The position is based in the Veterinary Medical Unit. The animal caretaker performs various duties relating to the maintenance, operation, and animal care in the Veterinary Medical Unit.

Duties

Major duties and responsibilities include: Ensures sanitation of the Veterinary Medical Unit support areas, using specialized chemicals and techniques for this purpose. Support areas include the Veterinary medical unit procedure rooms, hallways and stairwells, office and staff rooms used by Veterinary medical unit personnel, and storage areas housing food, bedding cages and equipment; Responsible for observation of laboratory animals, to detect basic sign and/or symptoms of infectious disease, and changes in appearance and activity, so the supervisor may be notified immediately; Assists in the feeding and watering of research animals; Keep a daily log that includes room temperatures and humidity, animal census, supply inventory status and notification of supervisor when changes occur; Assist the supervisor, other animal care staff, researchers and research technicians in handling and restraint of a variety of research animals, including mice, rats, hamsters, frogs, rabbits, etc.; Assists the other animal care staff in changing of animal cages, which involves proper handling of research animals; Assists in the decontamination, sanitation and sterilization of animal cages and accessory equipment; Responsible for removing dead research animals from cages, completion of necessary forms, notifying designated individuals of the death and disposal of the animals in an accepted manner to include incineration; Performing other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Tuesday-Saturday, 08:00 am to 4:30 pm to include holidays. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized.

Requirements

Qualifications

PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK CONDITIONS: Work often requires lifting and carrying feed materials weighing up to 75 pounds and frequently handling such items as feed bags weighing up to 50 pounds. Animal caretakers walk or stand for extended periods and frequently work in a bent position. Often, light physical effort is required to lift or handle docile animals. Work is performed in the Veterinary Medical Unit. There is daily exposure to materials in a controlled environment that may be infections and/or hazardous to one's health. Proper protective equipment is issued, and the incumbent will be trained in its proper use. In addition, the employee must perform when confronted with unpleasant conditions such as noise, heat, odors and sick animals. 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 Equipment 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]