Comparative Medicine Manager

Cedars-Sinai; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Cedars-Sinai's Department of Comparative Medicine seeks a Manager to oversee the vivarium operations, husbandry and facilities, ensuring compliance with USDA, AAALAC, and IACUC standards.

You will lead staffing, training, policy development, budget support, vendor coordination, and strategic projects, while building strong cross-functional relationships with internal teams and external providers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Biology, Animal Science, or related field required; Master's preferred.
• LATG certification from AALAS required; CMAR and PM certificates preferred.
• 5 years of management and project planning experience in AAALAC-accredited animal facility.
• Strong ability to lead staffing, training, and enforce performance standards.

Responsibilities

• Oversees and manages daily operations including scheduling, staffing, and training of animal care and operations staff.
• Ensures staff meet performance standards with guidance and corrective actions in HR consultation.
• Manages training program for vivarium staff.
• Develops and maintains program policies and procedures; conducts evaluations.
• Coordinates inspections and compliance with USDA, AAALAC, and IACUC.
• Leads continuous process improvement and coordinates maintenance with vendors.
• Acts as liaison with facilities, contractors, and external service providers.
• Advises Executive Director on facility planning, growth and budget.
• Performs other assignments pertaining to vivarium staff, equipment and infrastructure.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

AAALAC Accredited Facility

LATG certification

Budgeting

Staff development

Communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Biology/Animal Science

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Job Description

Join Cedars-Sinai as a Manager in our department of Comparative Medicine!

The Department of Comparative Medicine is dedicated to the facilitation of biomedical research utilizing animals, while striving to maintain the highest quality of ethical, humane and appropriate animal care. The Department is committed to continuing to improve the quality of services provided to research investigators for the purpose of improving the health of humans and animals.

The Manager, Comparative Medicine manages the laboratory animal vivarium and is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the vivarium including the husbandry and operations teams to ensure the health and welfare of all animals. The Manager ensures compliance with institutional policies and procedures, as well as applicable local, state, and federal regulations. The Manager plans, develops and leads, all activities of the husbandry and operations staff, including providing direction to supervisors, and individual contributors. This role is responsible for program infrastructure maintenance and development, and for maintaining and updating vivarium policies, practices and procedures. The manager contributes to the planning and execution of large-scale strategic projects that support organizational goals. The manager partners with, cultivates, and maintains effective relationships with external service providers and contracted entities, as well as internal affiliates and key stakeholders.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversees and manages daily operations including scheduling, staffing, and training of animal care and operations staff.
• Ensures staff meet performance standards by providing guidance, counseling, and corrective actions as needed in consultation with HR.
• Manages training program for vivarium staff in collaboration with other Department of Comparative Medicine leaders.
• Manages daily program operations by developing, implementing, and maintaining program policies and procedures. Conducts ongoing program assessment and evaluation.
• Prepares and incorporates requirements from program inspections including United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspections, Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) site visits, and semi-annual Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) inspections for the husbandry, operations and facility programs.
• Develops procedures for continuous process improvement and educates staff to support efficient high-quality operations.
• Oversees Husbandry and Operations work environment in partnership with Environmental Health and Safety (EHS).
• Participates in the departmental emergency response plan.
• Oversees monthly per diem charges and operational billing activities.
• Oversees supply and equipment orders and management.
• Ensures supervisors have the appropriate knowledge and training to ensure proper maintenance and minor repairs on equipment and in their facilities.
• Coordinates and/or oversees preventive and corrective maintenance programs for third party vendors supporting facility operations (e.g. Winnaire, Technicial Safety Services, Avidity, Steris, Sterilizer Services Plus).
• Serves as a liaison between the Department of Comparative Medicine, Research Facilities Operations, Plant Operations, contractors and vendors to carry construction, renovation, and repair projects.
• Advises and supports the Executive Director on facility planning, program growth and annual budget.
• Performs other assignments pertaining to the scope of the vivarium staff, equipment and infrastructure.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Biology, Animal Science, or related field is required. Master's degree is preferred.

Licenses/Certifications

• Laboratory Animal Technologist (LATG) from AALAS is required.
• Project management certificate (LSS or similar) and Certified Manager of Animal Resources (CMAR) from AALAS are preferred.

Experience and Skills

• Five (5) years of experience in management and project planning/project management in a AAALAC Accredited Animal Research Facility environment, or related.
• Ability to address performance issues and implement corrective action plans, foster individual/team development, performance feedback, coaching and recognition.
• Ability to analyze, project and adjust staffing to meet workforce planning needs, as well as motivate, monitor, measure, recognize and improve performance and morale.
• Ability to convey and/or receive written/verbal information to/from various audiences in different formats, and communicate expectations and priorities, and clarify roles and responsibilities.
• Ability to promote and foster participation/collaboration among individuals and groups, as well as initiate, plan, design, execute, and monitor project(s).
• Ability to apply knowledge of accounting principles to create, monitor or operate to budget(s).
• Ability to handle multiple demands and/or manage complex and competing priorities, aa well as work within tight timeframes and meet strict deadlines.
• Ability to interpret and apply knowledge of State, Federal and Agency standards to comply with regulations.
• Ability to apply advanced knowledge of science/learning/specialized intellectual instruction to analyze, interpret or make deductions from varying facts or circumstances.
• Ability to demonstrate problem solving skills and recommends solutions.
• Cultivates and maintains strong customer relationships and rapport with stakeholders and/or client groups.
• Collaborates to problem solve and make decisions to achieve desired outcomes.
• Responds timely, effectively and appropriately to deliverables.
• Identifies and responds appropriately to both internal and external customer needs utilizing available resources.
• Represents the company with external constituents.
• Shares knowledge, time and expertise to assist other members of the team.
• Establishes effective working relationships with cross-functional team(s).
• Plans, leads, and directs work of staff to ensure goals and objectives are completed within established budget and deadlines are met.
• Responsible for hiring, onboarding, managing schedules, personnel actions, performance reviews, and performance improvement plans.
• Supervises the day-to-day work of employees, assigns work, ensures tasks are completed and deadlines are met.