Sr. Biocontainment Veterinarian
Job Description:
Function: To provide advanced veterinary care for many species of research animal through disease prevention, surgery, clinical care, and health monitoring and quality assurance measures primarily in a biocontainment setting.
Scope: This position has a broad impact on the John Sealy School of Medicine and the GNL through direct care for research animals, particularly those maintained under biocontainment conditions.
Essential Job Functions
- Directs activities of the Animal Resources Center (ARC) veterinary team in biocontainment facilities. Participates in and actively supports team management in the ARC. Trains ARC personnel in biocontainment activities.
- Contributes to the business and financial management of veterinary clinical operations of the Animal Resources Center.
- Provides direction to veterinary technicians. Performs or assists investigators with surgery and monitors pre-and post-operative care.
- Along with veterinary technical staff, responsible for daily clinical rounds to monitor health of UTMB animals, especially animals in biocontainment. Provides clinical care of research animals as appropriate.
- Consults with researchers on protocol development and selection of appropriate animal models.
- Monitors compliance of animal care and use with federal and state regulations. Consults with the ARC and researchers on regulatory issues. Performs semi-annual inspections and husbandry inspections for the Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC) as required.
- Assists with the ARC cost accounting system for effective cost recovery of clinical operations through approved schedule of charges.
- Analyzes and evaluates available data and makes appropriate recommendations to ARC Executive Director.
- Works with other ARC leadership to monitor space utilization, staffing needs, and contributes in facility renovation activities.
- Adheres to internal controls and reporting structure.
- Performs related duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine or Veterinary Medical Degree (DVM or VMD)
- Six (6) years of Veterinary experience working with laboratory animals, including two years of experience in a biocontainment facility.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
- Expert knowledge of laboratory research animal care and use regulations, laws, policies and procedures, and research protocol procedures in order to serve as a consultant to the UTMB ACUC.
- Working knowledge (in addition to veterinary sciences) of interdisciplinary scientific fields common to the UTMB research community including biological safety principles and practices associated with UTMB biocontainment facilities in order to consult/collaborate with, or advise, UTMB scientists.
- Ability to communicate scientific and technical information orally in order to collaborate with scientists and managers from UTMB and other collaborating scientific institutions.
- Ability to communicate scientific and technical information orally and with training aides as necessary in order to train
- Ability to communicate scientific and technical information in writing in order to write and edit technical reports, manuscripts and operating procedures.
Equal Employment Opportunity;
UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a VEVRAA Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance women, minorities, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
