St. Paul Dairy Unit Manager

About the role

The St. Paul Dairy Unit Manager reports directly to the Dairy Faculty Manager and works closely with the Dairy Unit Faculty Management Team. This position is responsible for overseeing animal care, dairy production, facility operations, and personnel management in support of the Departments teaching, research, and extension missions. The manager supervises the Assistant Manager and Farm Animal Attendant staff assigned to the St. Paul Dairy Unit, coordinates facility use with faculty and research personnel, and oversees the operation, maintenance, and repair of dairy unit equipment and infrastructure. The position also collaborates with supervisors of other St. Paul animal units to facilitate the shared use of equipment, facilities, and resources.

Responsibilities

• Supervision:

  • Full supervisory responsibility of assistant manager and three or more full-time farm animal attendants.
  • Responsible for the development, performance management, and setting of expectations and priorities.
  • Hire, schedule, assign work, train, educate and discipline animal unit employees.
  • Maintain standard operating procedures for operations and animal care.
  • Supervise and manage animal care duties as they relate to general handling, moving, restraining, health care and general husbandry of the animals.
  • Supervise and manage duties related to research protocols and data collection procedures.
  • Ensure employees obtain required occupational health, safety, and care and use of animal training and stay current with university requirements.

• Operational Management:

  • Prepare and provide regular operational reports; maintain timely and professional communication with Dairy Unit Faculty Management Team, faculty, staff, and stakeholders; coordinate scheduling, calendar management, and information sharing to support dairy unit operations, teaching, and research activities.
  • Report and be accountable to the Dairy Faculty Manager on all aspects (budgets, animal usage certification/documentation and animal unit personnel) of animal operations and usage.
  • Develop operating budgets and work with DAS Head, Finance Manager, CFANS administration, and faculty management team to ensure animal units are fiscally solvent.
  • Aid in purchasing, leasing, and maintaining equipment.
  • Manage routine cleaning and periodic maintenance and repair of equipment, tools, and facilities.
  • Observe animals for general wellbeing, health, and behavior on a routine basis and adjust procedures and administer treatments as required.
  • Maintain records on animals and animal performance.
  • Monitor animal facilities to ensure regulatory compliance with university requirements.
  • Manage storage and inventory of feed and other supplies necessary for feeding and care of animals.
  • Cook up and oversee silage harvest, including estimating silage needs for year, renting harvest and storage equipment, conducting crop analysis to schedule silage harvest with nutritionist and silage vendor(s).
  • Communicate and interact with faculty, students, veterinarians, other university personnel, and the general public.

• Animal Health and Care:

  • Observe animals daily for abnormalities. Treat and care for animals and/or contact veterinarian for assistance according to site procedures.
  • Absorb ear-tag, tattoo, or attach unique identifiers to livestock for identifications. Perform artificial insemination, castration, and collect blood samples for animals as required. Assist animals during calving, lambing and farrowing. Record breeding, birth, and birthing information.
  • Prepare the parlor, milking equipment and cows for milking, milk the cows according to established procedures, ensure cow IDs and milk weights are captured correctly and stored electronically.
  • Remove uneaten feed from the previous day from the feed mangers. Procure forage from silage bag and/or upright silo, prepare and deliver daily feed allotment to livestock by hand, tractor, or feed mixer/feed wagon. Evaluate clean water supply for livestock. Clean and maintain the watering system as needed.
  • Move cattle and livestock within and between animal facilities.

Qualifications

• BA/BS degree with at least two (2) years of experience OR a combination of related work experience to equal 6 years. Experience should include time in a dairy research facility or dairy cattle facility with supervision and management responsibilities.
• Moderate physical capability (ability to lift and carry at least 50 pounds repeatedly)
• A valid Drivers License
• Formal experience with record keeping and data logging
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Experience in large animal research and/or animal research facility management
• Experience leading personnel and coordinating activities within research and/or livestock operations environments.
• Experience in dairy cattle production equipment repair and maintenance
• Operational experience with skid steer, tractor and livestock trailer
• Experience moving, handling and transporting livestock
• Experience with dairy records and/or feed management software such as DairyComp 305, PCDart, DHI-Plus, Feed Supervisor, EZ Feed, etc.
• Experience with artificial insemination in cattle.
• Familiarity with other production animal species beyond dairy cattle
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills