Manager, Animal Resources Program
- Employer
- Vassar College
- Location
- New York, United States
- Salary
- Salary Not specified
- Date posted
- Feb 23, 2021
View more
- Position Type
- Faculty Positions, Science, Technology & Mathematics, Agriculture & Animal Sciences
- Employment Level
- Administrative
- Employment Type
- Full Time
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Vassar College
Manager, Animal Resources Program
Department: Dean of the Faculty Office
Duration of Position: Full year / Full time
Work Schedule:
Employee Type: Administrator
Posting Date: 02/22/2021
Union Representation: Not Applicable
Posting Number: AS041P
Pay Rate:
About Vassar College
Located in the scenic Mid-Hudson Valley, Vassar College is a highly selective, residential, coeducational liberal arts college. Vassar is strongly committed to fostering a community that reflects the values of a liberal arts education and to promoting an environment of equality, inclusion and respect for difference. Vassar College is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer, and applications from members of historically underrepresented groups are especially encouraged. Vassar College is a smoke-free, tobacco-free campus.
Position Summary and Responsibilities
This position will provide leadership and oversight in developing and directing an effective, efficient, innovative, and compliant animal care program that responds to and meets Vassar's diverse and dynamic research and teaching priorities. This position requires a broad and contemporary knowledge base in animal-based research methodology and applications for both traditional and non-model systems, industry-specific equipment and technology, specialized animal care requirements, and regulatory requirements. The Manager, who reports to the Associate Dean of the Faculty, is responsible for the training, oversight and evaluation of work performance of the animal care staff that perform daily care and housing of multiple species.
This position is responsible for the management of all activities related to laboratory animal research and facility oversight to ensure compliance with federal and state regulatory guidelines and institutional policies. The Manager's primary duties include working closely with the Consulting Veterinarian, faculty, staff, and students who conduct animal research within the constraints of the regulatory bodies and to enforce Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) policies to protect animal welfare. The Manager is responsible for administration of the budget and for maintaining records and reports, including IACUC records. This position is responsible for post-approval monitoring and ensuring that adequate training of all individuals is current.
The Manager must be familiar with the Animal Welfare Act, Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and the IACUC Guidebook for animal research. The Manager serves as the technical leader of animal care staff responsible for the care of animals and the animal resource facility. This position provides animal care expertise to support the Animal Care Technician and the faculty developing methods and protocols involving animals. A willingness and enthusiasm for gaining additional knowledge and skills in the area of regulatory compliance in the sciences more broadly is a trajectory for this position.
Responsibilities:
- Supervise staff when caring, feeding, watering, cleaning, and
breeding rats, mice, birds, frogs and crickets; annotating animal
data for record keeping; and providing medical treatment to animals
to complement the Animal Care Technician and Consulting
Veterinarian. The position is responsible for providing supervision
and guidance to personnel and operations to ensure the care and
well-being of laboratory animals, facilities, and the animal
environment. The position is also responsible for the evaluation of
work performance of the staff, as per Vassar College's staff
management requirements.
- Manage and monitor the budget of the animal facility, providing
periodic reports to the Associate Dean of the Faculty, and ensuring
that the overall size of the animal program aligns with the
constraints of the budget.
- Provide reports and applications as needed, to assist the Chair
of the IACUC; maintain IACUC records and keep protocols up to date.
Coordinate with the IACUC to develop and implement Institutional
Animal Care and Use policies, programs, and standard operating
procedures to comply with federal and state regulations. One goal
is to seek AAALAC accreditation, so knowledge or experience of this
process is valuable.
- Pre-review submissions to the IACUC and conduct post-approval
monitoring of research protocols.
- Generate, along with the Animal Care Technician, and maintain
all SOP and documents to ensure the facility meets all applicable
college, state and federal regulations.
- Communicate with the Consulting Veterinarian, IACUC, Animal
Care Technician, and research faculty to provide the most effective
operation of the animal facility for the scientists and
students.
- Knowledge of the sex, maturity and normal appearance and
activities of animals.
- Knowledge of abnormal appearance and behavior of animals (i.e.
characteristics, external lesions, rate of growth, weight loss,
appetite, feces, etc.) to recognize when an animal is ill or
injured.
- Perform quality controls, assure corrections of errors (incl. documentation), identify potential problems and optimize quality control.
Qualifications
- B.S. degree in a life science discipline, Animal Science or
related field required, with a minimum of 5 years of experience in
laboratory animal research. LATG certification is a minimum level
of expertise, with CMAR certification preferred.
- Prior supervisory and management experience essential, minimum
of 4 years preferable. Prior leadership experience is
preferred.
- Knowledgeable of regulatory issues in animal care and use, as
described above, essential.
- Experience with managing a sizable budget essential.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to develop
important relationships with researchers.
- Prior experience with genetically engineered mouse models.
Understand basic genetics. Familiarity with different breeding
paradigms for rats, mice, birds and crickets.
- Skilled in animal handling and veterinary health assessments of vertebrate animals. Skilled in basic surgery techniques a plus. Basic animal dosing and necropsy skills.
Special Instructions to Applicants
To complete your on-line application, you will be required to attach your resume, cover letter, and contact information for 3 professional references. All attachments must be in PDF format. Review of applications will begin immediately. If you have any questions, please contact Human Resources, 845-437-5820.
For full consideration applicants should apply by:
All applicants must apply online at: https://employment.vassar.edu/postings/1773.
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