Position Title: Research Husbandry Coordinator, Pre-Clinical

Department: 9010|NIRC Administration

Responsibilities:

The Research Husbandry Coordinator, Pre-Clinical plays a critical leadership role in overseeing animal housing, husbandry practices, and husbandry related research support activities at the New Iberia Research Center. This position manages housing allocations, ensures compliance with regulatory and institutional requirements, and supports study directors and principal investigators in the execution of biomedical research involving nonhuman primates (NHPs). The coordinator ensures that all husbandry activities are conducted in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act, FDA Good Laboratory Practices, Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) approvals, and NIRC Standard Operating Procedures.

Key Responsibilities
-Manage space allocation of indoor housing and oversee scheduling of daily protocol-mandated tasks (e.g., fasting periods, special diets, feeding intervals).
-Track and schedule contract-driven and regulatory-mandated animal health testing, including TB testing, body weight measurement, veterinary physicals, and serological testing.

-Consult during study design, development, and implementation to ensure adherence to research timelines, including relocation of NHPs from outdoor to indoor housing.
-Work with Study Directors/Principal Investigators to isolate infectious studies according to agent, transmission mode, and approved biosafety levels.
-Update and maintain indoor housing placement diagrams to support daily census, veterinary monitoring, behavioral management, and compliance with the Animal Welfare Act.
-Provide directives to Animal Resources personnel to maintain housing in compliance with SOPs, IACUC approvals, IBC directives, and Radiation Safety approvals.
-Assess complex living environments and animal behaviors to ensure optimal welfare during in-life studies; troubleshoot and resolve potential failures promptly.
-Oversee transfer of NHPs to and from biomedical research facilities, including initiating USDA-certified transporter bids and managing preconditioning, diagnostic, and prophylactic schedules.
-Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and institutional regulations governing the use of NHPs in biomedical research.
-Demonstrate flexibility to multitask and adapt to changing daily needs and priorities at NIRC.

Qualifications:
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Science degree or related field with scientific emphasis
-OR 5 years of relevant experience in a contract research setting, assisting in conduct of research protocols may be substituted for the degree.
- 10 years of relevant experience in a research facility as a lead worker, supervisor, and project lead (or equivalent) utilizing non-human primate animal models

Preferred Qualifications:
- AALAS Technician certification

Skills, Abilities, Etc.:
-Advance knowledge in a field of science and relevant experience to independently conduct protocol mandated research procedures in nonhuman primate animal studies in an AAALAC-accredited facility

Job Ad# (req4357)

University of Louisiana, Lafayette

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Research Husbandry Coordinator, Pre-Clinical