BASIC SUMMARY:

Responsible for providing professional veterinary services on a local basis across Explora, A Charles River Company's San Diego OnDemand and OnSite facilities, including clinical responsibilities, oversight of local biosecurity practices, providing guidance and expertise as needed, serving clients as needed, performing regulatory responsibilities, and upholding a high standard of animal welfare. Together with Veterinary and Operations Management, provides leadership to regional sites and informs programmatic decisions globally.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

• Manage health for rodent colonies across one to multiple regional vivaria
• Lead regional veterinary team in executing veterinary programs, coordinating weekly virtual and cage-side rounds to ensure continued standards of care and alignment
• Work with veterinary staff to develop and update aligned treatment approaches to common clinical conditions, and to diagnose and treat uncommon presentations
• Discern spontaneous illnesses, from experimentally induced conditions, from unanticipated clinical outcomes, and mentor veterinary technicians in responding appropriately to each category
• Participate in after-hours and weekend on-call rotation, responding to clinical emergencies when needed
• Provide staff training on surgical technique, anesthesia, and/or specialty techniques as needed
• Oversee regional biosecurity practices and health surveillance and ensure alignment with policy documents, ordering additional testing as needed
• Evaluate live animal, cell, and tissue importation requests and make appropriate recommendations to protect colony health status
• Manage response suspected and confirmed biosecurity breaches including confirmative testing, appropriate communication, containment, and eradication
• Maintain up to date expertise by keeping up on industry innovations research through continuing education, journals, and research
• Provide input for Operations team on veterinary implications of decisions on husbandry practices, physical plant, new builds, and housing practices
• Provide input for Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and IACUC office on veterinary implications of programmatic and research protocol decisions
• Work with Environmental Health & Safety to develop and update standard practices in light of veterinary and zoonotic risks and concerns
• Assist new clients with veterinary and training aspects of onboarding, including fielding questions at all stages of onboarding to ease the transition into vivarium space
• May have direct reports including veterinary technicians and technical trainers and will be responsible for their oversight and management, including the implementation of veterinary care and training and assessment programs at the local level
• Serve as a role model to as it relates to CRL Core Values (CARE, LEAD, OWN, COLLABORATE).
• In coordination with Human Resources representatives, conduct interviews, assist in recruitment efforts, investigate personnel problems, and respond to employees in accordance with company policies and procedures. 
• Make recommendations and assist in establishing and enhancing veterinary and animal care standards across the organization.
• Perform veterinary pre-reviews of IACUC protocols and amendments, and offer consultation to clients in all stages of seeking committee approval for studies
• Participate in the cyclic evaluation of existing policy, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and guidance documents, as well as in the creation and review of new materials as needed, spearheading additions and revision of documents when appropriate
• Manage controlled substance licenses as needed and locally adhere to and oversee the implementation of the controlled substance program
• Ensure vivaria are in compliance with all applicable regulations, guidelines and standards that relate to animal care and use, internally and at the local, state, and federal level
• Participate and/or lead local site visits, audits, and inspections from clients, the IACUC, and outside regulatory bodies including but not limited to AAALAC and DEA
• Assist the Attending Veterinarian in triaging local animal welfare events including but not limited to non-compliances and unanticipated adverse outcomes, escalating to the IACUC and/or Operations team as appropriate, and making recommendations for next steps, resolutions, and preventative measures
• Support the Animal Welfare Team by providing guidance for Animal Welfare Specialists and Supervisors in responding to reported animal welfare events when needed
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• EDUCATION: Veterinary degree (D.V.M./V.M.D.) or international equivalent.
• EXPERIENCE: Two (2) years of post-degree experience in residency, clinical practice, or experience in a laboratory animal setting prior to degree. Strong preference for experience in a research/lab animal environment with a rodent focus. Customer service experience and at least one (1) year supervisory experience also preferred.
• CERTIFICATION/LICENSURE: Licensure to practice veterinary medicine in at least one US state required. State and federal DEA licensure may be required after hire.
• An equivalent combination of education, experience and certification may be accepted as a satisfactory substitute for the specific education and experience listed above.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Detailed, working knowledge of laboratory animal federal, state, or local laws and regulations, as well as familiarity with vivarium structure, operations, and management. Working knowledge and understanding of the following guidelines and regulations: “The Guide”, PHS Policy, and AVMA.  
• Ability to adapt and respond in a timely manner to the needs of CRL and Client staff to ensure that internal or external excellent customer service is provided at all times.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and self-direct priorities with competing time demands and meet deadlines
• Must be able to exhibit interpersonal skills that are conducive to effective communication and that contribute to a congenial work environment.
• Maintain positive work atmosphere by behaving and communicating in a professional manner with clients, coworkers, and team
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Positive, professional leadership skills to coach and influence employees; counsel, discipline and conduct productive performance evaluations.  
• Excellent skills to work collaboratively and act persuasively in sensitive situations, skills in conflict resolutions and management techniques.  
• The position requires direct contact with rodent laboratory animal species.
• Computer literacy in word processing, spreadsheet, and database software.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear and work/type at a computer.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, bend, climb, reach overhead, crouch, kneel, push/pull and use hands for repetitive tasks.
• Employees must be able to lift, move and/or hold up to 25 pounds independently; this includes equipment and animals.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to use personal protective equipment (PPE) including gloves, protective clothing, and eye protection.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• General office and busy research laboratory working conditions, the noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate.
• While performing the duties of this job the employee will be required to wear protective clothing (safety glasses, face shield, mask, cap, gloves, scrubs), work near toxic or caustic chemicals, work with biohazards, work with sharps, and/or work with live animals with risk of exposure to allergens and/or zoonotic diseases. The employee may occasionally be exposed to fumes or airborne particles, unpleasant odors, and/or wet, humid and/or extreme temperature conditions.
• Work with animal species including rodents with risk of exposure to animal allergens, zoonotic disease, and biohazards.

COMMENTS:

• This position may require weekend/holiday coverage and the necessity to return to the facility outside of normal business hours for emergencies.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

• Must avoid contact with rodent species outside of work.

BENEFITS:

• Explora BioLabs provides a competitive salary benefits package, including 401K match, Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, HSA, FSA, Employee Assistance Program, Adoption Assistance, Paid PTO, Team environment in a growing company committed to employee growth and satisfaction.