Research Colony Operations Manager

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit:

The Division of Comparative Medicine (DCM) is responsible for the care of all vertebrate animals on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) campus. DCM is committed to programs of excellence in veterinary care and laboratory animal management practices for all species used in UNC-CH research endeavors.

A staff of more than 170 professional, technical, and administrative personnel provides quality animal care to a daily population of over 200,000 animals located in 26 animal facilities on and off the UNC campus. Federal funding and foundations sponsor over $1 billion in research on the UNC campus conducted by the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Public Health, Pharmacy, as well as the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, and Psychology.

A major responsibility of the Division’s veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and laboratory technicians is the health care and humane use of all animals. The Division’s program is reviewed semi-annually by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, and has been accredited by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) since 1973. DCM and the University also meet U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Public Health Service standards and regulations. As laboratory animal specialists they provide a comprehensive program of veterinary care, offer technical advice and assistance, and provide needed laboratory and research core services for teaching and research purposes.

Position Summary:

The Colony Manager leads the daily operations of the canine and swine research colonies at the Francis Owen Blood Research Laboratory (FOBRL) to ensure predictable colony performance, high standards of animal welfare, and seamless integration of clinical care and research activities. Serving as a working operational leader, this role supervises technicians involved in animal care[KM1.1][AM1.2] while providing advanced technical expertise in emergency care, hemostasis management, and breeding execution. The position collaborates closely with the Associate Director, Director/Principal Investigator (PI), veterinarians, and research teams to translate study requirements into coordinated colony workflows, scheduling, and documentation that support timely clinical decision-making. The Colony Manager leads SOP development, electronic medical record (EMR) integration, and resource optimization to improve efficiency, strengthen cross-team communication, and maintain regulatory compliance while promoting a professional and transparent team culture. The Colony Manager functions as the operational integrator of clinical, research, and colony systems to support long-term, consistent, high-quality program outcomes.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree and two years of general research experience; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience:

• Clinical & Technical Capability: Demonstrated veterinary technician experience supporting large animal clinical care and research procedures, including emergency response and medication administration.
• Operational Coordination: Ability to organize and coordinate daily colony activities, maintain accurate records, and support population planning within research and space constraints.
• Supervision: Experience providing day-to-day direction, training and mentorship to technical staff and reinforcing consistent professional and clinical practices.
• Documentation & Compliance Awareness: Ability to follow and support SOPs, maintain documentation, and work within regulated research environments (e.g., IACUC, USDA, AAALAC, DEA).
• Collaboration & Communication: Ability to work effectively across veterinary, husbandry, and research teams, using clear communication and sound professional judgment.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree from an appropriately accredited institution in Animal Science, Biology, Veterinary Technology, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum four years of experience supporting large animal research or clinical programs, including participation in regulated research environments.
• Experience with canine and/or swine colony operations, including breeding coordination, breeding techniques, whelping, maternal and neonatal care.

Special Physical/Mental Requirements:

• Ability to move/lift items weighing up to 50 pounds with or without accommodation.
• Requires prolonged and/or repetitive reaching, bending, and twisting.