Clinical Veterinarian, Part-time Contract

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure protocol quality, appropriate humane endpoints, and continuous improvement aligned with the 3Rs: Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement.
• Lead regulatory programs to ensure compliance with Animal Welfare Act, The Guide, and other applicable standards.
• Establish and maintain veterinary and IACUC-related guidelines, best practices, and program standards to ensure consistent, humane, and scientifically rigorous animal use across sites.
• Develop and support the Post-Approval Monitoring (PAM) program, including protocol adherence checks, procedure observations, documentation review, and feedback loops for training, refinement, and continuous improvement.
• Maintain inspection readiness; lead site inspections, and applicable audits.

Key Duties

• Provide direct clinical veterinary care for rodent species.
• Lead and enhance biosecurity, disease prevention, and health surveillance programs.
• Drive continuous improvement in enrichment and behavioral management programs.
• Support and participate in the veterinary on-call program.

Technical Excellence & Model Refinement

• Lead technical training and development programs for in vivo research teams.
• Mentor scientists and staff in technical excellence and best practices, fostering a strong culture of care.
• Guide refinement of animal models, ensuring scientific rigor and humane practices.
• Proactively prepare the organization for novel models and emerging technologies, ensuring technical and operational readiness.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Foster cross-functional partnerships to drive continuous improvements in animal welfare, compliance, and execution excellence.
• Deliver program performance through both direct leadership and indirect influence across teams.
• Support development of team members in technical capability, continuous improvement, and career growth.
• Help shape a scalable, standardized veterinary and animal care model across sites.

Qualifications

• DVM or equivalent veterinary degree; licensed or eligible for licensure in California.
• Board certification, such as ACLAM, strongly preferred.
• Significant experience in laboratory animal medicine, including rodent and non-rodent species.
• Deep understanding of regulatory frameworks, including USDA/Animal Welfare Act, AAALAC, and IACUC processes.
• Demonstrated experience with inspections, audits, accreditation activities, and animal welfare investigations.
• Experience developing guidelines, best practices, training programs, or PAM activities preferred.
• Strong leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Experience supporting discovery and preclinical development programs.

Pay

The salary range for San Diego, CA Clinical Veterinarian: $92 - $117 / hr. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.