Competition Number: J0926-0299 Position Title: Animal Care Helper Position Number (Final): 00506059 and 00509206 Vacancy Type: Existing Position Employee Group: Support Staff - CUPE Local 254 Job Category: Other Professionals Department or Area: Animal Care Services Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada (On-site) Salary: $44,328.00 - $57,626.00/Year Hours per Week: 35 Job Type: Term Length of term: 5 months 29 days Shift: 7 Monday - Friday Number Of Positions: 2 Date Posted: September 28, 2026 Closing Date: October 11, 2026

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Job Summary

This position reports to the Associate Director, Animal Care Services.





Graduates of an approved Veterinary Technician / Technologist or Animal Health Technician / Technologist program are welcome to apply.

Core Duties:

- Feeding and watering assigned animals or cages as prescribed. Filling water bottles and feed containers at room level with prescribed feed for that species.
- Observing animal behaviour and body condition while attending to their cages and report any abnormalities to the Associate Director, Animal Care Services or Animal Health Technician.
- Reporting any apparent problems in the cages or rooms within the facility to the Associate Director, Animal Care Services.
- Following prescribed methods to transfer animals from one cage to another.
- Putting enrichment devices in or on cages as prescribed.
- Moving clean and dirty caging. Flushing watering systems for automatic watering cages.
- Performing minor room maintenance such as changing exhaust filters as prescribed.
- Preparing bedding for pens or cages as directed. Processes include sterilization by running autoclave.
- Accurately identify, handle, weigh, and restrain animals used in the facilities using indelible pens, cage cards, animal record cards, and appropriate restraint devices.
- Lifting heavy animals and equipment e.g. bags of food, paper, cleaning fluids, caging, and food containers.
- Cleaning and general cosmetic care of rooms.

These skills are applied to the housing, maintenance and use of the following species: mice, rats, guinea pigs, non-human primates, hamsters, etc.

Equipment and/or materials you are responsible for:

Autoclaves, Bedding dispenser, Disinfectant units, HEPA filtered laminar sterile containment units (both vertical and horizontal),

One truck (2 ton), Weigh scales, Automatic watering for animals, Multitude of mobile animal housing units, High pressure spray units, Protective clothing, Meters, Protective transfer boxes, cages, Restraining devices, Portable transfer boxes, cages, Plastic cage racks, Pan racks, Bowl carts, Various trolleys and wagons, Racks, cages, and accessories, Animal transfer units, Bags of food and bedding, Boxes of paper and other supplies, Cleaning supplies, Various types of data records – order forms, slips, and boarding sheets etc.,



Garbage bag holders and containers, Hoses and nozzles, Various hand tools, CO2 cylinder for euthanasia of small rodents

Required Qualifications

Education

- The minimum job requirement is a secondary school diploma and 1 year of post-secondary education in a related field. Ability to follow directions and work with animals and experience handling animals is required. The graduate would normally develop proficiency after a month of direct training with follow-up support over 6 months.

Job Knowledge and Requirements

- The duties, skills, and specialized techniques required include the following: adapt basic knowledge and skills to those required on the job, and properly handle animals.
- The incumbent must lift heavy objects and animals e.g. 30 to 40-kilo bags of feed and caging.
- The animal care service operates 365 days a year, the incumbent may work weekends and holidays along with other staff and technicians. The Associate Director, Animal Care Services will be available during these shifts.
- All individuals working in the animal facility must have a patient, humane and caring attitude towards all animals, and a balanced ethical attitude to the humane use of animals in research, combined with the strength and knowledge to handle them successfully.

Unusual factors affecting the job:

- All individuals working the animal facility may come in contact with: toxic, carcinogenic, teratogenic compounds, infectious microbiological agents, dust, and other allergens.
- There is a requirement to handle animals, which may pose a risk of scratches, bites, and zoonotic agents inherent to the animal.
- The incumbent must use cleaning solutions.

Employment Equity and Accessibility Statement

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen's is strongly committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and encourages applications from Black, racialized persons, Indigenous people, women, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQI persons. In accordance with Canadian Immigration requirements, priority will be given to those who are legally eligible to work in Canada.

The University provides support in its recruitment processes to all applicants who require accommodation due to a protected ground under the Ontario Human Rights Code, including those with disabilities. Candidates requiring accommodation during the recruitment process are asked to contact Human Resources at [email protected].

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📌 Animal Care Helper (Kingston)
🏢 Queen's University
📍 Kingston