Research Manager

Heritage Vet Partners and their Partner Clinics•North Manchester, IN

19d•Onsite

About The Position

The Research Manager leads CalfCare’s on-site contract research program and owns study execution from protocol initiation through final report. The role serves as the day-to-day sponsor contact and coordinates veterinarians, research associates, and facility staff to ensure studies follow approved protocols, Good Clinical Practice (GCP) standards, animal welfare and biosecurity policies, and rigorous data-quality practices. The position is hands-on and execution-focused, with responsibility for multiple concurrent beef and dairy calf studies across the hutch yard, indoor pens, on-site laboratory, and commercial cooperator herds. Study design, statistical analysis, and scientific review are conducted in close collaboration with HVP’s network Research and Innovation function. The Research Manager leads study conduct, sponsor and client relationships, team coordination, data and records quality, and laboratory and sample workflows. The role also contributes to developing CalfCare’s research program by identifying new research opportunities and recommending facility and process improvements. CalfCare is a veterinary-led Heritage Veterinary Partner practice focused on food-animal health and performance. Its North Manchester, Indiana facility includes an on-site laboratory, a hutch yard with seven biosecure zones and more than 200 hutches, indoor pen housing, and access to commercial cooperator herds.

Requirements

Master’s degree or PhD in Animal Science, Veterinary Science, Ruminant Nutrition, or a related field, with at least 2 years of hands-on experience running experimental animal studies in a contract research organization, university research farm, or industry-sponsored trial setting; alternatively, a bachelor’s degree with at least 5 years of animal research experience.
Direct experience executing livestock studies, including enrollment, treatment administration, clinical observations, performance measurements, and biological sample collection.
Working knowledge of GCP (VICH GL9) or comparable regulated study standards, including protocol compliance and deviation management.
Experience supervising or coordinating research staff, technicians, or students.
Strong data-management skills, including study records, source documentation, and data verification.
Proficiency with Excel and electronic data-capture tools.
Clear, professional written and verbal communication with sponsors, veterinarians, and producers.
Comfort with physical work, animal handling, and an outdoor, all-weather environment.
Ability to work flexible schedules, including rotating weekends, evenings, and holidays as studies require.
Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel to cooperator herds.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with calf health and calf production systems.

Responsibilities

Assist in developing, reviewing, and implementing research protocols for contract studies involving beef and dairy calves.
Translate approved protocols into study-specific operating plans covering schedules, staffing, animal enrollment, treatment administration, sampling, and data-capture forms.
Lead day-to-day execution of multiple concurrent studies across the hutch yard, indoor pens, on-site laboratory, and cooperator herds.
Serve as Investigator or site lead on assigned studies and ensure compliance with protocols, animal-welfare policies, and biosecurity policies.
Develop and maintain biosecurity protocols that protect isolation zones, sentinel and control groups, and study validity.
Ensure accurate, timely data capture and sample collection, including health observations, growth and performance measurements, and biological samples.
Identify, document, and promptly communicate protocol deviations, adverse events, and animal-health concerns to veterinarians, research team members, sponsors, and HVP Research and Innovation.
Serve as the primary on-site contact for sponsors and study monitors, including initiation meetings, progress updates, monitoring visits, and close-out.
Coordinate study logistics, enrollment, and data collection with commercial cooperator operations.
Contribute to scoping, timelines, and budgets for new study proposals with CalfCare veterinarians and HVP.
Supervise, schedule, and train research associates and technicians on study procedures, sample handling, and data recording.
Build and maintain study SOPs, training records, and onboarding materials.
Coordinate workloads across studies and facility staff to protect study timelines and animal care.
Communicate study progress and animal-health concerns proactively and transparently with veterinary staff, facility personnel, and sponsors.
Own data-collection quality, including source documentation, data entry, verification, and query resolution, to ensure complete, traceable, audit-ready datasets.
Prepare descriptive summaries and interim updates for study reports and sponsor communications; collaborate with HVP Research and Innovation on formal statistical analysis and final reports.
Maintain study master files, chain-of-custody records, and sample inventories.
Oversee on-site laboratory workflows and sample storage.
Coordinate sample shipment, testing, and result reporting with on-site and outside laboratories.
Help identify contract research and grant opportunities and represent CalfCare research at sponsor meetings and industry events.
Recommend improvements to facility capabilities, processes, and tools that strengthen CalfCare’s contract research capabilities.