Employee will be assigned to the Veterinary Medical Unit (VMU), Research Service, VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare System, Aurora, CO, performing various duties relating to the maintenance, operation, and care of laboratory animals.

Duties

NOTE: This is a part-time position (20 hours/week). Benefits and time-off accrual will be prorated and based on your part-time work schedule. Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: Ensures the laboratory animals are provided with human treatment, proper nutrition, proper medical care, and a sanitary living environment; follows all research guidelines and standard operating procedures for laboratory animal research protocols; and adheres to agency, state, and federal regulations as well as accreditation standards for the care and use of laboratory animals in a research setting. Prepares and administers medications as directed by the supervisor, veterinarian, or principal investigator of the research study. Assists in handling research animals and collecting biological specimens for the determination of findings for research projects and/or health monitoring for the unit. Instructs and trains new animal care staff, researchers, and technicians in the proper handlining and care of research animals. Maintains the transgenic and knockout breeding colonies within the VMU. Euthanizes research animals following the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Euthanasia Guidelines. Feeds, waters, and provides a sanitary living environment for experimental laboratory animals (including mice, rats, and pigs). Prepares and administers appropriate diets for the animals, including experimental diets and administration of experimental compounds in water preparations. Maintains proper food and watering schedules for each protocol. Has responsibility for the proper washing, decontamination, sterilization, and subsequent preparation of the cages and pens housing research animals. Maintains proper environmental conditions as to cleanliness and air quality of the animal quarters. Performs preventive maintenance to individually ventilated caging (IVC) that house research animals, animal change stations, and dump stations. Performs other related duties as required. Work Schedule: Position is part-time, 20 hours per week between the hours of 8:00am and 4:30pm. Days vary and will include weekends and holidays. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK CONDITIONS: Work is performed with a variety of physical demands such as walking, standing, bending, reaching, and heavy lifting (up to and in excess of 75 pounds) which may be encountered in awkward positions. Must be able to control and restrain animals which may vary in type, size, and temperament as to control the possibility of injury to the animal, to another employee, or to oneself. Works directly with small and large experimental research animals and may incur cuts, scrapes, scratches, and bites. Protective clothing is provided, and the employee is required to follow prescribed safety practices and use the safety equipment as provided. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualifications. For this position, the job element method is used to match what you, the applicant, can do against what the work calls for. Your knowledge, skills and abilities will be compared to the knowledge, skills and abilities (called job elements) needed for success. Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element (WG-2 and higher only; screen-outs are not applicable to WG-1). Applicants who appear to meet the screen out element are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated from consideration. The potential eligibles are rated against the remainder of the job elements. While a specific length of training and experience is not required, your responses to the questionnaire must be supported by detailed descriptions of your experience on your resume. You will be rated on the following Job Elements as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Dexterity and SafetyInterpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading)MaterialsMeasuring InstrumentsTechnical PracticesUse and Maintain Tools and EquipmentWithout more than normal supervision IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Contacts

• Address Denver ORD VISN 19 155 Van Gordon St Lakewood, CO 80228 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]