Summary

The Center for Comparative Medicine (CCM) ensures the health and well-being of research animals at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). CCM provides the highest quality animal care and acts as a resource for the faculty on veterinary and scientific issues relating to the use of laboratory animals. CCM is seeking a competent and reliable Manager of Animal Care to oversee daily husbandry activities in the ABBR animal facility in the Texas Medical Center. This position is responsible for managing husbandry staff and vivarium operations for an aquatic only facility.

Standard CCM hours are Monday - Friday, 7am to 4pm. Managers are on call for weekends and holidays on a rotational basis. After hours, weekend, or holiday work may be required in emergency situations. Coverage during weather related storms may be required as well.

Job Duties

• Plans, coordinates and oversees the daily operations of a zebrafish facility, assuring adherence to proper procedure, quality assurance programs and standards.
• Maintains and updates work schedules; updates and maintains weekly work schedules and extra side duties for care staff, including weekend schedules.
• Supervises technical and animal care staff, allocates work, provides training and guidance, resolves problems, oversees human resources related activities, including hiring and performance evaluation.
• Interacts and coordinates with vet staff and Primary Investigators to assure health and welfare of aquatic species.
• Holds team meetings, organizes team building activities, and conducts refresher trainings on a regular basis.
• Maintains safety and ensure that the facility remains in compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations.
• Performs a weekly walk through to ensure the facility is in a clean, organized, and professional appearance.
• Trains new hires on CCM policies and procedures and ensure continued training of staff.
• Formulates short and long-term goals for the operation of the vivarium, including setting priorities, assigning responsibilities, and establishing timetables.
• Maintains constant and reliable communication with staff, researchers, and CCM leadership.
• Responsible for accurate and timely creation of documents regarding training, environmental parameters, and animal health monitoring.
• Oversees, maintains inventory, and manages procurement and proper storage of husbandry supplies/consumables.
• Schedules and performs facility tours with new research personnel. Provides training on use of CCM microscopes and other equipment.
• Manages and oversees daily operations of cage wash facilities.
• Ensures that all equipment is operational and schedule on-going preventative maintenance and repairs.
• Responsible for maintaining documentation pertaining to IACUC, OLAW, and AAALAC.
• Provides mentorship and leadership to all team members.
• CCM staff are responsible for attending monthly all staff meetings, safety trainings, facility staff meetings, TAR trainings, and reviewing CCM SOPs as required.
• Ensures adherence to standard operating procedures and industry standards.
• Ensures compliance with all applicable regulations.
• Interacts and coordinates with veterinary staff to assure health and welfare of animals.
• Maintains and provides reports on facility function, personal issues, inventory, data collection, and room/animal logs and record.
• Responsible for recommending and informing decisions regarding husbandry routines, care plans and raising juvenile animals.
• Builds a logical approach to address problems or be willing to call on other resources as necessary.
• Works cooperatively with others to accomplish mission objectives.
• Promotes collaboration and partnerships with research staff and CCM staff.
• Maintains good channels of communication; effectively provides verbal communication and exhibits good listening skills; provides concise, complete, and professional information to others.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree. Four years of relevant experience may substitute for degree requirement.
• Four years of relevant experience.
• Laboratory Animal Technologist (LATG) by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS).

Department Specific Criteria

• Experience working with zebrafish and aquatic systems required.
• Must understand water chemistry, flow dynamics and aquatic housing systems.
• Understand water chemistry, robotic feeders, cage wash equipment, appropriate chemical selection and usage are required.
• Must have a solid understanding of laboratory animal laws, regulations, and IACUC policies.