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We are one of Canada’s top universities and leading research institutions. With more than 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students, two campuses (Lethbridge and Calgary), seven faculties and schools, and more than 2,500 employees, ULethbridge is Lethbridge’s second largest employer. Faculty and staff come together to contribute, each in their own way, to establishing ULethbridge as Canada’s destination university. In 2022, Lethbridge was recognized as one of Canada’s top small cities.

The Office of the Vice-President Research and Animal Care Services (ACS) team at the University of Lethbridge invites applications for a University Veterinarian and Director of Animal Care Services (ACS) (APO 6) to commence work as soon as possible and no later than November 1, 2023.

The University of Lethbridge is a research-intensive comprehensive university with worldclass animal research facilities and researchers. Known for its leading neurosciences, aquatics, and animal and behavioural psychology research, the University of Lethbridge expands knowledge and drives discovery. The University Veterinarian is a primary leader in supporting these achievements with students, staff, and faculty researchers.

The Animal Care Services program is dedicated to advancing safe and ethical research with animals by providing:

                -oversight of animal husbandry

                -provision and management of high-quality facilities and Veterinarian services

                -a high-quality training program for animal users and care givers

In this position you will support the overall institutional animal welfare, use, and care program, including oversight for all related activities that are occurring at institutional sites, offsite facilities, and in the field. You will also lead a team that provides exceptional and proactive service to uLethbridge faculty, staff, and students, and their collaborators in supporting their world-class research activities that involve animals. The position involves a high degree of autonomy, initiative, and independence, providing leadership to the ACS team as guided by the Associate Vice President (Research). Priorities of this role involve:

You are a leader and key contact in ACS for supporting staff and business processes including, but not limited to, support for experimental design and confirmation of principles of conducting research with animals, procurement and receipt of animals, determination of PPE requirements in the single-barrier vivarium facility, post-approval audits, field-research checks, facility operations, maintenance, and budgets, and research compliance. As a supervisor for animal technicians and facility operations staff you provide onboarding, mentoring, and guidance for new staff, as well as communicating important processes and process changes to staff and faculty. This work also includes reviewing and revising university policies, procedures, and processes to enhance effectiveness and efficiency in the context of research excellence.

You work closely with the Director of Research and Innovation Services, Research Ethics Coordinator, Research Initiatives Manager, and the Animal Welfare Committee, Department Chairs and Associate Deans, and core research facility managers to ensure that processes and policies are understood and implemented to serve the needs of safe, ethical research with animals.

You are the primary expert on Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) and Alberta Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA) regulations, standards, and guidelines and are responsible to communicating these, delivering training to students and faculty, ensuring that competency assessments are conducted and passed, and enforcing the principles of conducting research with animals: replacement, reduction, and refinement. You are an engaged participant in the national network under the Canadian Association for Laboratory Animal Medicine (CALAM), Canadian Association for Laboratory Animal Science (CALAS), and support the work of site visitors and auditors of and from the CCAC. You understand that safe and ethical research is high quality and reproducible research.

In addition to initiatives around business, compliance, and high-quality research performance processes, you serve as a leader in supporting initiatives that require collaboration and cooperation across internal units, as well as with external institutions and agencies. Problem-solving, negotiations, clear communication, and stellar organizational skills are essential to successful completion of these activities.

You are a part of a team that strives to create a diverse and inclusive community where students, faculty, and staff feel welcome, are treated equitably, and can thrive in their various endeavours. As part of our team, you serve as an ambassador for the uLethbridge community. In that capacity, you will initiate and maintain robust relationships that support collaboration and problem-solving.

This is an in-person position located on our Lethbridge campus. Occasional travel to our Calgary campus may be required.

A minimum of 5 years animal-based research university-level experience is preferred. A DVM credential is required, as is registration or eligibility to register with the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA). Maintenance of professional status with the ABVMA in good standing is a requirement for this position.

Knowledge of, participation in, and certification from (or plan to complete) your Certificate in Laboratory Animal Medicine (Cert LAM) or the higher-level Board Certification in Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) is necessary.

A combination of relevant education and experience may be considered. This position requires a satisfactory Criminal Record Check. A valid unrestricted Class 5 Driver’s License with no more than 6 demerits and submission of a motor vehicle record (driver abstract) dated within 3 months of the posting close is required.

As the ideal candidate you will:

The University of Lethbridge invites applications from all qualified candidates; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given preference.

The University of Lethbridge is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, including through all aspects of the hiring process. If you require support during the hiring process, please contact Human Resources at human.resources@uleth.ca so that accommodations can be put in place to support you. All private information received in relation to your request for support will be kept confidential, only information required to facilitate the accommodation will be shared with the selection committee.