Purchasing Assistant - Lab Animal Services

Augusta University • Augusta, GA

34d • $19 - $24

About The Position

Augusta University is Georgia's innovation center for education and health care, training the next generation of innovators, leaders, and healthcare providers in classrooms and clinics on four campuses in Augusta and locations across the state. More than 12,000 students choose Augusta for educational opportunities at the center of Georgia's cybersecurity hub and experiential learning that blends arts and application, humanities, and the health sciences. Augusta is home to Georgia's only public academic health center, where groundbreaking research is creating a healthier, more prosperous Georgia, and world-class clinicians are bringing the medicine of tomorrow to patient care today. ¿Our mission and values https://www.augusta.edu/about/mission.php make Augusta University an institution like no other. Augusta University's distinct characteristics in education and research include real-world experiences and community engagement, as well as a culture of building community, corporate and government partnerships that address health, security, economic and societal concerns locally and across the state. The Division of Laboratory Animal Services at Augusta University is a service organization, which facilitates the research and teaching mission of the University by meeting the animal research needs of the research community while concurrently providing for the safe and ethical treatment of research animals. Our emphasis on customer service is demonstrated by providing high quality animal care and research support in a timely manner while being courteous, professional, and responsive to our customers. We maintain a centralized animal care program with administrative management of 6 on-campus and 1 off-campus animal facilities. We report to the Vice President of Research, consult, and collaborate with the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. The animal use program is accredited by AAALAC, a Registered Research Facility with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA No. 57-R-0002), and has an Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare Assurance number. This position is responsible for the procurement of live research animals from commercial vendors on behalf of Principal Investigators. Key duties include coordinating with vendors, reviewing and processing orders, printing cage cards, receiving shipments, and managing lab animal transactions through the Cayuse software system. The role involves significant financial responsibility requiring use of a P-Card to pay vendors for animal orders and reconciling transactions in the Works system as part of monthly billing operations.

Requirements

• High school Diploma or GED with 4 years of office support experience OR Associate with 2 years of office support experience.
• Ability to carry projects to completion through effective management of time. Must possess excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills. Must work well with internal and external customers. Ability to prioritize responsibilities. Proficient in Microsoft Office and other computer software/databases. Must work well on teams.

Nice To Haves

• Associates degree in Business Administration, Finance, or related field.
• Experience in managing lab animals.

Responsibilities

• Execute all responsibilities associated with the procurement of live research animals, including the receipt, review, and processing of Principal Investigator (PI) animal purchase requests and the placement of orders with approved vendors.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for investigators regarding animal availability, order modifications, cancellations, and the management of standing orders.
• Administer the animal ordering module within the Cayuse system, encompassing order entry, confirmation, receipt documentation, delivery reporting, invoice reconciliation, and the generation and organization of cage cards.
• Oversee the receipt of incoming animal shipments and coordinate the preparation of identification documentation for Facility Supervisors; ensure all records are accurately maintained and archived.
• Perform monthly reconciliation of procurement card (P-card) transactions in the Works financial system, ensuring compliance with institutional and regulatory guidelines.
• Provide support to the front office by ensuring consistent coverage during regular business hours, including answering telephone inquiries and assisting on-site visitors in a professional and courteous manner.
• Manage external Banner billing process for animal imports, exports, and external accounts. This process includes invoice preparation, Banner entries, monitoring and follow-up as needed for collection on past-due accounts.
• Perform all other job-related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Augusta University offers a variety of benefits to full-time benefits-eligible employees and some of our half-time (or more) employees.
• Benefits that may be elected could include health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, Teachers Retirement System (or Optional Retirement Plan), as well as earned vacation time, sick leave, and 13 paid holidays.
• Also, our full-time employees who have been employed with us successfully for more than 6 months can be considered for the Tuition Assistance Program. Consider applying with us today!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Educational Services
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees