GRAF Assistant Operations Supervisor

Department

BSD ARC - GRAF

About the Department

The mission of the Animal Resources Center (ARC) is to assist investigators in performing their animal research while ensuring appropriate and humane care of all laboratory animals. The Animal Resources Center (ARC) at The University of Chicago is responsible for the use and care of all research animals on campus. The ARC manages 6 facilities and a business office. Its sections are as follows: husbandry, maintenance, operations, veterinary care, finance and administration. The unit merged with the Office of Shared Research Facilities managing all of the BSD cores on campus.

Job Summary

Principal contribution is the application of principles and knowledge relevant to the support of research projects in the Gnotobiotics Research Animal Facility (GRAF), including work on weekends/holidays. Assists in the supervision of the daily activities of staff operations for the GRAF team. Assists the Technical Director in coordination of work activities and other duties in the unit. Conducts research projects according to plan, including adapting existing procedures to the needs of the project, and making contributions to methodology in consultation with the Technical Director and/or Director. Assists in project oversight and training of staff. Ensures compliance with institutional, state, and federal regulatory policies, procedures, directives.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Technical Director in the management and oversight of daily GRAF staff operations (Twice weekly supervisory check on the unit, work assignments and duties as directed/delegated by the technical director).

• Assisting with experiment execution in the absence of planned Research Specialist.

• Assisting Animal Technologist lead with distribution and coverage of isolator staff and assignment.

• Providing back-up to daily unit operations in the absence of the technical director and under their indirect supervision.

• Communicating with the unit director on any operational or staffing concerns.

• Assist the technical director with monthly unit documentations, accounting.

• Provide demonstrated leadership skills (work environment activities coordination).

• Assist the Director and Technical Director with the planning of staff operations of the GRAF expansion (Abbott floor 1) space to open in spring 2025.

• Coordinate staff movement and develop operational plan for the expansion space.

• Assist the Director and Technical Director as primary point person within the GRAF unit for staff assignments and equipment upkeep when the Director and/or Technical Director are unavailable.

• May train PI group and other research personnel to perform tasks in the GRAF.

• Perform experimental interventions with germ free animals and assist Principal Investigator groups to perform experiments within the facility.

• Maintain breeding colony and breeding colony film isolators, records and lines (includes tag, tail, wean and colony status records).

• Assist the Technical Director with monthly room sheet preparedness and collection.

• Maintain knowledge, skill and proficiency of technical skills, husbandry operations, and supply preparation to provide assistance and training to research specialists, animal technologists, and research technical assistants.

• Assist the Director and Technical Director with leading E4 Leadership efforts in the unit.

• Applies standard laboratory procedures to support clinical research studies, such as the preparation of reagents. Handles, processes, banks, and ships patient samples.

• Analyzes the results and relays them to physicians after testing and examining specimens.

• Prepares quality and safety control measures for the laboratory, such as checks of equipment, temperature control, and documentation of quality improvement projects. Under a moderate degree of supervision, provides support to clinical research studies.

• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific field OR in a field relevant to the research being conducted.

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Experience:

• One year or more of Research Specialist experience in a gnotobiotics specialty unit stro