Assistant Facilities Manager, DLAR Aquatics Core

School of Medicine

Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,600 faculty physicians and researchers, nearly 2,000 students, and more than 6,200 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, and Duke University Health System comprise Duke Health, a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Health Integrated Practice, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home Care and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

JOB SUMMARY

The Duke University Division of Laboratory Animal Resources (DLAR) operates a large aquatics facility that maintains several thousand tanks of research zebrafish in numerous locations for multiple principal investigators, requiring highly specialized aquatics husbandry and functions. The Aquatics Core Assistant Facilities Manager reports to the Aquatics Core Senior Manager.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS of EMPLOYMENT

Occupational Health and Safety

As a safeguard for the employee and the animals, medical examinations and risk assessments are performed. Some immunizations or further diagnostics may be required before working with specific animals or animal populations as determined by occupational health medical personnel, including, but not limited to:

• TB testing and clearance;
• Hepatitis B (proof of immunization and/or vaccination);
• Rabies (proof of immunization and/or vaccination);
• Tetanus (current vaccination less than 10 years);
• Measles (proof of immunization and/or vaccination);
• Periodic physical examinations including respiratory fit tests);
• Other vaccines or testing as required by EOHW standards.

Hazard Exposure

The animal facility has a variety of environmental conditions. Specifically, employees may be exposed to potentially hazardous noise, dust, chemicals, extreme heat, and animal waste products. The duration of exposure to any of the above is dependent on assigned duties. Some aspects of this position may expose the incumbent to potentially zoonotic and other biohazardous agents. Appropriate protective clothing and equipment may be required and will be provided when required, accompanied by appropriate training.

WORK PERFORMED

• Managing staff
• Managing quarantine room
• Performing billable technical services
• Planning and executing new functions
• Working with vendors and university administrators for equipment or renovation
• Liaising with scientists
• Responsible for assisting in all facility operations

DESIRABLE SKILLS

• Experience working with laboratories performing research with zebrafish and managing staff maintaining zebrafish facilities.
• Experience desired in carrying out technical procedures in aquatic species such as microscope-guided embryo injections, in-vitro fertilization, survival surgeries, genotyping, screening, mating, protocol writing/amendments.
• Specialist in fish health and disease, with an understanding of diseases in fish and the risks associated with research colonies and ongoing research. 
• Ability to recognize, evaluate, and determine the risk of zoonotic disease to staff and researchers, and to work with the Senior Manager to assist in creating operating procedures to train, provide notification to researchers, and protect staff and researchers. 
• A working knowledge of fish behavior and behavioral assays.
• Experience with aquaculture equipment including life support systems, with the ability to perform emergency repairs and maintenance.
• Experience in fish nutrition and husbandry that directly impacts experimental outcomes.
• Experience with quarantine operations.

Scientific Leadership Skills

• Participation in orientation and training programs for new graduate students and postdocs that join Duke labs, providing a consistent and reproducible training pipeline in highly specialized procedures with zebrafish.
• Facilitating strategic partnerships with other aquatic resources is desired. This includes brokering a partnership with Duke Marine Lab to work with species of fish not easily obtained or cared for on the main campus, to complement research being performed with zebrafish.
• It is desired that the Aquatics Core be a training destination for fish facility managers and staff from around the country to learn skills like IVF, sperm cryopreservation, microinjections, survival surgeries, behavioral studies, facility management, and fish health. The current Core leadership receives regular requests for this type of assistance and this need will expand with the growing use of fish as model organisms.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Work requires a bachelor's degree in botany, biology, zoology, psychology or other directly related scientific field.

Experience

Work requires four (4) years of research experience.

A related master's degree may offset required years of experience on a 1:1 basis, e.g., a two year master's degree in lieu of two years of experience.

OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE.

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.