Animal Care and Welfare Supervisor, Animal Support Unit

Description

The Animal Support Unit in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine invites applications for an Animal Care and Welfare Supervisor. This Full-time Fixed Term Recurring Part-time position is for approximately 24 months (based on length of grant funding), with the possibility of extension.

The Animal Care and Welfare Supervisor reports to the Manager Animal Support Unit (ASU) and will also take direction from University Veterinarians and Principal Investigators (PIs) as required. This position will implement and provide support and oversight on welfare assessment programs, assist with post approval assurance corrective actions, and coordinate animal care and welfare management plans for the teaching and research animals housed at the Spy Hill Campus. The Animal Welfare Supervisor works as a member of the Animal Support Unit team, or independently, as required. The welfare assessment program must be in compliance with  University Animal Welfare Committee and Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) standards.

Based out of the Spy Hill Campus, this position works 35 hours a week and will be primarily based at the Veterinary Sciences Research Station. On occasion, work outside regular hours may be required. In addition, assessments at the Clinical Skills Building, Wildlife Research Centre and the Foothills Campus may be necessary to fulfil the obligations set out by the CCAC.

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

Animal Care and Welfare Oversight:

• Create and implement Faculty-level procedures and policies aligned with CCAC and University guidelines
• Monitor and assess short- and long-term impacts on animal health and welfare, identifying challenges and creating solutions in collaboration with the Animal Health Unit (AHU), Clinical Teaching Team (CTT), and Animal Support Unit (ASU)
• Manage and organize herd maintenance, coordinate animal use to follow approved rest periods, and work with clinicians to address any welfare or health issues
• Provide technical and veterinary treatments according to direction of the University Veterinarians as appropriate to ensure proper animal care
• Lead initiatives aimed at enhancing the care and welfare of animals housed at Spy Hill

Team Leadership, Supervision and Collaboration with Teams:

• Provide in-scope supervision to animal husbandry staff responsible for the care of all animals used in research and teaching
• Train, mentor, and support the development of ASU team members, ensuring adherence to SOPs, CCAC and University guidelines
• Maintain skills and expertise through ongoing professional development and training
• Work closely with the Manager of the CTT, ASU, and AHU to ensure alignment and consistency of care across species
• Ensure animal care complies with SOPs, animal use protocols, and policies, and address health or welfare concerns in collaboration with the AHU and ASU.
  Engage with facility users in a respectful and collaborative manner to promote a positive working environment
• Keep supervisors informed of activities and seek assistance or propose solutions to improve operational efficiency

Health Monitoring and Reporting:

• Monitor animals for behavioral changes or signs of illness, exercising excellent judgment in assessing when to report to the Animal Health Unit RVTs and Veterinarians
• Ensure record-keeping of animal health, behavior, and procedural use is accurate and up to date for reporting back to the appropriate PIs and Animal Care Committees

Facility Operations and Maintenance (Back-up):

• Back up for ordering and maintaining animals and supplies for the facility
• Ensure compliance with all facility, animal, laboratory and biosafety standards
• Assist with Workplace Inspections to ensure animal facilities are in good working order

Safety and Confidentiality:

• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information related to research, animals, and personnel
• Adhere to all safety regulations, particularly when working with chemicals and equipment

Qualifications / Requirements:

• An Animal Health Technology diploma is required
• Registration (or eligibility for registration) as an RVT in Alberta in addition to 3 to 5 years previous clinical experience as a Registered Veterinary Technician in a clinical setting is required
  A thorough knowledge of CCAC guidelines and institutional animal care is necessary
• Working knowledge of animal behaviour and experience working with a variety of species
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to facilitate interaction with a variety of facilities users is needed (fluency in English is necessary)
• Attention to detail, strong records management skills, proven leadership skills and the ability to work independently and exercise discretionary decision making is required
• Demonstrated teamwork skills, strong organizational, and excellent interpersonal skills
• Three to five years of previous experience in post-secondary teaching and research or an equivalent field is considered an asset
• Additional training or specializing in animal behaviour or welfare is considered an asset
• Previous supervisory experience would be considered an asset
• The Animal Welfare Supervisor must not have any known animal allergies that will interfere with their ability to perform the required tasks
• Excellent interpersonal skills to maintain a positive relationship with all respective stakeholders from diverse backgrounds
• Standard Operating Procedure creation experience an asset
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Proficiency in Qualtrics and animal management software is considered an asset
• A valid driver's license is required

Application Deadline:  November 14, 2024

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.

This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Technical Job Family, Phase 3.

For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website. 

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources ([email protected]).

Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role. 

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.