support Technician.

The Veterinary Technician & Trainer will be responsible for assisting the Division of Comparative Medicine (DCM) meet its obligations to maintain the health and welfare of the animals through beneficial species-specific behaviors, while allowing researchers to reach the specific scientific goals of their research. The successful candidate must be capable of the following:

• Daily vivarium room rounds to identify animals exhibiting psychosocial distress when individually housed or with restricted activity.
• Teach, demonstrate and train DCM personnel, scientists, technicians, students and other in the proper, humane, and safe methodologies in using animal laboratory animals. Such training should be provided on a regular and frequent basis so as not to delay research protocol progress and/or IACUC approvals.
• Verify that all prerequisites are completed and provide training specified on the Training Record Form supplied by the IACUC Office.
• Create materials to support training initiative including developing and administering assessments (written, oral, or demonstrative) to measure effectiveness of training efforts.
• Completion of the IACUC Training Form and sent within 2-business days of providing training; inform Principal Investigator and IACUC via phone and email if deadline cannot be met due to competing priorities.
• Meet with research personnel and the facility veterinarian to create strategies for treating animals displaying concerning or abnormal behaviors.
• Implement and document IACUC-approved exemptions from enrichment or social housing.
• Assist the Supervisor of Veterinary Technicians/Animal Operating Room in animal health surveillance procedures.
• Prepare the operating room for procedures, including preparation and sterilization of surgical instruments and supplies.
• Assist with surgical procedures and provide, including administering and monitoring anesthesia.
• Provide post-operative care and treatments as prescribed by veterinarian and document appropriately.
• Perform and maintain animal census.
• Provide animal enrichment as assigned by supervisor.
• Aid in the writing, revising and editing of SOPs consistent with the employee’s knowledge and/or work experience.
• Maintain a variety of animal records (hard copy and electronic), clinical procedures, trainings provided, etc.
• Administer treatments and monitor the health of animals during quarantine (e.g., TB testing).
• Be flexible with availability, as occasional weekend and evening as well as on-call rotations will be required, and act as alternate for colleagues in their absence.
• Be flexible with assigned work duties, as various other responsibilities may also be assigned, and can vary based upon personal interests or departmental needs.

Required Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or equivalent, plus 3-years of laboratory animal science experience;
  • Or, Associate of Arts/Associate of Science Degree, plus 2-years of laboratory animal science experience;
  • Or, High School Diploma or equivalent, plus laboratory animal science certification with 1-year of laboratory animal science experience.
  • Or, a combination and satisfactory equivalency of experience, training and education to the above listed.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Associate Degree of Veterinary Technology with New York State Veterinary Technician License and/or LATG plus in-depth knowledge of standard laboratory procedures and techniques preferred.  

Work Schedule:

Monday to Friday; 8:00am to 4:00pm
*(Occasional weekend and evening shifts as well as on-call rotations will be required.)

Salary Grade/Rank:

Salary Range:

Commensurate with experience and qualifications

Executive Order:

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation.  If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, criminal conviction, and all other protected classes under federal or state laws.

Women, minorities, veterans, individuals with disabilities and members of underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please contact Human Resources at 718-270-3025.