Supervisor Laboratory Animal Husbandry

Jo b Summary

The full- time, in-person, Animal Husbandry Supervisor reports to the Facility Manager / Director of the Center. This position assists with the supervision of daily husbandry in the laboratory animal facilities and performs husbandry duties as needed. This position entails front-line supervision of daily work production and provides husbandry staff with daily direction. The husbandry supervisor conducts staff training and development and troubleshoots problems, issues, and concerns (equipment issues, husbandry procedures, personnel problems) of a routine nature. May act as a functional manager in the absence of the manager.

Supervisor y Responsibilities

• Serves as a full- time working supervisor and team leader of all SASC animal care staff. Assists Facility Manager to coach, lead and train staff to ensure that the laboratory animals receive proper care, that staffing levels are appropriate, and that the facilities are maintained and operated in compliance with applicable regulations including Animal Welfare Regulations, policies, and protocols. Conducts on- going staff development including leading some staff meetings.
• Oversees the daily workflow of direct reports at assigned facility. Performs general administrative duties.
• Provides learning opportunities by delegating assignments to student employees to support their development and provides constructive feedback which may include issuing appropriate corrective action, counseling, or formal actions; monitors quantity and quality of work performed and in accordance with SOPs.
• Sets daily operational goals and initiatives for direct reports, communicates assigned duties verbally and in writing.
• Schedules staff, monitors attendance, processes payroll. Conducts scouting, interviewing and makes some of the hiring decisions.
• Shows initiative by making suggestions to lead improved work processes. Participates in leadership meetings.
  
  

Essentia l Duties And Responsibilities

• Animal Husbandry: Provides animal care and oversees the daily work of the staff at assigned site for the day. Performs feeding, watering, and observations of animals and cage cleaning. Operates vivarium equipment including cage washers, floor machines, etc. Maintains animal census records and other animal care records. Performs end-of–day quality control checks of animal rooms and records.
• Animal Health: Alerts Facility Manager and/or veterinary staff on animal health related matters and maintains health logs. Provides veterinary assistance for treatments and procedures on animals. Breeds, weans and euthanizes animals.
• Research/Teaching Support: as required but not limited to- obtains supplies, transports animals, restrains, weighs or doses animals, and collects samples. Provides access for students doing work in the lab and assists with tour groups and community outreach activities (A-Day, Kids camps, etc.). Participates in program reviews, regulatory site visits and inspections for IACUC and USDA.
• Physical Environment: Maintains a current awareness of regulatory requirements pertaining to the housing of animals and maintains compliance with applicable regulations. Performs general custodial tasks as directed. Provides a safe working environment for all staff. Maintains vivarium equipment including scheduled preventative maintenance, and provides timely reporting of all environmental and plant conditions that are out- of -order.
• Alternative Work Schedule: Some overtime, weekend, and holiday work expected. Ability to adjust work shift times (day or evening shifts) based on our work hours in and out of term. Ensures commitments are met and problems are solved when out of the office. Shares 24/7 on- call responsibility with the Facility Manager and reports to work in an emergency.
• Training and Development: Expands technical, procedural, and general animal care knowledge base to enhance effectiveness on the job by regular participation in training activities. Stays current with all IACUC mandated on-line training requirements.
• Other duties as assigned.
  
  

Require d Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Possesses strong supervisory skills to motivate, mentor and lead a diverse team of student workers.
• Has a desire and ability to work with a variety of small animals.
• Processes strong interpersonal skills, oral and written communication skills, and ability to give and follow oral, and written instruction in English.
• Ability to negotiate and achieve assigned objectives on time for multiple, complex projects running simultaneously.
• Ability to utilize commuter software including Word, Excel, Access, and Power Point to help with administrative tasks including IACUC office work.
• Working knowledge of federal regulations pertinent to animal research.
• Must have and maintain physical fitness, manual dexterity and adequate strength and stamina for handling animals, feeds, supplies, and equipment operation. Includes physical agility to stand, bend, reach, and perform moderate activity in very warm and humid environments and low light conditions. Includes sensory ability to see, hear and observe animals and environmental conditions.
  
  

Educatio n An d Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in biological, animal or veterinary sciences with a GPA of 3.0 or better, and a min. of 3 years’ experience working with a variety of laboratory animals.
• Supervisory experience preferred.
• Advanced knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements related to animal care and use in research, teaching and testing.
• AALAS certification or Veterinary Technician licensed upon hire, preferred. On-going training required.
  
  

Physica l Requirements And Working Conditions

• Occasionally sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Occasionally lifting 50 lbs or less
• Frequently lifting 25 lbs or more
• Typically standing or walking
• Typically bending, crouching, stooping
• Climbing ladders and step stools
• Performing tasks requiring high manual dexterity and repetitive motion (assembling caging and water bottles, animal restraint, use of pipettes, syringes and needles for injections, oral dosing and venipuncture.)
• Exposure to chemicals
• May be exposed to human pathogens
• Exposure to animal allergens
• Exposure to moving machinery
• Exposure to unpleasant odors
• Exposure to animal feces and specimens
• May be exposed to animal bites, scratches and contagious diseases
• Required to wear personal protective equipment for up to 6 hours at a time (respirators/masks; gloves, safety eyewear)
• High noise environment
• High dust, dirt, grease environment
• High humidity, air temperature, and low light conditions
• Alternative work schedule. Hours vary and include: early mornings, days, evenings, weekends, holidays and breaks
• Required to be on-call
• Required to work on-site
• Essential staff status