Trainee Animal Technician

An excellent opportunity is available for aTrainee Animal Technicianto join the Bioservices Department at Australia's pre-eminent biomedical research institute.
About the Position
The Trainee Animal Technician will undertake duties associated with the care, husbandry and maintenance of laboratory animals and the facility. Routine tasks include observation, husbandry, breeding, cage cleaning, equipment and room cleaning, sterilisation procedures, record keeping and meeting researcher/client requirements.

• ensuring breeding programs are established and maintained
• meeting researcher/client needs for animals
• ensuring deadlines and schedules are met

• clean animal cages
• feed and water animals
• observe health of animals
• wean and sex animals
• to identify and record births
• to identify pregnant animals
• euthanasia of animals

• To mate animals according to workplace procedure and direction of supervisors
• To adjust breeding programs to suit demand for animals
• To identify poor breeders
• Allocate animals to orders and issue the orders via office

• Advise office/researchers as to animal availability, health and welfare.
• Allocate animals to orders
• Prepare animals for transport in accordance with SOPs.
• Process any required documentation regarding transportation of animals as required.
• Ensure that researchers are kept up-to-date and fully informed regarding their animals.

• Use of animal management systems to record animals as required.
• Weekly cage/animal count

• Cleaning of equipment and rooms
• Dust, scrub and mop room weekly
• Aid in cleaning and sterilising equipment when needed

• Maintain knowledge of and ensure compliance with all relevant regulatory instruments, e.g. POCTA, OGTR, OHS, etc

• Comply with institute Health and Safety Policies and Procedures.
• Take reasonable care of own safety and the safety of others around.
• Use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and safety devices appropriately.
• Report all hazards, incidents and injuries.
• Attend training programs as documented in individual training needs matrices.

Selection Criteria
Essential Knowledge and Skills:

• Completion of Secondary School
• Willing to undertake or completion of the Diploma of Animal Technology (or equivalent qualification)
• No previous experience required

Desirable Knowledge and Skills:

• Demonstrate empathy for animals
• Strong desire to work with animals in a laboratory setting

Personal Qualities:

• Conscientious
• Good observation skills
• Attention to detail
• Flexible
• Cooperative
• Enthusiastic
• Good communication skills

Terms of Appointment
This position is an ongoing role in a full time capacity. Salary is Professional Services Employee Level T3.1 - T3.2 ($52,066-$55,128 ). Up to 17% superannuation and very attractive salary packaging options are available.
General enquiries can be directed to Shauna Ross - sross@wehi.edu.au.
A position description is available here.
How to Apply
Please apply by uploading your CV, cover letter and a document addressing the key selection criteria in pdf format.
Application Closing Date: Thursday 21 March 2024.

WEHI - Brighter together

WEHI is where the world's brightest minds collaborate and innovate to make discoveries that will help us to live healthier for longer. Our medical researchers have been serving the community for more than 100 years. We bring together people with different skills and experience who are committed to long-term discovery. Our teams of researchers are committed to solving the most complex health problems, making transformative discoveries for cancer, infectious and immune diseases, developmental disorders and healthy ageing.

WEHI is a place where people are able to shine. People who are inquisitive, who are committed, who are passionate. People who want to make a difference. And we are committed to ensuring they have the tools to flourish, personally and professionally. We are a community of researchers, students and professional service staff who work towards achieving discoveries that improve human health. We are driven by collaboration, curiosity and creativity. We are committed to making a positive difference to the lives of people in Australia and around the world. We are WEHI. We are brighter together.

WEHI's commitment to diversity and inclusion

At WEHI we strive to foster a flexible working environment that encourages individual differences and promotes collaboration and creativity. We recognise that talent does not sit within a single identifiable group in our society and that WEHI's ability to shape contemporary scientific thinking and deliver leading professional services relies on a diversity of thought within our organisation. Our action to promote gender equality has been recognised with an Athena SWAN Bronze Award from Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) and we offer a range of support for women researchers.

Our commitment to celebrating diversity and addressing inequities is further demonstrated through our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, Gender Action Plan, Reconciliation Action Plan and our WE-Pride network for LGBTQIA+ staff and students. We actively encourage applications from, people with a disability, culturally, religiously and linguistically diverse people and people with diverse genders and sexualities. Should you require support during the recruitment process due to special needs or consideration, please contact the People and Culture team.

WEHI's commitment to Indigenous employment

WEHI is working to create a future where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples will be engaged at the scientific frontier, making exciting discoveries and decisions about the future of health in this country, and part of a leading professional services workforce supporting the realisation of these discoveries. We are committed to creating a culturally safe workplace and offering career development and leadership opportunities to First Nations staff and students. We strongly encourage any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to apply.