CARLETON UNIVERSITY POSITION DESCRIPTION

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PART B - Position Summary

The Senior Veterinary Technologist works independently and reports directly to the Manager of Animal Care Operations of Carleton University under the oversight of the Dean of Science. S/he assists the Manager in the oversight of the animals in various animal holding facilities located on the Carleton University campus, ensuring they are in accordance with the Ontario Ministry of Agricultural Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), Animals for Research Act (ARA) Canadian Council of Animal Care (CCAC) and Institutional Animals Care Committee (ACC). The Senior Veterinary Technologist gives, direction, and support regarding the work performed by full time and casual animal care employees and will train them in accordance to facility protocols

Advises, assists and ensures that the researchers and students are instructed in and execute correct procedures in the care and use of animals in research.

Plays a key role in development, revision and implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOP) for the ACVS

Delivers an animal care orientation, hands on animal training, and makes improvements to the Animal Care training program

PART C – Primary Duties Performed:

Administrative Duties: 35%

• Creates and maintains various reports as requested by the Manager. These require intermediate Excel capability and the ability to preform data entry, and general computer skills
• Receives and submits animal orders to vendors. Ensures all documentation is correct and approved by ACC
• Assists the Manager in forecasting equipment needs, and equipment maintenance and repair
• In absence of the University Veterinarian and/or Manager the SVT may be called upon to assist the provincial veterinary inspector during his/her unannounced site visits.
• Develops, revises and implements SOP’s with assistance of the animal care team. These are subject to approval of the manager and ACC. These must comply with CCAC, OMAFRA, EHS and WHMIS recommendations
• Ability to research and train staff for novel research species or novel procedures that may be employed by investigators
• Oversees that monthly check sheets, post-op records, cleaning records etc. are scanned, saved and filed appropriately
• Keep accurate records for chemical inventory using Carleton’s software
• Maintain accurate training records for all animal users
• Approve procedural space requests such as for Necropsy, Surgery and procedure rooms. Must ensure Animal Use Protocol are approved, and students have been trained in the areas that they are requesting.
• May be asked to sit as a technical representative on the animal care committee
• Works regularly and confidently with vivarium software
• Ensures clear and proper instructions are left for staff covering weekend.

Technical Duties: 35%

• Responsible for daily wellness checks as well as all aspects of the husbandry program
• Monitors the environment (temperature, relative humidity and air exchange) lighting, water quality and housing suitability and informs the Manager and Facilities Management and Planning (FMP) on concerns
• Assists with the maintenance of all vivarium equipment such as cage/bottle washers, anesthetic machines, autoclave and special operating equipment to ensure that the equipment is safe and in operating condition at all times and ensures that the appropriate remedial action is taken.
• Ability to problem solve equipment and system procedures
• Under the direction of the Veterinarian provides treatment for sick cases by assisting others with treatments including, topical, injectable, oral and gavage.
• Collects and prepares biological specimens for analysis, appropriate paperwork and schedules shipments to diagnostic laboratories including sentinel sampling
• Participates in removal of biomedical waste as per SOP
• Trains and may be asked to assist lab staff with advanced surgical procedures, anesthetics and analgesics

Instructional Support Duties 20%

• Develops and provides training sessions for the staff when new procedures or methodologies will be in place, or are noticed to be lacking
• Has a shared responsibility of ensuring the biosecurity and health and safety procedures are well described and easily accessible, that personal protective equipment is readily available and that procedures are enforced
• Organizes, delivers and documents new animal user research course. It includes a tour of the facility and orientation.
• Instructs and monitors staff and students that environmental health and safety regulations are followed
• Monitors students working within ACVS and provides ongoing support
• Participates in colony management for labs. Assist with the efficiency of breeding and the promulgation of the principals of the 3 R’s.
• Instruct training sessions for more advanced procedural and surgical techniques i.e. Stereotaxic infusions, and implants, mini pump, ovariohysterectomies, oral gavage, perfusions, intravenous blood collections and injections

Supervisory Duties: 10%

• Observes staff performance and provides feedback to the Manager.
• Initiates a daily stand up meeting to ensure work flow is appropriate, and can discuss any animal health, or procedural concerns.
• Ability to tactfully address conflicts between department staff and/or research labs
• Can suggest and enforce procedures with those that may not agree. i.e. students to provide animal analgesia over weekends, not approving surgical bookings if students are not prepared, denying requests for animal orders when not approved on AUP
• Infrequently being on call in regards to building management system

Physical Job Requirements

• Handling/processing cages containing rodent waste products
• Handling rodents on a daily basis
• Careful attention to reading and transcribing scientific and medical notation on materials and documents
• Bending/lifting of up to 20kg on a routine basis. Therefore a general level of fitness is required
• Occasionally tilting large drums of fluid onto moving equipment
• Standing on hard surfaces on a daily basis
• Working with large mechanical equipment
• Moving heavy carts on a daily basis
• Moving the wrists and arms in a repetitive manner on a daily basis
• Reaching above head level intermittently
• Deep bending, squatting intermittently
• Fine motor skill is required to handle mice and provide medical treatment
• Reading technical documents on an intermittent basis, therefore requires ability to sustain concentration.
• Ability to deal in an occasional higher stress environment