(FWS) Student Employment: Behavioral Neuroscience and Vivarium Lab Technician - AY 26-27

Behavioral Neuroscience and Vivarium Lab Technician

Animal Husbandry & Welfare Duties

• Perform animal care following completion of online CITI training and onsite instruction by the Charles River Lab (CRL) Animal Technician and Behavioral Neuroscience faculty.
• Assist with safe animal handling for health checks, enrichment activities, and behavioral observations.
• Assist with maintaining accurate records of temperature, humidity, treatments, and daily activity logs.
• Monitor animals for signs of distress, illness, or injury and report promptly to supervising CRL staff and BNS faculty.
• Support regulated procedures such as breeding, observation, and specialized drug administration.
• Help maintain, sanitize, and decontaminate animal rooms, caging, and related facilities.
• Help with cleaning, maintenance, and rotation of caging equipment and behavioral testing apparatus.
• Monitor inventory and replenish supplies (e.g., bedding, chow, PPE).

Laboratory and BNS Support Duties

• Clean and maintain laboratory glassware; perform routine dusting and sweeping of work areas daily.
• Clean, operate and maintain standard laboratory equipment (operant equipment, mazes, cameras, centrifuges, scales, pH meters, etc.).
• Track and organize laboratory inventory.
• Record, enter, and organize research data.
• Follow simple protocols to prepare solutions, buffers, and perform related calculations.
• Conduct literature searches relevant to ongoing research.
• Follow strict safety procedures and assist in creating safety-related presentations.
• Assist with NEURON conference preparation during the spring semester.

General Requirements

• Ability to follow detailed written protocols and Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Completion of required safety and animal care training (e.g., CITI).
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint) and regular email communication.
• Sensitivity to and respect for research animals and adherence to ethical care standards.
• Physical ability to lift up to 30 pounds and perform tasks requiring manual dexterity.
• Availability to work weekends as needed.

Quinnipiac Undergraduate in Behavioral Neuroscience or other science or psychology field who is eligible for federal work study. (Because of the extensive training required, we ask that students plan to commit for at least 2 semesters.)

• Resume
• Application
• Note: New hires are required to complete online laboratory and animal care training via Blackboard and CITI. They also must complete some additional orientation modules, one of which requires completion of a Student/Employee Health Animal Handler’s Health History Questionnaire. This completed questionnaire should be shared with the new hire’s primary care physician.