Training Specialist - Animal Health

Major/Essential Functions

• Design, implement, and update training modules for animal care staff, researchers, and new personnel.
• Communicate training requirements, updates, and expectations clearly and proactively. Train personnel to meet requirements outlined by the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, AAALAC standards, IACUC protocols, and federal regulations.
• Coordinate and provide hands-on instruction in general facility operations, animal handling, husbandry and care, procedural techniques, and safety practices. Tailor training to different species, skill levels, and research needs.
• Conduct competency assessments to verify proficiency in required tasks and procedures. Monitor compliance through observations, evaluations, and follow-up training. Identify knowledge gaps and provide targeted training or refresher sessions as deemed necessary.
• Ensure consistent application of SOPs across all teams and facilities.
• Assist in developing or revising SOPs, workflows, and training materials.
• Provide guidance during implementation of new procedures, processes or equipment.
• Maintain training database and accurate training records for audits, inspections, and accreditation reviews.
• Maintain rodent training colony.
• Coordinate with breeding coordinator and Attending Veterinarian regarding projected needs of the training colony.
• Train staff in proper husbandry, cage set up, environmental enrichment and humane endpoints.
• Train staff inrecognition of signs of pain, distress, and abnormal behavior and the appropriate reporting of animal healthconcerns.
• Maintain and update humane endpoint signage as needed.
• Conduct daily (M-F) health surveillance in all animal facilities and active animal holding rooms.
• Accesses overall health of the animals and confirms that all cages have appropriate and sufficient access to food and water.
• Report health concerns promptly to the veterinarian and treat as directed. Perform technical procedures such as weighing, administering treatments, monitoring post operative recovery, and other routine clinical tasks or follow up under veterinary supervision.
• Maintaining animal health database. Manage ACS card system for all facilities. Ensure proper use of ACS cards and communicate necessary changes or deficiencies to appropriate ACS or investigative staff members. Manage training and animal health supply inventory. Submit order requests to Facilities Manager or Business Coordinator.
• Assist in sample collection and diagnostic testing or other duties as requested. This is to include husbandry tasks and weekend, or holiday coverage as needed.

• Knowledge of TTU policies.
• SOP writing and revision.
• Demonstration of teaching and training skills preferred.
• Observant and detail oriented.
• Ability to communicate effectively with various groups of personnel.
• Ability to display tact, maturity and consideration.
• Ability to maintain and organize a database.
• AALAS RLAT certification AALAS RLATG certification within one year of hire.
• Experience in Laboratory animal care, husbandry and medicine.
• Experience with Microsoft Office.

Animal Care Services is available to provide for the physical and psychological well-being of animals used in research and teaching. To aid investigators in obtaining and properly using these animals.

More specifically, the ACS serves to facilitate the use of animals in research and teaching at Texas Tech University while assuring compliance with all applicable regulations. ACS maintains responsibilities in animal procurement, animal housing and daily care, the provision of veterinary care, health surveillance and preventative care, assisting investigators and their staff with animal procedures, and the care, maintenance and replacement of equipment and facilities.

• Proficiency in rodent handling, procedures/techniques, and animal health observation.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Knowledge of regulations (Animal Welfare Act and Regulations, the ILAR Guide and the PHS Policy).