Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Animal Research Technician

🎯 Role Definition

The Animal Research Technician is responsible for daily vivarium operations and direct animal care to support biomedical research programs. This role includes routine husbandry, health monitoring, colony and breeding management, aseptic sample collection, surgical and anesthesia support, data and record maintenance, and strict adherence to IACUC, GLP, and institutional biosafety protocols. The ideal candidate is experienced with rodent models (mice, rats), demonstrates strong attention to animal welfare and regulatory compliance, and can execute experimental procedures and accurate data capture to enable reproducible research outcomes.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Animal Care Attendant or Vivarium Assistant
Laboratory Assistant with animal handling experience
Recent graduate with AALAS/animal technician coursework

Advancement To:

Senior Animal Technician / Lead Technician
Research Associate specializing in in vivo studies
Vivarium Supervisor or Manager of Animal Resources

Lateral Moves:

Research Technician (cellular/molecular focus)
Surgical Technician in preclinical research
Compliance Coordinator (IACUC/QA support)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Oversee daily animal husbandry for rodents and small mammals, including feeding, watering, bedding changes, cage sanitation, and environmental enrichment to maintain health and minimize stress while supporting research objectives.
Perform systematic health monitoring and clinical observation of animals, document signs of illness or distress, implement intervention per approved protocols, and escalate concerns to veterinary staff immediately.
Conduct colony and breeding management tasks such as pairing, weaning, sexing, record breeding outcomes, maintain accurate breeding logs, and manage genetic lines to preserve research cohorts.
Prepare animals and equipment for experimental procedures by following aseptic technique, sterilizing instruments, labeling supplies, and confirming protocol-specific materials are available and properly calibrated.
Provide anesthesia and analgesia assistance under supervision: prepare dosing calculations, administer inhalant and injectable anesthetics, monitor physiological parameters, and support recovery to ensure animal welfare.
Assist principal investigators and research staff with minor surgical procedures and aseptic technique, including prep, instrumentation, suturing support, and sterile field maintenance; comply with training and competency requirements.
Perform terminal procedures and necropsy, collect tissues and biological specimens with accurate labeling, prepare samples for downstream processing (fixation, freezing, RNA stabilization), and follow chain-of-custody procedures.
Collect and process biological samples (blood, serum, urine, swabs, tissues), perform basic centrifugation and aliquoting, and complete preliminary sample QC steps prior to handoff to analytical teams.
Maintain vivarium facilities and equipment—clean hoods, cages, racks, autoclave logs, and life-support systems; report and coordinate repairs with facilities and ensure continuous animal care.
Execute genotyping workflows including sample collection (ear punches, tail snips), DNA extraction support, and coordination with molecular teams for PCR/genotyping results and line tracking.
Maintain accurate, time-stamped records of all animal manipulations, treatments, observations, and environmental conditions in electronic animal management systems (e.g., Topaz, eLABJournal) and paper logs as required.
Implement and document dosing regimens, compound administration (oral gavage, intraperitoneal, subcutaneous), and infusion protocols with precise calculation, sterile technique, and verification steps to ensure dose accuracy and safety.
Participate in experimental setup and data capture: record behavioral observations, measure weights, collect physiological endpoints, and enter data in lab notebooks and electronic databases in a timely and reproducible manner.
Support training programs for new staff and students on standard vivarium procedures, safe animal handling, PPE use, aseptic technique, and emergency response, maintaining training records and competency assessments.
Ensure compliance with IACUC, USDA, and institutional policies by following approved protocols, assisting with protocol amendments, participating in semi-annual inspections, and preparing documentation for audits.
Support biosecurity and biosafety requirements for studies involving infectious agents or regulated materials: maintain containment practices, follow PPE and decontamination protocols, and coordinate with BSL/ABSL facility policies.
Perform cage-side dosing and behavioral assays (open field, rotarod, grip strength) and standardized sample collections to generate consistent, reproducible preclinical data; ensure animal welfare throughout testing.
Prepare, label, store, and manage inventory for animal care supplies, pharmaceuticals, reagents, and experimental consumables; place orders and track reagent lot numbers to support study reproducibility.
Participate in quality assurance and data integrity efforts by following SOPs, recording deviations, contributing to corrective actions, and supporting root-cause investigations for procedural variances.
Execute humane euthanasia according to AVMA guidelines and approved protocols; perform post-mortem tissue collection, record procedure details, and dispose of biological waste per institutional policies.
Support special projects including transgenic colony management, cryopreservation (sperm/embryo), rederivation coordination, and timed pregnancies for developmental studies, ensuring strict timing and documentation.
Assist with facility-level responsibilities such as temperature and humidity monitoring, sentinel surveillance programs, environmental enrichment audits, and coordination of facility-wide emergency response drills.

Secondary Functions

Assist research teams with ad-hoc sample preparation tasks for downstream assays (histology, flow cytometry, ELISA) and coordinate hand-off to analytical laboratories.
Participate in lab meetings and contribute to protocol optimization, feasibility discussions, and troubleshooting of in vivo workflows to increase throughput and reproducibility.
Support data entry and basic analysis tasks for collected animal data, aid in preparing reports for study meetings, and compile summaries required for IACUC continuing review.
Provide cross-coverage for weekends or on-call rotations as needed to ensure uninterrupted animal care and research continuity.
Help maintain training materials, SOP libraries, and quick-reference guides for commonly performed procedures to support staff onboarding and quality control.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficient in rodent handling and restraint techniques for mice and rats, including safe transfer, scruffing, and pick-up methods to minimize stress and avoid injury.
Competency in animal husbandry tasks: cage cleaning, bedding change, feeding, enrichment, and environmental monitoring (temperature, humidity, light cycles).
Experience administering compounds by common routes (oral gavage, i.p., s.c., i.v.), including dose calculations, syringe handling, and verification procedures.
Skilled in basic surgical assistance and aseptic technique: preparing sterile fields, instrument handling, suturing assistance, and post-operative care.
Trained in anesthesia and analgesia protocols (isoflurane, injectable anesthetics); ability to monitor respiration, reflexes, and recovery parameters.
Proficient in blood collection techniques (tail vein, submandibular, retro-orbital where approved), sample processing (centrifugation, serum/plasma separation), and sample labeling/chain-of-custody.
Experience with necropsy and tissue collection, including perfusion fixation, dissection of major organs, and proper tissue preservation for histology or molecular assays.
Familiarity with genotyping sample collection and coordination with molecular testing (PCR/qPCR) workflows and basic understanding of transgenic colony management.
Working knowledge of IACUC regulations, USDA/NIH policies, AVMA euthanasia guidelines, and GLP/GCP principles relevant to preclinical animal work.
Competence with vivarium management software and electronic recordkeeping systems (animal inventory, procedure logs, training records).
Basic lab techniques: micropipetting, centrifugation, sample aliquoting, reagent preparation, and maintaining sterile technique.
Experience with cryogenic sample handling, secure storage (LN2), and inventory control for biological specimens.
Ability to operate and maintain vivarium equipment: autoclave, iso/flotation anesthesia machines, cage and rack systems, and ventilated racks.

Soft Skills

Strong attention to detail and conscientious documentation skills to ensure regulatory compliance and reproducible research results.
Excellent communication skills—able to clearly report animal observations, safety concerns, and procedural details to veterinarians and research staff.
Team-oriented with collaborative mindset; able to train and mentor junior staff and students while contributing to a positive vivarium culture.
Problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities for procedural, equipment, and animal health issues under pressure.
Time management and prioritization skills to juggle routine husbandry, experimental timepoints, and emergent animal care needs.
Ethical judgment and compassion for animal welfare, applying the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) in daily practice.
Adaptability and willingness to learn new techniques, protocols, and instrumentations as research programs evolve.
Professionalism and discretion when handling confidential study information and sensitive research data.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED with documented animal handling experience and/or completion of animal technician coursework (AALAS ALAT or equivalent).

Preferred Education:

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in biology, animal science, laboratory animal technology, or related life sciences field.
AALAS ALAT/ASCP/AMT certifications or pursuit of AALAS LAT/LATG preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Biology
Animal Science / Laboratory Animal Technology
Biomedical Sciences
Veterinary Technology
Neuroscience / Physiology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–4 years of direct experience in a vivarium, animal facility, or preclinical research setting (rodent experience strongly preferred).

Preferred:

2+ years supporting in vivo research protocols, demonstrated competency in aseptic technique and anesthesia, and familiarity with institutional animal care policies (IACUC).
Prior experience with transgenic colony management, genotyping workflows, or surgical support is highly desirable.