Job Description

Position Summary:

The Department of Clinical Sciences mission is to assure the health and productivity of animals to meet societal needs through high quality educational programs for professional veterinary medical students, graduates veterinarians, and the public through a faculty and veterinary medical center of excellence, and to advance and disseminate comparative biomedical knowledge in environment of interdisciplinary collaboration.

This position is a Research Associate I within Preclinical Surgical Research Laboratory (PSRL) under the Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University. This position will perform/oversee animal care/animal husbandry tasks with LAR veterinarians as well as cleaning, organizing, restocking the presurgical prep and barn areas, and ensuring GLP compliance with animal care documentation. This position will work closely with PSRL staff for enhanced postoperative monitoring and care of research animals as well as record keeping. This individual must be a team player that is able to take direction well and efficiently complete required tasks. This is a salaried position requiring a minimum of 40hrs of work per week.

The posting will remain open until filled. To ensure full consideration, please apply by Monday, June 8, 2026, 12:00 AM (MT).

Moving stipend may be negotiated for success candidate at the time of offer.

Essential Job Duties:

Large Animal Care and Surgical Support

• Provide comprehensive care for large animals, including surgical and imaging preparation, surgical assistance, intraoperative imaging and data collection, operative record

Necropsy

• Support necropsy procedures under veterinary supervision, including euthanasia preparation, specimen collection per study protocols, and proper specimen transfer for research integrity

GLP Compliance

• Assist Study Coordinators and Directors with daily study tasks while ensuring high-quality animal care and accurate data documentation in compliance with GLP guidelines

Rabbit and Rodents Animal Care and Surgical Support

• Deliver care for rabbits and rodents, including surgical and imaging preparation, surgical assistance, intraoperative imaging, data collection, record completion, and post-operative monitoring to ensure animal health and safety

Student Training

• Train and support student employees in animal care procedures and related responsibilities while maintaining compliance with established protocols and guidelines

Conditions of Employment:

• Pre-employment Criminal Background Check

Supervision: N/A

Minimum Education:

• B.S. in Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Animal Sciences, or similar field

Minimum Experience:

• Preclinical laboratory setting

• Maintenance and documentation forms and study record organization

Preferred Job Qualifications:

• Trained in Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) guidelines

• ​Experience with animal husbandry, preoperative and postoperative treatment of sheep and goats in a research setting; additional experience with rabbits and rodents is a plus 

• ​Skilled in documentation of monitoring, health, and procedure records for animals in a research setting.

• ​Experience working with and training undergraduate students on animal care and surgical preparation

• ​Previous work experience with animal medicine handling, preparation, and administration.

• ​Knowledge of tractor and trailer transportation of animals

• ​Able to assist with surgeries, including sterile techniques

• ​Knowledgeable in biosecurity procedures

• Able to perform Necropsies and processing of samples for research

Salary Range

Required Application Documents

To apply, please upload the following applicant documents. Ensure your materials fully address the required and preferred job qualifications of the position. Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.

Employee Benefits

Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it’s a thriving community that’s transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.

• Review our detailed benefits information here.

• Explore the additional perks of working at CSU here.

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Background Check Policy Statement

Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

EEO

Colorado State University (CSU) provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.