Animal Care Technician III - Feeder

The Emmons Blaine Arlington Dairy Research Center is part of the Integrated Dairy Facilities for the Agricultural Research Stations at UW-Madison. This industry leading facility was built in 2008, and is home to 500 milking cows, roughly 100 dry cows, and 100 neo-natal calves. This sand bedded freestall dairy facility, in the heart of the Arlington Ag Research Station just 20 miles north of Madison, allows for the completion of pen-based nutrition work, mammary and reproductive physiology research, welfare and behavioral sciences studies, calf growth research, transition cow management projects, and individual animal intake information.

This Animal Care Technician III - Feeder position is a lead worker position at Blaine Dairy. The individual filling this position will work independently to accurately prepare, blend, and deliver cow rations with strict attention to detail and weight measurements. Doing this will require the operation of large equipment including, but not limited to, tractors, vertical mixers, commodity bins, and skidloaders. In addition, this lead position requires this incumbent to properly train other employees on the operation and safety of large equipment they may be asked to utilize. This individual will also be responsible for taking the lead on maintaining the day-to-day operation of the sand reclamation system to ensure high quality recycled bedding material is available for use. The sand reclamation system does require routine maintenance scheduled by this lead worker and also may require emergency response during outages. The individual in this position will need to be prepared to respond to sand building emergencies as they arise or work directly with the management team on coordinating the response in this person's absence. The individual in this position may be asked to assist the herd health team when operational need calls for it. The incumbent must be skilled at following written and oral instructions as directed by management and research protocols. The individual in this role must be able to work independently, and communicate effectively with fellow lead workers, the management team, researcher conducting experiments on site, and veterinary staff on the current happenings of their area, and provide their impressions of overall feed quality, nutritional status, and general animal health and well-being as needed.

• Inspects, maintains, and initiates complex repairs to equipment to ensure optimal and safe operation

• Cleans and maintains organization of animal holding spaces

• Observes animal behavior, performs animal care, and reports concerns to the appropriate entities to contribute to the health and well-being of animals in support of research and instruction

• Collects samples from animals and administers medications, injections, and treatments according to established protocols and procedures to be used for diagnostic and research

• Maintains organization of and updates records related to work unit procedures

• Prepares food and formulas and feeds animals according to established schedules and specifications

• Leads the day-to day operational activities of an animal care work unit and facilitates staff training as needed

• Tracks inventory levels of animal supplies and places replenishment orders

ARS - Emmons Blaine Dairy, Arlington, WI

Schedule:

This position will work a rotating schedule to maintain 40 hours per week, with four 10 hour work days each week. An every other weekend rotation will be required, and some holiday assignments. General shift schedule will be from 4:30 AM - 3:00 PM. This lead position will require some on-call after hour duties as needed for emergencies.

-Full training provided during the first year on the job

-Willingness to learn, work hard and contribute positively to the work team

-Effective Communication Skills

-Ability to interpret and follow written and oral instructions

-Ability to work safely in an agricultural environment especially as it pertains to working around large equipment and large livestock species

-Basic techniques and principles involved in handling dairy cows

-Skills in operating equipment to perform farm work

-Ability to recognize and interpret daily variations in feed intake, milk yield, and body weights

-Skills in general maintenance of equipment or the ability to recognize when maintenance is needed

-Willingness to learn and adapt to new equipment and routines as required by research

-Knowledge of the nutrient requirements of dairy cattle and neo-natal calves

-Understanding of the regulations related to the sanitation procedures required in the production of milk for human consumption

-Ability to effectively lead others, along with the capacity to work and interact with students, faculty, and the public in a professional manner

H.S. Diploma Preferred Minimum

Click on the "Apply Online" button to start the application process. You will be prompted to upload the following documents/Application Materials:

Resume (required) - Detail your educational and professional background

Cover Letter (optional) - Refer to your related work experience

Your application materials will be used during our evaluation to determine your qualifications as they relate to the job. The most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas at this time.

Wesley Bollinger, HR Generalist (wesley.bollinger@wisc.edu or 608-890-2902).

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