Vivarium Supervisor

University of Rochester•Rochester, NY

13d•$27 - $38•Onsite

About The Position

The successful applicant will work 5 consecutive days per week, Monday through Friday. Directly supervises and coordinates the activities of a large number of animal care technicians and cage wash technicians. Schedules daily work assignments for staff. Addresses inquiries and resolves problems pertaining to any aspect of animal care raised by investigators, veterinary staff and animal care technicians. Inspects animal and cage wash areas to assess adequacy of provision of husbandry services. Contributes to annual performance reviews of direct reports. Participates in interviewing applicants for animal care technician positions. Participates in decisions to hire and discipline animal care staff. Supervises and coordinates the training of new hires by direct reports. Participates in the formulation of standard operating procedures. Is knowledgeable about state and federal regulations and policies as well as University policies regarding animal care and well being and evaluates husbandry activities to assure compliance with same. Keeps abreast of current practices and innovations in the field of laboratory animal care by reading relevant literature and attending meetings and seminars.

Requirements

Associate's degree in appropriate discipline required
7 years relevant work experience or equivalent combination of education and experience required
Strong attention to detail, interpersonal, organization, demonstrated customer service skills, and communication skills (including written communication) required.
Ability to lift repetitively up to 50 lbs and ability to work weekends and holidays when necessary required.
Knowledge of computer software packages required.

Nice To Haves

At least 3 years of demonstrated leadership experience preferred
Prior experience in lab animal facility preferred
AALAS certification at the ALAT level or higher a plus preferred.
Knowledge of animal husbandry and knowledge of regulations related to animal husbandry preferred.

Responsibilities

Directly supervises and coordinates the activities of a large number of animal care technicians and cage wash technicians.
Schedules daily work assignments for staff.
Addresses inquiries and resolves problems pertaining to any aspect of animal care raised by investigators, veterinary staff and animal care technicians.
Inspects animal and cage wash areas to assess adequacy of provision of husbandry services.
Contributes to annual performance reviews of direct reports.
Participates in interviewing applicants for animal care technician positions.
Participates in decisions to hire and discipline animal care staff.
Supervises and coordinates the training of new hires by direct reports.
Participates in the formulation of standard operating procedures.
Is knowledgeable about state and federal regulations and policies as well as University policies regarding animal care and well being and evaluates husbandry activities to assure compliance with same.
Keeps abreast of current practices and innovations in the field of laboratory animal care by reading relevant literature and attending meetings and seminars.
Assigns daily work assignments to staff.
Adjusts daily work schedules to address unanticipated fluctuations in available staff.
Inspects animal rooms and support areas to assess adequacy of performance of staff.
Implements corrective actions where indicated.
Supervises the operation of special function areas and equipment such as the cage wash room, automatic watering systems, the incinerator, autoclaves and various procedure rooms.
Supervises and coordinates training of junior staff by senior staff.
Directly participates in training activities.
Utilizes knowledge of federal and state regulations and policies as well as university policies to assess degree of compliance with such policies as they relate to animal care.
Reports areas of non-compliance to superiors and takes immediate action where possible to correct non-compliant situations.
Acts as a resource to animal care staff to address and resolve husbandry related problems and concerns and facilitates provision of specialized services.
Interacts between investigators and animal care staff to foster communication, resolve problems and facilitate the provision of services.
Interacts with other university service departments such as Facility Operations and the Fire Marshall’s Office to facilitate the resolution of problems.
Participates in the Annual Performance Evaluation process for all staff.
Addresses performance issues on a daily basis, informs supervisors of significant situations and works with supervisors to effect appropriate resolutions.
By means of independent study, reading of journals, attending meetings and seminars, etc., increases knowledge of animal care topics and keeps abreast of new developments in the field.
Other duties as assigned