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What is a laboratory animal technician and how to become one
Laboratory animal technicians study and care for a variety of animals used in research programs in medical or scientific laboratories. These animals include mice, rats, reptiles, dogs, and primates. They ensure their facility adheres to all animal welfare guidelines and standards. They prepare and sterilize laboratory equipment, disinfect cages, prepare work areas and samples. Additionally, they track the histories of the animals, give them medications, and monitor their behavior, weights, and sizes. Also, they gather and analyze data and maintain the related database.
The minimum educational requirement for this job is a high school diploma. However, many applicants have an associate's or bachelor's degree in animal science, biology, or a related discipline. Applicants must be observant, compassionate, patient, and a good communicator. You can find employment at colleges, universities, government agencies, labs, private research facilities, biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical companies, and so on. Your salary ranges from $24,000 to $37,000 with an hourly rate of $14.66.
What general advice would you give to a laboratory animal technician?
Donna Bouley DVM, PhD
PROFESSOR OF COMPARATIVE MEDICINE, Stanford University
Avg. Salary $30,382
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 20%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.27%
Asian 2.06%
Black or African American 2.66%
Hispanic or Latino 10.86%
Unknown 6.84%
White 77.31%
Genderfemale 62.49%
male 37.51%
Age - 31American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 31Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is excellent
6.4 - fair
Laboratory animal technician career paths
Key steps to become a laboratory animal technician
Explore laboratory animal technician education requirements
Start to develop specific laboratory animal technician skills
Skills Percentages Animal Handling 11.05% Animal Husbandry 9.72% Research Animals 5.29% Cleanliness 4.86% Technical Procedures 4.68% Complete relevant laboratory animal technician training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New laboratory animal technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a laboratory animal technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real laboratory animal technician resumes.Obtain the necessary licensing
Becoming a licensed laboratory animal technician usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed laboratory animal technician in most of states. 30 states require laboratory animal technicians to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.State Education Exam License url Alabama - - Licensed Veterinarian Technician Kansas Degree required Third-party exam required Veterinary Technicians Kentucky Degree required Third-party exam required Veterinary Technologist/Technician Alaska Degree required Third-party exam required Veterinary Technician Arkansas Degree required Third-party exam required Veterinary Technician Gain additional laboratory animal technician certifications
More About CertificationsLaboratory animal technician certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific laboratory animal technician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for laboratory animal technicians include Laboratory Animal Technician (LAT) and Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT/RALAT).
Research laboratory animal technician duties and responsibilities
- Manage the crossing activities to meet the target number of F1 seed, including quality control and purity.
- Conduct daily internal audits/inspections to ensure lab are in compliance with IACUC, GLP and FDA regulations.
- Register animal lab technician and member of AALAS.
- Maintain lab records in accordance to USDA standards.
Prepare your laboratory animal technician resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your laboratory animal technician resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a laboratory animal technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable laboratory animal technician resume templates
Build a professional laboratory animal technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your laboratory animal technician resume.
Apply for laboratory animal technician jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a laboratory animal technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first laboratory animal technician job
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Average laboratory animal technician salary
The average laboratory animal technician salary in the United States is $30,382 per year or $15 per hour. Laboratory animal technician salaries range between $22,000 and $40,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do laboratory animal technicians rate their job?
Laboratory animal technician reviews
What i really love about animal care is i will learn much more about them and will get to know much more.
N/a
Updated January 8, 2025
