The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) seeks a dynamic, distinguished executive to serve as its next Associate Vice President (AVP) for Animal Resources. The AVP will provide visionary leadership and strategic oversight for UAB’s Animal Resources Program (ARP). This role is critical in ensuring the highest standards of animal care and use in research, maintaining rigorous regulatory compliance, and fostering a collaborative and innovative research environment.
UAB is an internationally renowned public doctoral research university and academic health center. UAB currently is experiencing major and sustained investment and growth due to its exceptional research faculty and its culture of collaboration. Through concerted and strategic investments in its clinical and research enterprise, UAB has undergone an amazing transformation in the past five years and has strengthened its status and reputation as a leader in biomedical discovery, education, innovation, and patient care.
The ARP provides care for all animals required in research and teaching programs at UAB and affiliated hospitals. Operating under the administrative authority of the President of UAB, the ARP is directly managed by the AVP of Animal Resources, and reports to the UAB Vice President for Research. The ARP oversees over 200,000 square feet of space designated for use or care of laboratory animals, distributed among 11 buildings on campus. Approximately 100 team members in ARP are dedicated to the care of research animals including non-human primates, ferrets, swine, zebrafish, and rodents. Over $215M of research is being performed in partnership with the ARP.
The AVP will play a pivotal role in advancing animal care, implementing a vision for the ARP that melds with university goals and positive research collaborations. They also will assume the critical responsibility of University Attending Veterinarian. In this capacity, they champion ethical practices, support research missions, and uphold the trust placed in UAB’s scientific endeavors.
The ideal candidate is a highly visible, strategic, collegial team builder, an outstanding communicator and excellent listener, and an individual who is facile in a complex academic environment. This leader will build relationships, influence, and engage others. This represents an exciting opportunity for a leader in this field to advance and improve animal resources for a university with a clear track record of demonstrating its commitment to investing in and advancing this important work. The AVP will contribute to the critical research discovery and creative effort impacting local and global communities in the areas of basic, applied, and translational research to contribute to society in a meaningful way.
A DVM or equivalent advanced degree from an accredited institution in veterinary medicine and eligibility for licensure in the state of Alabama is required. Ten years of experience in laboratory animal medicine and animal care program management, board certification by the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) or an equivalent organization, and USDA veterinary accreditation are preferred qualifications.
Nominations, expressions of interest, and applications (including a current CV/resume and a separate letter of interest) should be submitted via email to: [email protected].