Director, Animal Care (Husbandry)

Summary

The Center for Comparative Medicine (CCM) supports the animal oversight and research needs of all investigators utilizing animals in their research and teaching at Baylor College of Medicine. The Director of Animal Care (Husbandry) serves a critical function in support of excellent animal care and welfare within the context of BCM’s highly successful biomedical research program and will provide research support to scientists through the development and maintenance of optimum laboratory animal facilities and services. CCM provides husbandry, veterinary care, training, and study support for all animals at BCM. The Director of Animal Care will provide strategic leadership and management across the animal facilities to support the research mission. The Director will report to the Executive Director of CCM to provide guidance and develop policies and procedures to assure compliance with the USDA and Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare at National Institutes of Health – NIH (OLAW) regulations and AAALAC. This position is eligible for an annual performance-based bonus.

Job Duties

• Participates in IACUC inspections, AAALAC site visits, and other regulatory visits.
• Ensures that animal care related procedures meet applicable laws, guidelines, and standards.
• Oversees the management and operations of all CCM animal facilities, facilities in affiliated owned space, satellites, and animal care staff.
• Directs and coordinates campus wide facility operations for the Center of Comparative Medicines’ services including husbandry and ancillary services.
• Supports and mentors Senior Managers and Managers in personnel matters, performance and all HR related matters, evaluations, and training and development initiatives.
• Produces regular reports of animal population and other colony related data for executive management.
• Responsible for strategic and budgetary planning, creation, and execution of new programs. Maintain accountability for finances, including departmental usage, expenses, and revenue; review budgets and financial reporting; make recommendations for financial support, capital purchases, with operational changes with financial justifications; submit financial metrics as requested.
• Directs Senior Managers and Managers of animal care facilities to ensure proper inventory, care, feeding and delivery of animals, sanitation of equipment and facilities and procurement and storage of supplies.
• Provides oversight of the Senior Managers who are responsible for the coordination of operations and maintenance of CCM's 9 animal facilities; assisting with professional development and work plan implementation for staff to support operational workflow.
• Serves as a member of CCM’s Executive Leadership team.
• Works with Senior Manager of facilities and Director of the Business Office to oversee and schedule maintenance of animal care facilities and all animal care equipment to ensure proper maintenance, sanitation, and operation.

Minimum Qualifications

• Laboratory Animal Technologist (LATG) by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS).
• Bachelor’s degree.
• Eleven years of directly related experience with four years of supervisory experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Master’s degree and at least seven years of directly related experience with four years of supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated ability to plan and monitor the use of expenditures and prepare budget documents & reports.
• Certification by AALAS at the CMAR (Certified Manager of Animal Resources) level.
• Knowledge of and expertise with in-vivo techniques for research.
• Demonstrated ability to create/implement new programs in adherence with established policies & procedures.