Career Center
Fort Collins, Colorado
University Park, Pennsylvania
Rochester, Minnesota
New Hyde Park, New York
Posted: 31-Aug-23
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Salary: Open
Internal Number: 19437
Tufts Comparative Medicine Services (Tufts CMS) in the Office of the Vice Provost for Research provides facilities, services, and information to facilitate effective research using laboratory animals at Tufts University and Tufts Medical Center in Boston and Tufts University in Medford. Tufts CMS is also obligated to ensure that animal care procedures and animal experimentation comply with federal, state, and local regulations. The management and operation of the animal care activities of all sites are integral to the animal care and use program. All centralized facilities are located within a 2-block radius, either in Boston or Medford and house in excess of 40,000 animals daily.
This position specifically directs Preclinical Services (PS). Preclinical Services provides services, access to facilities, and information to facilitate effective research and in-vivo product development using laboratory animals, tissue specimens, and simulations. The management and operation of Preclinical Services of all sites are integral to developments and collaborations surrounding preclinical testing and training. Preclinical Services provides an array of in vivo services to support preclinical and biomedical research to the University, TMC, industry and academic research laboratories in Massachusetts and the New England area. Preclinical Services provides facility access to central services, professional consultation, and technical assistance needed for research procedures including performing preclinical veterinary advisement and oversight, grant and regulatory submission assistance, surgeries, and other in vivo procedures, euthanasia of animals, and collection of tissues. Preclinical Services serves as a resource regarding animal models, analgesics, anesthetics, drugs, and matters of animal anatomy, physiology, nutrition and in vivo and ex-vivoresearch techniques.
What You'll Do
The CMS Assistant Director position directs Preclinical Services and sets strategic direction and broad goals for this service and team. Independently and under general supervision of the CMS Senior Director, the Assistant Director develops service goals and strategic plans for Preclinical Services. Supervises preclinical managers, supervisors, veterinarian interns, and implements programmatic oversight of preclinical services to meet the needs of researchers, and innovative development.
Responsibilities include:
- Directs preclinical services and oversees management of preclinical staff
- Develops departmental policies and procedures for Preclinical Service operations including written protocols (SOP’s) for facility operations, equipment, and technical assistance
- Prepares operational and capital budgets for the Preclinical Services section of CMS
- Provides indirect veterinary and administrative support to the Senior Director and other CMS veterinarians
- Serves as the Primary Investigator on preclinical collaborative studies
- Compiles and maintains preclinical service business plan
- Assesses investigator compliance with animal use protocols and implement programmatic systems to pre-emptively avoid non-compliance issues
- Participates in model development, protocol development, and development of service budget
- Manages client interaction and consultation and oversees the contracts with clients
- Provides mentorship/collaboration/training to/with internal and external executives, investigators, and research staff
- Actively participates in interdepartmental training and continuing education seminars
What We're Looking For
Basic Requirements:
- ACLAM certification required
- DVM or equivalent and licensed to practice veterinary medicine (willingness for reciprocity in MA, if needed)
- Minimum of 5-10 years of related experience
- Must be able to troubleshoot and problem-solve to support successful service oversight
- Strong knowledge and experience in laboratory animal medicine including anesthesia, surgery, and procedures in a variety of small and large species
- Strong knowledge in the regulations governing animals used in biomedical research
Preferred Qualifications:
- Ideally, licensed to practice in MA
- 10+ years of related experience
- Surgical Research Specialist (SRS) Certification by Academy of Surgical Research preferred
- Strong clinical, anesthesia, and surgical/procedural skills and proficiency in a variety of laboratory animal species and animal models including rabbits, pigs, sheep, goats, dogs, guinea pigs, rodents, and other species
- Experience with animal model development and assessment
- Experience in a research support environment and with regulations governing animal research
- Experience with industry and pharmaceutical and device development
- Excellent written and verbal skills and advanced skills in computer literacy and project management
- Experience managing direct reports
- Basic knowledge of statistics preferred
- Detail oriented and superb organization skills
Pay Range
Minimum $136,200.00, Midpoint $170,250.00, Maximum $204,300.00
Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.
