Job Description

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Position Summary

The Director of Veterinary and Clinical Services is responsible to provide a high-quality animal care and use program and ensures that services provided by the Comparative Medicine and Animal Resources Centre (CMARC) personnel meet or exceed established national and international quality standards for laboratory animal science, including Canadian Council of Animal Care (CCAC) guidelines governing the care and use of animals in research, best practices, SOPs, and university policies. This position provides leadership and direction to the clinical veterinarians, animal health technicians, animal welfare administrators and training administrators and participates in their hiring, training, and review. The Director, Veterinary and Technical Services reports to the Associate Vice Principal, Animal Care/University Veterinarian and works in close collaboration with the Director of Administration and Operations, CMARC, and the Director of the Office of Animal Compliance (ACO).

Primary Responsibilities:

Supervises and mentors a team of Clinical Veterinarians, as well as consultant veterinarians based on operational needs, through staff planning, hiring, evaluating workflow processes, updating job responsibilities, and managing performance.

Supervises the Veterinary Care Manager with oversight of the Animal Health Technicians, the Animal Welfare Administrator, and the Training Administrators.

Acts as the main resource for animal users regarding the use of animals, research models, experimental design, animal sources, animal handling, technical requirements, protocol submission, analgesia, anesthesia, surgical and other animal procedures.

Working in close collaboration with the Director of Administration and Operations, CMARC and the Director of ACO, such as participates in weekly meetings to establish and maintain an animal care and use program that is compliant with federal and provincial guidelines and regulations.

With the University Veterinarian and the Director of Administration and Operations provides leadership in ensuring research programs are supported through the short and long-term evaluation of human resources, space, equipment, and technology needs and opportunities.

Develops and improves methodologies including refinements. Participation in ongoing improvements in animal and veterinary care standards, guidelines and techniques through interaction and communication with the animal care committee, senior administration, investigators, and animal care staff, to ensure best practices in the care and use of experimental animals.

Assesses program quality, effectiveness, and consistency by defining and developing benchmark measures to improve the quality of the Animal Care and Use Program as well as build and maintain relations with external and internal customers, in accordance with the CCAC guidelines.

Oversees the animal users training program. Actively participates in the development, implementation, and review of laboratory animal biomethodology workshops. Provides training on specialized techniques.

Oversees the Animal Welfare Program including implementation and ongoing assessment welfare assessments and cumulative endpoints.

Serves on Facility Animal Care Committees (FACC) for the ethical review of animal research protocols; actively participates in the Veterinary Working Committee, CMARC Advisory Committee and the Training Working Group.

Participates in on call rotation for weekends and holidays

Acts as the Senior Person in Charge (SPIC) for the management of controlled substances, as well as conducting authorized activities regulated by Health Canada.

Performs clinical veterinary medicine; gives instructions to CMARC employees, research staff and students regarding care and treatment, and health monitoring procedures.

Leads, participates, and establishes projects with a focus on quality improvement, technical refinements, efficiency gains, animal welfare, animal models, and staff wellbeing.

Actively participates in and establishes initiatives that support the strategic direction of the unit.

Develop, review, and implement institutional animal care and use policies, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) related to animal welfare, veterinary medicine, and animal research.

Responsible for CMARC FACCC protocols; some of the protocols may be delegated to the clinical veterinary staff.

Participates in the development of institutional crisis management plans related to animals and animal facilities.

Consulted and participates in maintenance of animal facilities equipment and infrastructure to ensure it meets national guidelines.

Actively participates in the health and safety program; in improving all aspects of the program including ergonomics, personal protection, and safety awareness.

Participate in the selection of new caging systems and other animal facility equipment.

Attends continuing education programs, remains up to date on contemporary information in laboratory animal science and medicine.

Faculty/Department/Unit: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Animal Resource Centre \xe2\x80\x8b(CMARC)
Rank: \xe2\x80\x8bAcademic Associate

Reports to: University Veterinarian
Salary: \xe2\x80\x8b Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience

Minimum Education/Experience:

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with an emphasis on, or additional qualifications in, Laboratory Animal Medicine. Eligibility for licensure with L\xe2\x80\x99Ordre des m\xc3\xa9decins v\xc3\xa9t\xc3\xa9rinaires du Qu\xc3\xa9bec (L\xe2\x80\x99OMVQ).

License required to procure veterinary pharmaceuticals for clinical purposes, monitoring compliance to standards and to carry out responsibilities in relation to the development or revision of animal protocols.

At least 5 years of cumulative experience as a laboratory animal veterinarian, preferably in a research-intensive academic institution with a broad range of animal-based research and teaching.

Experience with the CCAC accreditation process.

Possess a detailed and thorough knowledge of all federal and provincial standards, policies, and regulations for the humane care and use of animals in research, teaching, and testing.

Experience and thorough knowledge of all aspects of Animal Care Committee function.

Desirable Skills and/or Abilities:

• American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) board certification or board eligibility will be considered.
• Experience managing research animal facilities and clinical laboratory animal veterinary practice is desirable.
• Experience with agriculture animals.
• Experience with containment facilities and practices for Containment Level-2 and Containment Level-3.
• Proven ability to identify, develop, and maintain cross-sectoral relationships.
• Excellent knowledge of the guidelines, policies, legislation, and regulations for the use of animals in science, a general knowledge of the principles of humane animal care and treatment, and a broad understanding of the use of animals in biomedical research and teaching.
• Provides an exemplary model of professionalism to all principal investigators, research staff, animal care staff and colleagues. Is open to differences and differing viewpoints and understanding that there is more than one approach to addressing any situation. Demonstrates a growth mindset. Establishes priorities and mobilizes, optimizes resources.
• Facilitates change and improvements.
• Excellent communication skills, in both French and English.

Posting Period: 30 days from posting period

Use a personal email address when creating an account in Workday to submit your application. Do not use @mail.mcgill.ca or @mcgill.ca email accounts to apply.

McGill University is an English-language university where most teaching and research activities are conducted in the English language, thereby requiring English communication both verbally and in writing.

L\xe2\x80\x99Universit\xc3\xa9 McGill est une institution de langue anglaise dans laquelle la majorit\xc3\xa9 des activit\xc3\xa9s d\xe2\x80\x99enseignement et de recherche s\xe2\x80\x99effectuent en langue anglaise, rendant essentielle l\xe2\x80\x99utilisation de l\xe2\x80\x99anglais pour la communication orale et \xc3\xa9crite.

McGill University is committed to equity and diversity within its community and values academic rigour and excellence. We welcome and encourage applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to engage productively with diverse communities.

At McGill, research that reflects diverse intellectual traditions, methodologies, and modes of dissemination and translation is valued and encouraged. Candidates are invited to demonstrate their research impact both within and across academic disciplines and in other sectors, such as government, communities, or industry.

McGill further recognizes and fairly considers the impact of leaves (e.g., family care or health-related) that may contribute to career interruptions or slowdowns. Candidates are encouraged to signal any leave that affected productivity, or that may have had an effect on their career path. This information will be considered to ensure the equitable assessment of the candidate\xe2\x80\x99s record.

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All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

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