Job Summary:

Oversees the daily operations of the Center for Comparative Medicine's managed rodent breeding service.  Provides direction and guidance to breeding colony technicians to ensure rodent breeding colonies are maintained as specified by the customers (i.e., investigators).  Serves as the primary contact between the breeding service and the investigators. 

Specific Responsibilities:

• Manages and oversees the daily operations of the CCM Breeding Colony.
  • Ensures that the Breeding Colony Technicians perform daily mouse colony maintenance and husbandry.
  • Ensures compliance with all applicable CCM SOPs by the technicians.
  • Schedules technicians and assigns responsibility for specific colonies to technicians.
  • Trains technicians.
  • Fills in for technicians during absences to ensure continuity of animal care.
  • Oversees animal transfers to and from investigators/Chicago campus.
  • Oversees submission of tissue samples (tail biopsies, ear punch biopsies, or other as required) for genotyping to investigators or Transnetyx as specified by the investigator.
• Administrates the rodent inventory database management software 
  • Sets up new laboratories, personnel, and colonies in the software.
  • Ensures that accurate colony records are maintained by the technicians.
  • Trains new laboratories and personnel on the use of the software.
• Communicates with Investigators
  • Communicates with investigators and meets as required to understand research requirements, breeding schemes, and colony-specific phenotypes. Becomes familiar with relevant Animal Study Protocols when necessary.
• Assists the Senior Clinical Veterinarian (with regards to the breeding colony)
  • Interviews and recommends new hires.
  • Manages annual performance evaluation process ensuring that all breeding colony technicians receive reviews and that documentation regarding performance is properly maintained in a timely manner.
  • Writes, develops, and implements SOPs relevant to the breeding service.
• Provides support for Veterinary Clinical and Rodent Technical Services:
  • Assists with clinical care as directed by the veterinarian.
  • Services as the Evanston contact for and provides rodent technical services to investigators.
  • Participates in the training of animal care staff and laboratory personnel.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Completion of a 4-year degree in animal science, biology, veterinary science, zoology, or related field; OR an associates degree (e.g., veterinary technology) and two years of relevant experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience as an animal care or research technician working with rodents in a laboratory animal facility.
• Certified by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science at the LATg level at the time of employment, OR equivalent education and experience such as managing a breeding colony in a research setting.
• Working knowledge of genetics and experience with mutant mouse colonies.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Lab Animal Care
• Organization and Multitasking
• Efficiency/dependability
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Must be able to type and have advanced knowledge of spreadsheet, word processing, database, and e-mail software

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior supervisory experience.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience managing large mouse colonies (>200 cages).

About Northwestern University

The Center for Comparative Medicine is a core service, teaching, and training unit dedicated to supporting humane animal care and use in research and education at Northwestern University. We provide quality animal care and promote animal welfare and regulatory compliance through efficient operations and positive collaborations with faculty, students and staff. Northwestern University is a private research university with 12 schools and more than 21,000 students across three campuses. Beyond being a dynamic learning organization, research thrives at Northwestern University, with teams working to solve society's problems and facilitate clinical and commercial use of their innovations.

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