Animal Care Technician

The Centre for Phenogenomics (TCP) is a state-of-the-art research centre enabling groundbreaking research and discovery, with the goal of advancing human health.

We are the largest Centre in Canada, brought about through an innovative scientific collaboration among preeminent research hospitals including Mount Sinai Hospital and The Hospital for Sick Children.

The TCP is a globally acclaimed Canadian resource that serves researchers throughout the world. Located in the heart of Toronto’s Discovery District, the TCP pools functional expertise and resources under one roof, all to enable the best science, supported by the best infrastructure.

Our ability to generate, hold, analyze, archive and distribute a critical mass of genetically engineered mice is unique.

Your significant contributions will assist in maintaining our momentum in advancing our research.

Position Overview :

TCP has an opening for a permanent full-time Animal Care Technician to start in May / June 2024. Reporting to the Supervisor, Animal Husbandry, the incumbent is responsible for basic animal husbandry duties for laboratory mice and responsible for their overall health and welfare.

Duties and Responsibilities :

The Animal Care Technician ’s duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to :

• Variety of animal health care duties are required such as general husbandry including cage changing, daily health checks on all animals in assigned rooms
• Identifying changes in animal health or deviations in normal behaviour
• Working cooperatively with scientific staff and fellow team members
• Stocking supplies and general upkeep of assigned holding rooms and procedure rooms
• Maintaining detailed records
• Working with a specialized colony management database and reporting all failures to follow SOPs immediately to supervisor
• Work as a team to maintain the overall cleanliness and efficiency of the vivarium including but not limited to : cleaning and disinfecting animal rooms, procedure rooms and equipment.

The work is conducted in a highly regulated environment according to standard operating procedures

Skills and Qualifications

• Graduate of an Animal Care Technician or Veterinary Technician program or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Must be able to work and contribute to a team environment
• May require lifting a minimum of 22lbs (feed bags)
• Require pushing / pulling of vented racks and feed transfer racks

Must be able to stand for a substantial period of time while performing animal husbandry duties

• Excellent written / verbal communication and computer skills
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision

If this role is in a laboratory environment, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute’s Safety Requirements include :

• Maintain personal certifications as required by Safety Office
• Maintain the lab’s Safety requirements as required by Safety Office
• Maintain current lab-specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) - including work with hazardous chemicals and biological agents, hazardous waste disposal, etc.
• Maintain the lab’s chemical Inventory
• Responsible for training the lab members on lab-specific procedures, weekly eye wash checks

In accordance with Institute’s policy and legislated health and safety requirements, employment is conditional upon the verification of credentials, completion of a health review, and demonstrating proof of immunity and vaccination status of vaccine-preventable diseases.

All employees and affiliates will follow safe work practices and comply with health and safety policies, procedures, and training.

Successful candidates will be required to provide two (2) written reference letters from their former employer(s) / supervisor(s).

A recent Provincial Directive mandates all employees of public hospitals in Ontario to be either fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or be regularly tested.

All new employees joining Sinai Health must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and be on track toward full vaccination within six (6) weeks;

participating in mandatory twice weekly Rapid Antigen Testing Program until fully vaccinated. There are very limited circumstances in which approval will be given for a medical exemption from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

We are a fully committed to fairness and equity in employment and our recruitment and selection practices. We encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, members of sexual minority groups, members of racialized groups, women and any others who may contribute to the further diversification of our Sinai Health community.

Accommodation will be provided in all parts of the hiring process as required under our Access for People with Disabilities policy.

Applicants need to make their requirements known in advance.

The Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute is a scent sensitive environment, and all members of the community are expected to refrain from wearing or using scented products while visiting or working at the Institute.

We also support a barrier-free workplace supported by the Institute’s accessibility plan, accommodation and disability management policies and procedures.