Lab Animal Caretaker - Military Veterans

We are launching people to the Moon and Mars. If you want to be part of this amazing mission and enjoy working in a great team environment, we would love to have you as part of our team that is making history, today. It takes big ideas and determination to take NASA's vision and make it reality. That's what we do every day.

The COMET contract provides overall management and implementation of ground systems capabilities, flight hardware processing, and launch operations at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. These tasks will support the International Space Station, Ground Systems Development and Operations, and the Space Launch System, Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, and Launch Services programs.

Responsibilities

Areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to:

• Support the preparation of animal husbandry equipment and supplies, including sanitation and sterilization of all items.

• Process bags and/or boxes of animal feed, bedding material, supplies, and equipment.

• Prepare and feed regular and/or special diets and sterile deionized water.

• Perform quality control activities, such as maintaining logs and providing samples of sterile feed and water.

• Operate cage rack washer, bottle washer, sterilizer, and other facility related equipment.

• Perform routine maintenance of equipment as per manufacturer's recommendations.

• Prepare supplies and equipment required in support of research investigations.

• Handle animals in conjunction with relocating, cage change, feeding, watering, identifying, performing health checks, data collection, and/or administering of medications.

• Maintain daily health check log.

• Maintain supply and equipment inventory. Stock received supplies as needed.

• Perform monthly inventory and communicate to the Lead Animal Care Technician or Technologist when items require replenishing.

• Support contractor personnel and science customers requiring access to the facility in the proper wipe down/sanitation of items required for use. Assist with donning of clean room attire, including providing gloving instruction to personnel requiring access.

• Maintain the barrier facility/clean room for Specific Pathogen Free conditions, including cleaning all surfaces and conducting microbial air and surface sampling.

• Perform weekly safety walk-downs.

• Coordinate preventative maintenance with external vendors, gains familiarity with routine operations of equipment and implements procedures to support flight.

• Maintain facility's 100K cleanliness status.

• Conduct surface sample testing for submission.

• Cross-over technical support work as assigned supervised by technicians.

• Hardware preparation and technical support of life sciences payloads.

• Gain familiarity with flight/ground hardware for life sciences payloads.

• Perform other related duties as assigned.

The candidate must possess a high school diploma or equivalent, and at least one (1) year of experience in a laboratory animal facility or additional experience with animals in a related capacity.

Depending on the candidate's experience, requirements, and business needs, we reserve the right to consider candidates at any level for which this position has been advertised.

Job Requirements

• Must be able to pass KSC Primary Animal Contact Direct (PAD) physical.

• Must understand the moral and ethical aspects of the care and use of research animals.

• Must be able to don cleanroom attire and wear for extended periods of time.

• Physical requirements include climbing stairs or platforms to access equipment, may involve long periods of standing, lift to 50 lbs., pushing, pulling, squatting, bending, twisting, climbing, grasping, overhead reaching, wrist flexion/extension, and visual capability.

• Will be required to work in areas with temperature variations and warmer than usual environments.

• Must be able to operate standard cleanroom/hardware laboratory equipment such as laminar flow benches, biological safety cabinets.

• Position requires exposure to animal odors and potential allergens.

• Required to have general working knowledge of standard office equipment.

• Must be dependable, punctual, and able to work off-nominal hours including weekends and holidays.

• Must be able to accurately communicate ideas verbally and in writing.

• If offered a position, proof of U.S. Citizenship or Legal Permanent Resident/Green Card holder of the United States is required.

Physical Requirements

• May be required to climb stairs to access equipment.

• Will be required to wear hearing protection, eye protection, and other associated personal protective equipment.

• Position may involve extended periods of sitting or standing.

• Physical requirements are sitting, walking, standing, stairs, and access to remote structures.

• Position is located on a hazardous testing facility; must be able to quickly evacuate buildings in the event of an emergency.

Work Environment

• May be required to work inside and outside throughout the test complex.

• Position may require individual to travel daily to different areas on site.

• Walking on uneven terrain including paved areas, gravel/rocks, and dirt/sand, may be required to access various locations on the facility.

• Climbing ladders and platforms may be necessary.

• All work must be completed in a safe manner in accordance with NASA and company safety standards.

Equipment and Machines

• Computers and printers used for producing reports and schedules.

• Variety of equipment used in testing.

Attendance

• Full-time work hours.

• Position may require occasional overtime, including weekend work, depending on task.

• Must be dependable and punctual.

• Shift work may be required.

Other Essential Functions

• Must be able to accurately communicate ideas in writing and verbal communication.

• Must be able to travel to support position requirements. This may include travel to and from customer location, which may involve airline travel. In some cases, accommodations can be made for POV, if necessary.

• Grooming and dress must be appropriate for the position and must not impose a safety risk/hazard to the employee or others.

• Must comply with all "drug free workplace" requirements as mandated by directives issued by the appropriate federal contracting officer and the company, which requires drug testing for use of illegal drugs by employees in sensitive positions.

• Government security clearance may be required in the future.

• Must maintain a positive work atmosphere by behaving and communicating in a manner that fosters good relations with customers, clients, co-workers, and management.

Access to Kennedy Space Center Amenities

While doing your part to help further space exploration at Kennedy Space Center, you can enjoy many on-site amenities, such as:

• Child Development Center

• Discounted tickets to local attractions and theme parks

• Credit Union

• Fitness Center

• Barbershop

• NASA Exchanges

Flexible Schedule and Telework

At Amntum, we value your time and commitment. Here at Kennedy Space Center, we offer partial telework options and flexible work schedules for many of our positions. The ability to utilize a flex schedule or telework will depend on your department's demands and needs.