Penn State Job Catalog

The defined natural career progression within or between job profiles.

Veterinary Technologist

Veterinary Technologists work with animals confined to conventional, barrier, quarantine, or specialized biohazard housing. Animals may include livestock, equine, aquatics, rodents/rabbits/other wildlife; tasks may require handling of acute, chronic, and infectious diseases. Responsibilities involve research project participation; monitoring animals and recording health data; following medical treatment plans; assisting during surgical and necropsy procedures; managing controlled drug inventory, census records, and sentinel surveillance programs.

• Participate as research project member; assist with experimental design and treatment management plans; perform standard veterinary technical procedures; record observations, assessments, and treatments; ensure accountability for data and specimen collection
• Work closely with clinical veterinarians and research staff to perform daily health assessments, assist with physical exams, perform experimental manipulations, administer treatment as instructed, and react to life-threatening emergencies
• Coordinate surgical suite activities; act as circulating nurse during procedures; monitor anesthesia, record vitals; maintain surgery audit
• Maintain controlled drug inventory; order, receive, dispense, and secure; perform drug calculations and dilutions; assist PIs with DEA forms
• Manage selective and other breeding colonies, sentinel surveillance programs, and animal census records
• Facilitate necropsy procedures and histological evaluations; assist with serologic and microbiologic examinations, tissue/organ harvesting
• Follow IACUC, IRB, DEA, USDA and other research and regulatory protocols, policies, guidelines, and procedures
• Participate in committee meetings; create/revise SOP's, policies, guidelines, training, and course material; conduct training
• Execute environmental stewardship; evaluate, plan for, and oversee equipment and facility maintenance; recommend equipment purchases; participate in facility renovations and upgrade projects as directed
• May supervise staff, including hiring and performance management

Level:

– Senior Supervisor

Base Description:

– Supervises direct reports, but primarily completes activities, tasks, and/or projects of a functional nature.

Level Summary:

– Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge to perform own work; spends majority of time on tasks related to own job responsibilities. May demonstrate subject matter expertise. Demonstrates intermediate to advanced planning, organizing, directing, and facilitating skills. Demonstrates the ability to coach assigned employees. Assigns and reviews completed work to verify accuracy, quality, and adherence to professional standards. Trains, coaches, mentors, and motivates staff. Anticipates potential problems, issues, and opportunities; researches and recommends solutions within defined policies. May develop creative recommendations for solving problems.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Typically oversees at least 2 full–time direct reports or equivalent team of part–time and/or student workers (for Professional track, performs work at the Senior Professional level or higher)

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– May validate and pay invoices
– Monitors and tracks budgets for specific area and/or grant(s)
– May assist in planning and forecasting budgets

Problem Solving:

– Encounters moderately complex problems
– Applies general precedents and practices and specialized knowledge and skills to resolve problems
– Understands benefits, limitations and impact of potential solutions
– Anticipates potential problems and recommends possible solutions within general guidelines

Independence of Action:

– Works independently on moderately complex work assignments, reviews progress, and evaluates results
– Organizes work of direct reports and sets team priorities
– Reviews the work of others to verify accuracy, quality, and adherence to professional standards

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates internally within working unit and the University
– Communicates with external audiences for scheduling/coordination
– May communicate with external audiences for business purposes
– Collaborates closely with team members; may interact with other staff outside of area
– Utilizes a communication style that is appropriate for a given situation
– Interprets and communicates information, ideas and instructions clearly, accurately and persuasively both verbally and in written materials intended for distribution

• Comp Grade – 7
• Minimum – $46,400.00
• MidPoint – $56,800.00
• Maximum – $67,300.00

• Data entry
• Data management
• Data validation
• Document management
• Inventory management
• Policy analysis
• Procedure development
• Project Management
• Records management
• Report writing
• Research methods