Associate Supervisor, Animal Care Operations

**Job Type**:
Employee

**Duration in Months**(for fixed-term jobs):
12

**Job Family**:
Laboratory Support

**# of Open Positions**:
1

**Faculty/Service - Department**:
Animal Care and Veterinary Service

**Campus**:
Main Campus

**Union Affiliation**:
SSUO

**Date Posted**:
January 06, 2025

**Applications must be received**BEFORE**:
January 17, 2025

**Hours per week**:
35

**Salary Grade**:
SSUO Grade 10

**Salary Range**:
$77,637.00 - $98,070.00

**Position Purpose**
Reporting to the Manager, Laboratory Support, the incumbent allocates and manages the human resource assignments for animal care and use activities at the uOttawa animal facilities. Contributes to (in-vivo) research viability and success by liaising with members of ACVS staff, researchers, students and members of other departments or institutes as required to assure training and skill sets of ACVS staff meet institutional needs. Assists the Manager, Laboratory Support to ensure that animal facility equipment and overall facility operations are adequate to assure institutional compliance with the regulatory requirements and to promote excellence in the conduct of animal based academic and experimental research protocol execution.

**In this role, your responsibilities will include**:

- Develop, implement and supervise equitable daily tasks assignments in all areas of the Roger Guindon Hall and Vanier Hall animal facilities to ensure adequate staffing coverage and the smooth running of operations. This includes but is not limited to coordination of cage wash activities, work schedules for species specific husbandry care, veterinary technical nursing and/or experimental treatments to resident animals to ensure appropriate research protocol and housing requirements are achieved, documented and reported. This includes weekends, statutory holidays and other circumstances such as illness or accident.
- Communicate with research teams on various upcoming research projects to schedule support staff accordingly. The incumbent must be able to appropriately and continuously assess human resource needs and equipment needs to ensure adequate staffing levels and required equipment at all times.
- Coordinate the daily operations of the RGN and VNR vivaria, ensuring compliance with the regulatory requirements of the Canadian Council on Animal Care as stated in the Guide to the Care and Use of Experimental Animals, volume 2, 1993 (the Guide), the Animals for Research Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. A-27 (the Act) and the University of Ottawa Policy 31 (the Policy).
- Schedule, assign and implement the sanitation and biosecurity/quarantine protocols within the facilities to preserve and protect animal health and reduce research variables.
- Communicate, consult and liaise with team leaders, and the manager of operations daily to ensure excellent team communication and smooth running of operations. Communication with the veterinarian, researcher and/or research personnel will also be required to ensure pertinent information is obtained and/or disseminated to appropriate parties in regards to animal health, research projects, equipment inventory and/or facility function.
- Assists the MManager, Laboratory Support in the continuing assessment of operational efficiency, development, implementation and review of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to ensure the highest standards in animal care, optimal operational efficiency and compliance with all regulatory bodies. Identify and communicate directly and promptly to the Manager, Laboratory Support any issues that may negatively impact animal care and welfare or result in non-compliance with accepted guidelines and standards.

**What you will bring**:

- Sound theoretical and practical knowledge of applied veterinary technical and surgical nursing normally acquired through a formal post-secondary technical training program and 5 years’ experience managing or supervising activities in an animal research environment. Training can be acquired through a diploma from a CVMA recognized Veterinary Technical program or a Bachelor of Science degree from a relevant discipline and ideally the incumbent will hold an RLAT. certification with the Canadian Association of Laboratory Animal Science (CALAS).
- Five (5) years of experience managing or supervising activities in an animal research environment.
- Experience in human resource policy administration and team/ conflict management.
- Demonstrate an ability to gain consensus and achieve collaborations.
- Experienced with the development of complex work schedules.
- Comprehensive knowledge and experience in the development and implementation of standard operational procedures for an animal research facility, including bio-exclusion, bio
- containment methods.
- Commitment to client service through excellence in interpersonal and communication skills and service delivery.
- Commitment to ensuring a safe working environment through ongoing inspections, staff training and review of safet