JOB PROFILE
Position #00035796, 00035807
TITLE: LABORATORY OFFICER, POST MORTEM
CLASSIFICATION: LHSO 21
MINISTRY: AGRICULTURE
WORK UNIT: PLANT AND ANIMAL HEALTH BRANCH
SUPERVISOR TITLE: LEADER – VETERINARY SCIENCES
SUPERVISOR POSITION #: 00060321
CONTEXT
The Plant and Animal Health Branch provides veterinary diagnostic laboratory and disease investigation
services for the Province of British Columbia. The Animal Health Centre is the provincial veterinary diagnostic
laboratory and, as a major part of the Plant and Animal Health Branch, has the mandate to provide diagnostic,
monitoring, investigative, surveillance and regulatory programs for the livestock, poultry and finfish production
industries of British Columbia.
JOB OVERVIEW
This position is responsible for ensuring the safe, efficient operation of the necropsy and its equipment
including cleaning and disinfecting the necropsy room and maintaining inventories of supplies. This position
follows standard procedures for preparing whole animals for necropsy examination, receiving and processing
specimens and safely disposing of biological materials.
ACCOUNTABILITIES
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Prepares whole animals for necropsy examination. Examines external appearance of specimens, notes
and records any abnormalities and assists in necropsy examination by removing various organs.
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Independently performs preliminary necropsy of aborted feti, monitoring birds and day-old chickens,
and harvests tissues for routine fish health checks or submitted cases.
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Performs intravenous blood collection, sedation and euthanasia techniques on live animals as
necessary.
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Collects and prepares organ, blood, fluid, and tissue samples and forwards samples to other sections
(e.g. bacteriology, virology, histology, and toxicology) for analysis.
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Prepares fixed tissue samples for histologic processing. Performs routine cleaning of fume hood and
stocking of required equipment and fixatives, decalcifying solutions, archiving and disposing of tissues.
Recycles and safely disposes of spent fixatives.
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Independently performs and reports results of parasite identification using fecal floatation, von
Baermann technique, Trichinella procedures, and direct microscopic examination.
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Conduct tests requiring advanced, specialized training such as slide preparation techniques.
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Receives, identifies, records and labels accessions. Obtains history of specimen and ensures documents
contain all required information. Retrieves and unloads whole animals manually or with electric hoist.
Reviewed by:
Date:
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Cleans and disinfects Necropsy room per Standard Operating Procedures, MSDS and WHMIS protocols
to ensure effective and environmentally safe decontamination of pathogenic organisms. Disposes of
animals and organs via cremation to prevent environmental contamination and spread of pathogens.
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Maintains complete inventory and usage records of narcotics, as per provincial and federal laws.
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Packages tissue samples to send to other laboratories for testing (e.g. toxicology) observing
Transportation of Dangerous Goods standards and regulations.
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May participate in special projects, as required.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
Education, Experience and Certification:
 Certified as an Animal Health Technologist.
 Minimum one (1) year experience in the animal health technology field.
 Experience performing veterinary parasitological techniques and identifications.
 Experience working with animal anatomy, physiology and animal pathogens, including zoonotic
agents.
 Experience working with agricultural species (mammalian and avian) in addition to companion species.
 Experience working with Standard Operating Procedures.
 Experience with procedures used for disinfection/decontamination, including MSDS and WHMIS
protocols.
 Preference may be given to post-mortem experience.
Knowledge/Skills and Abilities:
 Knowledge of animal anatomy, physiology and animal pathogens, including zoonotic agents.
 Knowledge of procedures used for disinfection/decontamination, including MSDS and WHMIS
protocols.
 Ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing.
 Ability to operate a variety of technical equipment including crane, band saw, reciprocating saw and
striker saw.
BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES
 Service Orientation implies a desire to identify and serve customers/clients, who may include the
public, co-workers, other branches/divisions, other ministries/agencies, other government
organizations, and non-government organizations. It means focusing one’s efforts on discovering and
meeting the needs of the customer/client.
 Results Orientation is a concern for surpassing a standard of excellence. The standard may be one’s
own past performance (striving for improvement); an objective measure (achievement orientation);
challenging goals that one has set; or even improving or surpassing what has already been done
(continuous improvement). Thus, a unique accomplishment also indicates a Results Orientation.
 Teamwork and Co-operation is the ability to work co-operatively within diverse teams, work groups
and across the organization to achieve group and organizational goals. It includes the desire and ability
to understand and respond effectively to other people from diverse backgrounds with diverse views.
Provisos:
Reviewed by:
Date:
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A successful criminal records check is required.
Must meet safety standards of Work Safe BC including WHMIS and Transportation of Dangerous Goods
training.
Must be in good physical condition and able to deal with demanding physical requirements of working
in the Necropsy area (e.g., bending, lifting, pushing, and pulling, etc.).
Must be able to perform frequent repetitive motions (e.g., grasping, cutting, etc.) using instruments
and tools.
Must be able to stand or walk for long periods of time on wet concrete surfaces.
Reviewed by:
Date: