Laboratory Animal Technician Job Description

What Does a Laboratory Animal Technician Do?

For researchers, veterinarians, and the committees that oversee animal studies, laboratory animal technicians ensure the health and comfort of the mice, rats, fish and other animals in their care. They make sure that care protocols are followed, and cages, food and water are clean and checked on time. The work usually takes place in university animal facilities, drug company labs and government research centers.

Also known as: Senior Animal Technician, Lab Animal Care Technician, Lab Animal Health Technician, Animal Technologist, Animal Technician

Laboratory Animal Technician Duties and Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of a laboratory animal technician include:

• Check every cage daily for food, water, bedding and signs of illness or injury.
• Change cages and bedding on schedule and run soiled racks through the cage washer.
• Record health observations, census counts and room temperatures in the facility database.
• Report sick or injured animals to the attending veterinarian and give treatments as directed.
• Set up breeding pairs, wean litters and keep colony records for genetically modified mouse lines.
• Weigh animals, collect blood or urine samples and assist researchers with study procedures.
• Follow protocols approved by the IACUC, the committee that reviews animal studies, and every gowning rule.
• Sanitize rooms, racks and equipment and restock feed, bedding and protective gear.
• Provide enrichment such as nesting material and shelters that let animals behave naturally.
• Show new technicians safe handling, restraint and barrier procedures in senior grades.

Required Skills and Qualifications

To succeed as a laboratory animal technician, you will need the following skills and qualifications:

• AALAS certification (ALAT, LAT or LATG)
• Gentle, confident handling and restraint of rodents and rabbits
• Aseptic technique and barrier gowning
• Colony management software and careful record-keeping
• A sharp eye for early signs of distress
• Stamina for lifting cages and working on your feet all shift
• Comfort with the ethics of animal research
• Reliability for weekend and holiday rotations

Education and Training

Laboratory animal technicians usually learn on the job after a high school diploma, but some start out by working as kennel hands or veterinary assistants. Many facilities expect new staff to become AALAS certified. With experience, you could progress from the entry grade to senior technician or technologist, or move into supervising a facility's animal care staff.

Salary and Job Outlook

According to BLS, employment of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers is projected to grow about 9 percent from 2025 to 2035. Those figures cover veterinary assistants too, so many of the roughly 23,200 openings a year will be in animal clinics. Hiring in research often is tied to the state of grant funding, but technicians will be needed as long as universities and drug makers run animal studies.

Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers.