Animal Care Technician

Objective:

Follow directions of farm management and protocols to the best of employee's ability for maximum production, efficiency and profit-ability.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Learn and develop individual skills based on work requirements in the employee's designated work area
  • Follow all production protocols and procedures to maximize sow and gilt production & efficiencies
  • Learn specialized skills necessary for smooth work flow
  • Become a skilled employee in animal husbandry to reduce stress of herd and maximize production
  • Follow daily task sheets in the department to achieve production targets
  • Complete production paperwork accurately and timely
• Communicate effectively with area employees and farm management
  • Follow task sheets and time frames to stay on task and meet time schedules during the workday
  • Give daily input to lead person in area on production and animal health concerns
  • Learn how individual performance affects the finances of the organization and participate with area employees to maximize production and efficiency in areas the employees affect
• Complete production paperwork accurately and on time
  • Work with farm management to ensure completion of all work related injury paperwork and participate as necessary in accident investigation
  • Daily recording of monitored production items
• Bio-Security Adherence
  • Adhere to all bio-security protocols and give input to lead person in area for items out of compliance
  • Work with other team employees in designated area to ensure bio-security audit deficiencies are corrected and brought into compliance in a timely basis
• Safe Working Environment
  • Follow all safety procedures and guidelines
  • Make sure all safety equipment is in place and utilize equipment as required
  • Learn and utilize accident prevention measures for designated area
  • Consistently monitor animal welfare procedures in designated area
• Ventilation Controls
  • Be aware of area ventilation system and if it is in good working order
  • Regularly monitor the environment and provide input to lead person in area to achieve optimum comfort for the animals
• Facility Maintenance
  • The facility must be maintained and well kept
  • Complete routine maintenance as assigned on a daily basis
  • Communicate non-routine repairs to lead in area
  • Keep gestation area clean and organized

MARGINAL FUNCTIONS

Other duties and projects as assigned by lead person in area and farm management

POSITION SPECIFICATIONS

Education: High School Diploma or GED Preferred

Experience: No Experience Required, 1 Years Livestock Experience with High School Diploma Preferred

Training: My Pipestone New Hire Courses

• Introduction
• Animal Welfare
• Biosecurity
• Employee Handbook
• PQA
• Safety
• Additional Position Related My Pipestone Assigned
• Monthly Animal Welfare, Biosecurity and Safety Topics
• Annual Safety Refresher Training

Work Environment:

• Agricultural swine environment in rural area
• Noise levels that require hearing protection in some areas gestation, farrowing, and small swine care processes

Physical Requirements:

• Standing, walking and ability to be on feet 8 to 10 hours per day
• Frequent bending, reaching, squatting and kneeling
• Frequent use of one or both hands/arms to grasp or pull
• Frequent lifting of objects weighing 3-20 pounds
• Occasional bending while pulling and/or lifting objects weighing up to 50 pounds, or requiring up to 50 pounds of force to move
• Occasional bending while pulling and/or lifting objects weighing up to 100 pounds or requiring up to 100 pounds of force to move with the assistance of another person as needed
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
• Must be able to print and/or write legibly

Additional Requirements: Must be able to work weekends and have reliable method of transportation to get to work