Associate University Veterinarian

Dalhousie University; Halifax; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Defined benefit pension

Health and dental plans

Health spending account

Employee and family assistance program

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, invites applications for the Associate University Veterinarian to support the Animal Care and Use Program across campuses. The role provides veterinary expertise, welfare oversight, and clinical services within a research and teaching environment.

You will lead post-approval monitoring, contribute to ethical review processes, and mentor animal users, students, and staff while upholding high standards of animal welfare and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• DVM degree and licensure or eligibility to practice in Nova Scotia.
• Experience applying veterinary knowledge to animal health, welfare, anesthesia, surgery, and clinical case management.
• Experience in laboratory animal medicine or university animal care programs is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for animal welfare and post-approval monitoring programs.
• Offer veterinary consultation, clinical services, and welfare support for research programs.
• Support ethical review processes and contribute to program development.
• Mentor animal users, students, and staff in veterinary care and compliance.
• Lead post-approval monitoring audits of animal use activities and facilities.

Skills

Veterinary leadership

Animal welfare oversight

Regulatory compliance

Clinical veterinary services

Mentorship

Education

DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine)

Job description

This is a provisional classification. Formal regular review classification procedures may be initiated at any time by the incumbent or supervisor after the incumbent has worked a minimum of six months in the role.

Dalhousie University is Atlantic Canada’s leading research-intensive university and a driver of the region’s intellectual, social and economic development. Located in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, with an Agricultural Campus in Truro/Bible Hill, Dalhousie is a truly national and international university, with more than half of our almost 21,000 students coming from outside of the province. Our 6,000 faculty and staff foster a vibrant, purpose-driven community, that celebrated 200 years of academic excellence in 2018.

Job Summary

Under the leadership of the Office of the Vice-President Research and Innovation, the Office of the University Veterinarian supports a vibrant research enterprise across multiple campuses and facilities, including animal-based research programs involving biomedical, agricultural, aquatic, and wildlife species. The Office of the University Veterinarian provides oversight and support for Dalhousie’s Animal Care and Use Program. This includes veterinary care, animal welfare oversight, regulatory compliance, post-approval monitoring, animal user training, support for Animal Care and Use Committees, and liaison with the Canadian Council on Animal Care ( CCAC ).
Reporting to the University Veterinarian, the Associate University Veterinarian promotes and safeguards the ethical care and use of animals in research, teaching, and testing at Dalhousie University. The position provides veterinary expertise, animal welfare oversight, ethical review support, post-approval monitoring leadership, and clinical veterinary services in support of the University’s Animal Care and Use Program.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for the University’s animal welfare and post-approval monitoring programs and promotes continuous improvement in the ethical care and use of animals.
• Provide veterinary consultation, clinical services, and welfare support for designated animal care and research programs.
• Support institutional ethical review and oversight processes and contributes to the strategic development of the Animal Care and Use Program.
• Contribute to the growth and development of animal care, animal welfare, and animal-based research and educational initiatives across Dalhousie University.
• Lead and coordinate the University’s Post-Approval Monitoring ( PAM ) Program, conducting risk-based audits and assessments of animal use activities and facilities.

Note

The successful applicant will be eligible for hybrid work (combination of in-person work on campus and remote work from within Nova Scotia) as agreed by all parties based on operational requirements and university guidelines.

Required Qualifications

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine ( DVM ) degree and eligible for licensure or currently licensed to practice veterinary medicine in Nova Scotia with a minimum five years of veterinary experience.
• Demonstrated experience applying veterinary knowledge and professional judgment to animal health, animal welfare, anesthesia, analgesia, surgery, clinical case management, and complex decision-making.
• Demonstrated experience in laboratory animal medicine, animal research oversight, institutional animal care and use programs, or university-based animal care and use programs is highly desirable and will be prioritized during candidate evaluation.
• Demonstrated experience providing veterinary consultation, training, mentorship, oversight, or guidance to animal users, students, technical staff, clients, researchers, or other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience working with laboratory animal species and research animal care and use programs is preferred. Experience with companion animal, agricultural, aquatic, wildlife, zoological, or mixed-animal practice may be considered relevant depending on the nature and extent of the experience.
• Demonstrated commitment to animal welfare, ethical animal use, evidence-based veterinary practice, and collaborative problem-solving is essential.

Assets

• Experience with Canadian Council on Animal Care ( CCAC ) standards, animal ethics review, protocol review, post-approval monitoring, compliance activities, or institutional animal care and use programs is considered a strong asset.

The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate proficiency in Dalhousie’s core and leadership competencies, in particular:

• Respect & Inclusion
• Adaptability
• Knowledge & Thinking Skills
• Communication
• Service

Additional Information

Dalhousie University supports a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

Our total compensation package includes:

• a defined benefit pension plan
• health and dental plans
• a health spending account
• an employee and family assistance program
• and a tuition assistance program

Application Consideration

Applications from current university employees and external candidates are assessed concurrently. Current university employees will be given special consideration.

We sincerely appreciate all applications and note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted directly by the hiring department or People and Culture.

Diversity Statement

Dalhousie University commits to achieving inclusive excellence through continually championing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The university encourages applications from Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (especially Mi’kmaq), persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians), and members of other racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, persons identifying as members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community. In accordance with our Employment Equity Policy, preference will be given in hiring processes to candidates who self-identify as members of one or more of the equity-deserving groups listed above. For more information, including details related to our Employment Equity Policy and Plan and definitions of equity-deserving groups please review our Employment Equity information.If you require any support for the purpose of accommodation, such as technical aids or alternative arrangements, please let us know of these needs and how we can be of assistance. Dalhousie University is committed to ensuring all candidates have full, fair, and equitable participation in the hiring process. Our complete Accommodation Policy can be viewed here.

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