Animal Care Supervisor Job Description

Salary Range

Varies by employer

Experience

Some animal care experience, under 5 years

Work Environment

Research animal facility or veterinary hospital

What Does an Animal Care Supervisor Do?

Whether a facility houses mice for medical research or dogs and horses at a veterinary school, many institutions rely on an animal care supervisor to make sure every animal is fed, housed and handled properly. The supervisor schedules the caretaking team, checks animal health and records, and keeps the facility ready for federal inspections and accreditation visits.

Also known as: Lab Animal Care Supervisor, Lab Animal Facilities Supervisor, Animal Facilities Supervisor, Veterinary Care Supervisor

Other Job Titles for This Work

Workers in this occupation report titles such as Adult Family Home Program Manager, Aquatics Supervisor, Bar and Restaurant Manager, Clinical Care Coordinator, Clinical Coordinator, Clinical Services Program Manager, Direct Care Supervisor, Housekeeping Supervisor.

Animal Care Supervisor Duties and Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of an animal care supervisor include:

• Schedule caretakers for daily feeding, cage changes and weekend and holiday coverage.
• Inspect animal rooms each day for health problems, water and food supply, and cleanliness.
• Report sick or injured animals to the attending veterinarian and follow up on treatment.
• Make sure husbandry follows approved IACUC protocols and the facility's standard operating procedures.
• Prepare for USDA inspections and AAALAC accreditation site visits, and fix any findings.
• Train new staff in handling, restraint, biosecurity and personal protective equipment.
• Order feed, bedding and supplies, and track stock against the facility budget.
• Monitor room temperature, humidity and light cycles, and respond to alarms after hours.
• Oversee cage-wash operations and check that sanitation equipment reaches required temperatures.
• Keep census, health and husbandry records ready for researchers and auditors.

Required Skills and Qualifications

To succeed as an animal care supervisor, you will need the following skills and qualifications:

• AALAS certification at the LAT or LATG level
• Animal Welfare Act and IACUC procedures
• Species knowledge, from rodents to larger animals
• Biosecurity and PPE practice
• Scheduling and leading a caretaking team
• Accurate record keeping
• Calm, humane handling
• Physical stamina and comfort with cleaning work

Education and Training

With experience, caretakers can progress from animal technician to lead technician and then supervisor. In addition to hands-on experience, most research employers look for AALAS certification, often at the technician or technologist level. BLS counts this job among first-line supervisors of personal service workers, a broad group where a high school diploma and less than five years of related work are typical.

Salary and Job Outlook

According to BLS, employment of first-line supervisors of personal service workers is projected to grow about 6 percent from 2025 to 2035. That group also covers supervisors in many other service trades, so it is only a rough guide here. BLS expects roughly 12,000 openings a year. Research institutions and veterinary schools tend to fill supervisor posts from their own certified technicians.

Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, First-line supervisors of personal service workers.

Animal Care Supervisor Pay Range

Highest-Paying States for Animal Care Supervisors

The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are Rhode Island ($60,680), Washington ($59,980), New York ($58,900), Vermont ($58,490), Oregon ($58,240). Pay is lowest in West Virginia ($38,120), Mississippi ($37,910), Oklahoma ($37,390).

What the Work Is Like

O*NET surveys people who work as first-line supervisors of personal service workers about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:

• 100% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
• 86% use email every day
• 84% are on the phone every day
• 80% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important

Education Workers Say the Job Needs

Tools and Software Animal Care Supervisors Use

Tools and equipment

• Automated external defibrillators AED
• Computer laser printers
• Desktop computers
• Laptop computers
• Multi-line telephone systems
• Personal computers
• Photocopying equipment

Software

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Word
• Inventory management systems
• Point of sale POS software
• Timekeeping software
• Web browser software
• Work scheduling software

Is This Job a Good Fit for You?

People who do well in this job tend to enjoy leading, persuading and making business decisions as well as organized work with data, records and clear procedures.

Skills O*NET rates most important: Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Time Management.

Knowledge areas used most: Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Administration and Management, Public Safety and Security, Psychology.

Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 3 of 5, which means medium preparation.

Related Careers

These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:

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Applying for an Animal Care Supervisor Job

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