Animal Facility Manager

Duties and Responsibilities

• Directs all operations associated with the housing, handling, health, and care procedures involving live vertebrate animals in Villanova University animal facilities.
• Develops and implements schedules for equipment maintenance, cage changing, and sanitizing of equipment, rooms, and corridors, without undue disruption to experimental schedules.
• Maintains the facility’s infrastructure and equipment by initiating requests to University Facilities Management Office or to outside vendors, as appropriate.
• Orders feed, bedding, and supplies and maintains sufficient inventories to meet the needs of the animal care area.
• Hires and supervises part-time/student animal care workers.
• Manages personnel schedules ensuring coverage for daily animal observations, including scheduling for coverage during holidays and planned closures and for emergency support after-hours and during unexpected closures.
• Ensures that daily care procedures and routine health checks are provided for all animals, and alerts Attending or Secondary Veterinarian and principal investigator of any animal illness or injury.
• Maintains records of animal care in compliance with IACUC and external regulatory requirements.
• Assists with training in animal care, handling, and housing, as needed.
• Engages and consults with faculty researchers, including the Psychological & Brain Sciences Vivarium committee, to maintain open communication on evolving animal care needs.
• Works directly with the IACUC and the Office of Research Protections to ensure facility infrastructure and procedures are in compliance with regulatory and ethical standards.
• Develops standard operating procedures for use of the facilities.
• Enforces policies, regulations, and guidelines.
• Develops emergency plans and strategies for their implementation, in consultation with Environmental Health and Safety, Public Safety, Facilities Management, researchers, and the IACUC.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Formal Education: Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Animal Science, Psychological Science, or related field; candidates without a degree may qualify with at least 6 years of directly related experience.
• AALAS Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT), Laboratory Animal Technologist (LATG), and/or Manager of Animal Resources (CMAR) certification preferred.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience working in a laboratory animal facility (in particular, experience with rodents, fish, birds, and reptiles) and experience in technical facility operations.
• Minimum 1 year of leadership, management or supervisory experience.
• Knowledge of laboratory animal care and use settings and investigator-managed areas.
• Experience working in animal laboratory setting and conducting animal husbandry for multiple species.
• Experience supervising or training animal care staff/student workers.
• Ability to train staff on knowledge of animal care requirements, husbandry regulations, basic animal handling, understanding of animal behavior and disease conditions.
• Experience working with different stakeholders (faculty, staff, students, vendors, and IACUC).
• Knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements related to animal care/use in research (federal regulations and AAALAC standards).
• Ability to follow local, state, federal and University regulations, guidelines and policies.