Laboratory Animal Caretakers

Due to current testing space limitations, candidates may need to travel to a test site to take this examination. Candidates will be notified of their test site location on their admission notice.

Appointees who work in the five boroughs of New York City or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, or Westchester Counties will receive an additional $3,026 annual downstate adjustment. Appointees who work in Dutchess, Orange, or Putnam Counties will receive an additional $1,513 annual mid-Hudson adjustment.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before October 21, 2023, you must have:

For Exam No. 26-972:

Either 1: one year of full-time experience as a laboratory animal caretaker in a research facility including but not limited to hospitals, universities, institutions, or laboratories;

Or 2: two years of full-time experience in the handling and care of live vertebrate animals in other than a residential setting;

Or 3: 15 or more college semester credit hours* in veterinary medicine, animal husbandry, veterinary technology, or animal science** AND 18 months of full-time experience in the handling and care of live vertebrate animals in other than a residential setting;

Or 4: 30 or more college semester credit hours* in veterinary medicine, animal husbandry, veterinary technology, or animal science** AND one year of full-time experience in the handling and care of live vertebrate animals in other than a residential setting;

Or 5: certification as an Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician or higher by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science AND one year of full-time experience in the handling and care of live vertebrate animals in other than a residential setting.

For Exam No: 26-973:

Either 1: two years of full-time experience as a laboratory animal caretaker in a research facility including but not limited to hospitals, universities, institutions, or laboratories;

Or 2: two years of full-time experience in the handling and care of live vertebrate animals in other than a residential setting AND one year of full-time experience as a laboratory animal caretaker in a research facility including but not limited to hospitals, universities, institutions, or laboratories;

Or 3: 15 or more college semester credit hours* in veterinary medicine, animal husbandry, veterinary technology, or animal science** AND 18 months of full-time experience in the handling and care of live vertebrate animals in other than a residential setting AND one year of full-time experience as a laboratory animal caretaker in a research facility including but not limited to hospitals, universities, institutions, or laboratories;

Or 4: 30 or more college semester credit hours* in veterinary medicine, animal husbandry, veterinary technology, or animal science** AND one year of full-time experience in the handling and care of live vertebrate animals in other than a residential setting AND one year of full-time experience as a laboratory animal caretaker in a research facility including but not limited to hospitals, universities, institutions, or laboratories;

Or 5: certification as an Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician or higher by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science AND one year of full-time experience in the handling and care of live vertebrate animals in other than a residential setting AND one year of full-time experience as a laboratory animal caretaker in a research facility including but not limited to hospitals, universities, institutions, or laboratories.

*You must provide a list of courses you have successfully completed, including the name of the college or university, course title, number of semester credit hours per course, grade, and date received either by listing them on a separate sheet of paper or by attaching a copy of your college transcript. If you are applying online, you must provide this information in the space provided.

**College semester credit hours in other fields will NOT be substituted in lieu of the specific specialized fields of study listed above.

Qualifying experience: For the purpose of this examination, examples of qualifying experience may include, but are not limited to the following: Veterinary Technician, Veterinary Technologist, Veterinary Assistant, Veterinary Laboratory Technician, Veterinary Nurse, Laboratory Animal Caretaker, Non-Residential Animal Care Provider or Caregiver.

Examples of non-qualifying experience include but are not limited to: Experience as a dog walker, pet store cashier, or farmworker (involved in agricultural production) are NOT considered qualifying experience. This list is not all inclusive.

• If you expect to meet the educational requirements by June 30, 2024, you can take the multiple-choice test. You MUST submit proof of successful completion of the educational requirements to the hiring agency at the time of the employment interview or you will not be considered for appointment. Failure to meet the educational requirements by June 30, 2024 may result in your removal from the eligible list.
• Your required educational credentials must have been awarded by an educational institution accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the United States (U.S.) Department of Education/Secretary of Education. If awarded by an institution outside of the U.S. and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of companies that provide these services (fees must be paid to the company you choose) can be found at:http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm.
• If verifiable, we will accept and prorate appropriate part-time and volunteer experience.
• New York State residency is not required.

The Positions: These positions exist in the NYS Department of Health, the NYS Office of Mental Health, and multiple State University of New York campuses throughout New York State.

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Duties

As a Senior Laboratory Animal Caretaker, you would schedule and make work assignments; provide on-the-job training and instructions in the care of animals; assist in the performance of non-routine/difficult tasks; maintain laboratory animal facility, including making daily inspections for animal care, feeding, and cleanliness; monitor for diseases; wash cages and other equipment; perform a variety of administrative activities such as maintaining records and supplies inventories, placing orders, and receiving shipments; and may assist in veterinary care activities. Additionally, you would supervise the work of other laboratory staff and monitor and maintain animal care equipment.

As a Principal Laboratory Animal Caretaker, you woud supervise a staff in breeding, raising, and caring for animals used in laboratory experiments, biological tests, and research; direct day-to-day care of animals housed in a laboratory animal facility, or any related satellite locations or both; serve as direct liaison or coordinator between caretakers, investigators, and other department staff to ensure proper interpretation of their various needs; and may provide assistance in more complex veterinary care activities. In addition, you would be required to perform the duties of the Senior Laboratory Animal Caretaker as necessary.

Note:

• A promotion examination will also be held for these positions. If you are eligible for appointment from a promotion list, you may not be appointed in your own agency from the list resulting from this examination open to the public. Although promotion examinations are being held, it is expected that appointments will be made as a result of the open competitive exam.

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Subject of Examination

To be considered for appointment to this title, you must pass the multiple-choice test. The multiple-choice test evaluates your knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in the following areas:

1. Breeding and diseases of laboratory animals - These questions test the candidate's knowledge of laboratory animal genetics; breeding; immunizations and disease transmission; diseases and parasites; determining the sex of laboratory animals; their reproductive characteristics, litter sizes, and special traits of species used in medical research.
2. Care and handling of laboratory animals - These questions test for knowledge of body sites for tissue sampling and injections; the function of various organs; basic terminology related to laboratory animals; handling techniques; requirements for housing various species; and employee safety in the laboratory animal setting.
3. Record keeping and methods of marking animals - These questions test for the skills needed to take data as presented and enter it on a form according to a set of rules or instructions; to combine or compile the information according to given procedures; and to extract information from the form after it has been given to the candidate. These questions also evaluate the candidate's knowledge of different methods of marking and identifying various species of laboratory animals.
4. Supervision - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in planning, organizing, and controlling the activities of a work unit toward predetermined objectives. The concepts covered, usually in a situational question format, include such topics as assigning and reviewing work; evaluating performance; maintaining work standards; motivating and developing subordinates; implementing procedural change; increasing efficiency; and dealing with problems of absenteeism, morale, and discipline.

Your final score must be 70 or higher in order to pass. Your final score on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime Veterans' and Civil Service Law Section 85-a credits.

Admission to the test: If approved for a multiple-choice test, you will receive an admission notice which will indicate your assigned test date and the way your test will be administered. Your test may be administered with paper and pencil or online at a state test site using a state-provided Chromebook. You cannot request to change your scheduled day or request a specific type of test administration.

Applicants are required to have a Personal NY.gov account and keep their email address up to date. The Department of Civil Service and other state agencies will communicate with you through email correspondence. This may include the notification of your test arrangements, examination results, and canvassing you for interest in appointment. It will be important for you to keep your email address, phone number, and mailing address current by logging into https://www.cs.ny.gov/home/myaccount.

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How To Apply

Additional Information

New York State is an Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the State of New York to provide for and promote equal opportunity employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran or military service member status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, arrest and/or criminal conviction record, or any other category protected by law, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

Appointment to many positions in State government require candidates to undergo an investigative screening. This may include a thorough character investigation, a Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Record History Check, a Child Abuse Registry clearance, or other similar procedures. Candidates may be fingerprinted and may be required to pay any necessary fees for that procedure. Depending on the nature of the job, the criminal convictions discovered, or any falsified or omitted information revealed, the investigative findings may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment.

Eligibility for Employment

You must be legally eligible to work in the United States at the time of appointment and throughout your employment with New York State. If appointed, you must produce documents that establish your identity and eligibility to work in the United States, as required by the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Religious Accommodation

Most multiple-choice tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date, due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the box under “Religious Accommodation.” We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date (usually the following day).

Reasonable Accommodations in Testing

It is the policy of the Department of Civil Service, in accordance with the New York State Human Rights Law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide qualified persons with disabilities equal employment opportunity and equal opportunity to participate in and receive the benefits, services, programs, and activities of the Department. It is the policy of the Department to provide such persons reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications as are necessary to provide equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their application. Further information is available from the Test Administration Unit of the Department of Civil Service. In the Albany area, call 518-457-2487. Outside of the Albany area, call toll free at 1-877-697-5627. For TDD services, call NY Relay at 711 (requires a fee) or 1-800-662-1220.

Admission to Examination

Notice to appear for the test may be conditional as review of applications may not be made until after the test. If you have not received your notice to appear for the multiple-choice test three days before the date of the test, email us at AdmissionNotices@cs.ny.gov. Please provide your first and last name, address, and the last four digits of your social security number, and we will provide you with the information you need to attend your multiple-choice test. If you have an issue other than not receiving your admission notice, please contact our office at (518) 474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627. Please leave a clear concise message and provide your first and last name, last four digits of your social security number and a daytime phone number.

Taking State and Local Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day

If you have applied to take a multiple-choice test announced by either one or several local jurisdictions (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this multiple-choice test, you must notify each of the local jurisdictions no later than two weeks before the test date to make arrangements for taking all tests at one test site. All tests will be held at the state examination center. For your convenience, contact information for all local civil service agencies is available on our website at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/local.cfm.

Cell Phones or Electronic/Communication Devices at the Test Site

The use of cell phones, beepers, headphones, or any electronic or other communication devices at your personal testing site or in the test room, hallways, restrooms, building, grounds, or other areas, except as expressly authorized by the Department of Civil Service, could result in your disqualification.

S3/TC3 SXM-ctc
Issued: 8/4/23

This announcement is subject to amendment or cancellation without notice. Do not copy it, or post it to any other site, but link to it instead.

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