Lead Research and Animal Care Technician - Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging

The mission of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University (HNRCA) is to promote healthy aging through nutrition science to empower people seeking to enjoy long, active, and independent lives. HNRCA investigators conduct the world's most advanced studies on nutrition and aging. The research focuses on determining the nutrient and physical activity requirements necessary to promote well-being for older adults. HNRCA scientists examine how nutrition and physical activity play a major role in the prevention of the major chronic degenerative conditions and diseases associated with aging.

The Comparative Biology Unit (CBU) is a ~25,000-square-foot animal research facility that is fully accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC). The unit offers a wide range of services including: comprehensive animal care, transgenic rodent breeding services, veterinary surveillance, diet preparation and individualized animal dietary services, animal monitoring, surgery and necropsy. In addition, the CBU houses, operates, and manages the HNRCA rodent behavior and in vivo imaging core. The CBU adheres to strict environmental control guidelines and complies with the Animal Welfare Act provisions, and animal welfare guidelines such as the NIH Guide of the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals standards. All animal studies are reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.

This is a grant funded position and is not eligible for severance pay.

The Lead Research and Animal Care Technician will be primarily responsible for day-to-day operation of the CBU's behavior and imaging core, under the guidance of the CBU Associate Director. They will also be responsible for supervision of CBU staff and perform daily monitoring, husbandry, and care of lab animals when delegated by Associate Director of the CBU. This position reports to and works closely with the Associate Director of the CBU.

Essential Functions:

• Supervise and perform basic husbandry duties as required and maintain appropriate detailed records.
• Run day-to-day operations including behavioral testing, small rodent imaging, managing multiple ongoing behavioral/imaging experiments, SOP writing, etc.
• Observe and train junior CBU staff and PIs on various experimental procedures and equipment usage (i.e., necropsy/tissue collection, drug administration, anesthesia usage, etc.).
• Maintain experimental databases and records in an organized, coherent fashion.
• Ability to apply dietary intervention procedures (diet preparation, dietary dosing, special feeding procedures including pair feed and liquid diet administration).

Basic Requirements:

Knowledge and experience typically acquired by:

• BS in Behavioral Neuroscience or equivalent (MS preferred) and up to 2 years independent research management experience.
• Must understand and follow written and verbal directions precisely
• A working knowledge of animal related federal, local, and state guidelines is required
• Must be able to work under conditions that includes animal odors, heat and humidity from cage washing rooms, and biohazardous materials and chemicals used in research
• Experience or ability to learn Microsoft Office, Teams, and other facility operational software.
• The candidate must successfully complete a pre-employment evaluation by the Tufts Occupational Health and Safety, N95/PAPR fit test, and required animal welfare training
• The individual must have strong interpersonal skills and be able to work independently with minimum of supervision
• Ability to lift weights up to 50 pounds
• Capability to independently problem solve and take necessary action on experimental and equipment issues
• Ability to learn and run behavioral and imaging software with minimal oversite
• Stay current in behavioral literature come up with protocols based on findings
  
  

Special Work Schedule Requirements:

• Rotational weekends and holidays are mandatory.
• The employee will be required to report to work and perform their assignments in the event of local, regional and national emergency, disaster, and/or crisis.