Lead Animal Care Tech

Located in Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) operates at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care. It is a community where expertise is valued, knowledge is expanded, and abilities are challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and uniqueness is celebrated.

About the Role

Coordinates and leads the daily husbandry of the animal facility and staff, ensuring compliance with existing regulations. Provides new and continuing training of personnel.

Responsibilities

• Supervises and participates in the cleaning and maintenance of animal quarters.
• Supervises and provides routine care of research animals.
• Receives animals, performs daily checks for animal health and welfare, and ensures adequate supply levels in animal quarters.
• Monitors and reports on environmental room and housing conditions.
• Recognizes and reports clinical abnormalities and/or irregularities in lab animals.
• Leads in knowing the variations among laboratory animals and modes of disease control.
• Oversees and performs euthanization of all species according to established regulations.
• Maintains accurate and prompt records in accordance with outlined procedures.
• Reports noncompliance, initiates resolution process, and ensures completion.
• Trains staff and functions as a resource for operational and husbandry questions and minor problems, offering guidance for improving performance.
• Ensures compliance with operating and regulatory requirements related to care of laboratory animals.

Skills

• Laboratory Animal Diseases (Novice): Knowledge of and experience with laboratory animal diseases, outbreaks, methods of spread, and methods of limiting disease.
• Judgement and Decision-Making (Advanced): Able to make decisions effectively and accurately in an environment which may be fast-paced or changing. Considers a wide range of alternatives before making a decision.
• Animal Care Knowledge (Advanced): Knowledgeable on the needs, treatment, and husbandry for different animal species. Able to ensure their welfare, nutrition, and safety.
• Regulatory Compliance (Advanced): Demonstrates knowledge of the appropriate rules and regulations and applies them in difficult, stressful, and complex situations. Interprets and explains ambiguous rules and trains others in them.
• Planning (Advanced): Plans work to complete projects on time. Handles multiple assignments simultaneously and adapts to changing needs with minimal disruption.
• Customer Service (Advanced): Focuses on the needs and requirements of customers, anticipating their needs, and remaining sensitive and responsive to them.
• Communication (Advanced): Clearly, effectively, and respectfully communicates with employees or customers.

Core Accountabilities

• Organizational Impact: Independently performs non-routine tasks that significantly impact the team and related teams.
• Problem Solving/Complexity of Work: Gathers and analyzes data to solve problems with little or no precedent.
• Breadth of Knowledge: Applies advanced job knowledge and has developed skills in other areas.
• Team Interaction: Serves as a lead for the team by providing expertise and guidance to team members.

Supporting Colleagues

• Develops Self and Others: Invests time and energy in developing self and others to improve performance and gain knowledge.
• Builds and Maintains Relationships: Maintains regular contact with key colleagues and stakeholders to expand and strengthen relationships.
• Communicates Effectively: Modifies communication style to suit different situations and audiences.

Delivering Excellent Services

• Serves Others with Compassion: Seeks to understand current and future needs of stakeholders and customizes services accordingly.
• Solves Complex Problems: Approaches problems from different angles and identifies new opportunities for concrete solutions.
• Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Provides ongoing support and coaching to increase employees' effectiveness.

Ensuring High Quality

• Performs Excellent Work: Engages in dialogue about quality and addresses issues promptly.
• Ensures Continuous Improvement: Looks beyond symptoms to uncover underlying causes of problems and identifies ways to resolve them.
• Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Understands all aspects of providing a safe environment and performs routine safety checks.

Managing Resources Effectively

• Demonstrates Accountability: Focuses on and drives critical issues to closure.
• Stewards Organizational Resources: Applies understanding of departmental work to manage resources effectively.
• Makes Data-Driven Decisions: Demonstrates strong understanding of information or data to identify and elevate opportunities.

Fostering Innovation

• Generates New Ideas: Proactively identifies new ideas or opportunities from multiple sources to improve processes.
• Applies Technology: Demonstrates enthusiasm for learning new technologies, tools, and procedures.
• Adapts to Change: Views difficult situations as opportunities for improvement and embraces change.

Requirements

• 4 years of relevant work experience.
• Bachelor's degree.

Benefits

This role offers a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement, and/or wellness offerings to enhance well-being and professional growth.