Animal caretaker

• Daily care of the animals, including feeding, providing drinking water, cage changes, bedding, and enrichment materials.
• Daily observation of animal welfare and health, with timely reporting of illness, injuries, mortality, or abnormal behavior.
• Maintenance, cleaning, and disinfection of animal rooms, cages, and accessories in accordance with applicable hygiene and safety regulations.
• Support in breeding mice and associated technical interventions, such as monitoring breeding pairs, litters, and breeding data.
• Support colony management and animal planning based on the needs of research groups.
• Perform genotyping activities, including correct animal identification, collection and registration of samples, and monitoring traceability.
• Conduct quality controls and accurately record care, breeding, and follow-up tasks.
• Maintain records of delivered and bred animals, feed, and relevant colony data.
• Work according to applicable SOPs, safety, and welfare guidelines for a uniform operation of the animal facility.
• Weekly reporting to the operational manager and constructive collaboration with colleagues, veterinarians, and researchers.
• Willingness to follow and, where necessary, establish and maintain SOPs in Dutch and English.

What they ask

• Minimum of a higher secondary education diploma or a bachelor's degree (e.g., animal care) or equivalent.
• Certificate in laboratory animal science (FELASA B or equivalent).
• Fluent communication skills in Dutch and English.
• MS Office skills (Outlook, Teams, Excel, Word).
• Willingness to strictly follow safety, hygiene, and biosafety procedures and to work in a BSL2 infrastructure.
• Willingness to perform weekend shifts (one day per month) and necessary continuity services (during leave periods).
• Work accurately, procedurally, and quality-consciously, with particular attention to correct identification, registration, and traceability of animals and samples.
• Remain calm and meticulous under pressure, maintaining work quality even during busy periods.
• Communicate clearly and collaborate constructively and collegially with colleagues and other stakeholders.
• Be flexible and adapt easily to changing circumstances, priorities and operational needs.
• Willingness to perform physical and repetitive tasks.
• Take responsibility for the correct and timely execution of assigned tasks.
• Take initiative, report points of attention in a timely manner, and work proactively and results-oriented.