Director of Veterinary Services

RPM ReSearch; Scranton (Lackawanna County); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

RPM ReSearch in the Greater Scranton area seeks a Director of Veterinary Services & Attending Veterinarian to lead the animal care program across a mixed-species preclinical site.

This on-site role blends clinical medicine with program leadership, overseeing anesthesia, welfare, study support, and GLP compliance while partnering with Study Directors, IACUC, and sponsors.

Qualifications

• DVM from an accredited university or ECFVG certificate.
• Six years of veterinary practice with relevant species.
• Three or more years of related management experience.
• Valid state veterinary license and veterinary accreditation certificate.
• DACLAM certification or ACLAM board eligibility preferred.
• Experience in CRO/pharma environment and GLP studies.

Responsibilities

• Own the veterinary care program and direct animal health and welfare decisions.
• Lead and develop the veterinary team across a mixed-species site.
• Oversee anesthesia, surgery, housing, and study support activities.
• Collaborate with Study Directors, technical teams, sponsors, and IACUC to refine procedures.
• Remain active in clinical work and provide surgical and procedural support as needed.
• Develop SOPs and documentation to support GLP study activities.
• Support weekend coverage and client technical discussions.

Skills

Leadership

Clinical medicine

Team development

Communication

Education

DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine)

ECFVG certificate

DACLAM certification or ACLAM eligibility

Job description

Director of Veterinary Services & Attending Veterinarian

National Multi-Site Contract Research Organization

Scott Township, Pennsylvania — Greater Scranton Area

On-site

Lead the veterinary program. Stay connected to the medicine. Help advance the science.

For a laboratory animal veterinarian who enjoys both clinical medicine and program leadership, this opportunity offers substantial scope: responsibility for animal health and welfare across a mixed-species preclinical research site, direct involvement in scientific programs, and the authority of the designated Attending Veterinarian.

As Director of Veterinary Services, your responsibility extends across the activities that affect animals at the site—from daily care and clinical treatment to experimental procedures, anesthesia, surgery, housing, and study support. You will guide the veterinary program, develop your team, and work with Study Directors and technical operations to support sound science through appropriate animal care.

A Mixed-Species Site with Scientific Breadth

Part of a national, multi-site contract research organization, this Pennsylvania facility conducts approximately 350–400 studies annually . Its capabilities include IND-enabling toxicology, safety pharmacology, chronic toxicity, and specialized ophthalmology research, supporting small-molecule and biologic development.

The facility includes 40 animal rooms, with approximate housing capacities of:

• Nonhuman primates – 140
• Dogs – 350
• Swine – 350
• Rodents – 6,500
• Rabbits – 800

These figures represent housing capacity; the active population and species distribution vary with study needs. The site also has an in-house bioanalytical laboratory and a dedicated 1,840-square-foot archive facility.

The species diversity is reflected in general toxicology studies involving cynomolgus monkeys, beagles, Mini-Göttingen swine, Sprague-Dawley rats, and New Zealand White rabbits. For a veterinarian who values comparative medicine, this provides an opportunity to apply clinical judgment across distinct species, procedures, and research settings.

Work Alongside an Established Ophthalmology Program

Research programs include intravitreal formulation-tolerability studies in New Zealand White and Dutch Belted rabbits , as well as development of a retinal geographic atrophy-like model in Nanopigs. These programs incorporate ophthalmic examinations, fundus imaging, optical coherence tomography, electroretinography, and specialized ocular procedures.

You will work alongside veterinary ophthalmology expertise in ocular surgery, intravitreal and subretinal injections, imaging, and technician training—contributing your laboratory animal medicine perspective to animal care and study execution.

Your Leadership Will Shape Animal Care and Research

Own the veterinary care program.

Serve as the designated Attending Veterinarian, guiding clinical care, preventive medicine, health surveillance, and animal welfare decisions across the site.

Bring veterinary judgment into study planning.

Partner with Study Directors, technical teams, sponsors, and the IACUC to evaluate procedures, recommend refinements, and address veterinary considerations before and during studies.

Remain active in clinical and procedural work.

Diagnose and treat animals, oversee anesthesia and recovery, guide surgical practices, and participate in procedures and sample collection as needed.

Develop the people delivering the care.

Lead veterinary staff, strengthen technician capabilities, establish departmental goals, and build consistent practices that support animal welfare and dependable study execution.

Support a regulated research environment.

Contribute to SOPs, appropriate documentation, GLP study activities, and continuous improvement within an AAALAC-accredited, USDA-registered, PHS-assured facility with DEA registration for Schedules I–V.

Be a practical scientific partner.

Help colleagues and sponsors evaluate veterinary issues, animal models, and procedural options. Provide client technical support and participate in weekend coverage.

The Background That Would Position You Well

Our preferred candidate is a Diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (DACLAM) or an ACLAM board-eligible veterinarian with meaningful mixed-species research experience and demonstrated leadership. Particularly relevant experience includes:

• Clinical responsibility for nonhuman primates and dogs , complemented by experience with swine, rabbits, and rodents.
• Leadership of veterinary personnel, clinical services, or an animal care and use program.
• Anesthesia, analgesia, surgery, postoperative care, and preventive medicine.
• Collaboration with an IACUC and scientific teams on animal welfare and procedural refinement.
• Work in a CRO, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or comparable research environment, especially with GLP studies.
• Clear communication with technical staff, scientific leaders, and sponsors.

Ocular research experience would be a valuable addition to this background.

Qualifications

• DVM from an accredited university , or an ECFVG certificate for graduates of non-accredited veterinary programs.
• At least six years of veterinary practice with relevant species.
• Three or more years of related management experience.
• A valid state veterinary license and veterinary accreditation certificate.
• DACLAM certification or ACLAM board eligibility preferred; additional advanced education is welcome.

Bring Your Clinical and Leadership Experience Together

This role offers a broad veterinary remit within a site where general toxicology, mixed-species medicine, and specialized ocular research intersect. If you want to lead an animal care program, remain involved in clinical medicine, develop veterinary staff, and contribute directly to the research your team supports, we welcome an exploratory conversation.

RPM ReSearch
www.RPMReSearch.Solutions