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About the Job

Merck Animal Health in Millsboro Delaware seeks to add an Attending Veterinarian in the role of Associate Director.

This position will have overall responsibility for oversight and administration of day-to-day operation of the animal facilities as well as for the veterinary care and animal husbandry program at our company's Millsboro Animal Health facilities. This role is highly compliance-driven in accordance with State and Federal regulations as applicable to the humane care and use of animals.

Responsibilities also include training and oversight of the animal care staff, serving as a designated reviewer and voting member of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), and facilitating communication between the Animal Services team and the Quality organization. This position will work in close coordination with other groups such as HR, QC, BTS, Biosafety, EHS, and Maintenance & Engineering and will participate in all institutional plans involving renovation or construction of facilities in which animals are housed, including design and maintenance of animal facilities. This position is responsible for providing data, documentation, and other information as needed for annual reports to Federal regulatory agencies. Leadership for internal and external regulatory inspections (USDA, DEA, DNREC, etc.) of animal facilities and program reviews is required.

Purpose

The Associate Director/Attending Veterinarian will report to the Site Quality Head/Director of Quality. The Attending Veterinarian will be responsible for the humane care of animals at the Millsboro facilities. As the Associate Director, this individual is an active member of the Site Leadership Team and is responsible for the management and leadership of the Animal Services Department.

Essential Duties / Responsibilities - 

Associate Director:

• Lead and develop a team of animal care and testing specialists.

• Serve as a member of the Senior Leadership Team for the Millsboro, DE biologics manufacturing site.

• Lead numerous projects including process improvement and safety initiatives.

• Coordinate / oversee capital projects.

• Develop and monitor annual spend and capital budgets.

• Establish and maintain departmental policies and procedures. Ensure compliance with governmental regulations, and corporate/site policies including safety and biosafety.

• Utilize our systems such as Reliance, Atlas SRM, WorkDay, myLearning, eTime, Inspire.

• Compose, review, edit institutional SOPs.

• Serve as the hiring manager and trainer for Animal Services Managers.

• Coordinate promotions, transfers, or reduction of personnel.

• Work with direct reports to create annual SMART performance and development goals and evaluate performance against those goals.

• Review salaries of direct reports and recommend changes when warranted.

Attending Veterinarian:

• Serve as the Attending Veterinarian overseeing the animal welfare and veterinary care of regulated and unregulated species including chickens, turkeys, dogs, cats, rabbits, and rodents.

• Assure compliance with all federal and state regulatory requirements for animal welfare, management of controlled substances, quality control testing according to GMP standards, and emissions control (incinerator).  

• Ensure training of company employees who handle animals regarding humane animal care and usage.

• Maintain company Federal (DEA) and State controlled substances registrations and be responsible for controlled substance use, inventory, and records in accordance with Global Standards.

• Serve as officer on the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

• Maintain current knowledge of diseases and disease prevention practices for companion animal and poultry species. Ensure the veterinary health of all animals on site.

• Identify new technologies and methods to replace, reduce, and/or refine animal use.

• Conduct vendor surveillance, as appropriate.   

Required Education / Experience Requirements:

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM/VMD) degree

• Must be licensed to practice veterinary medicine and capable of obtaining veterinary licensure in the state of Delaware.

• Federal Veterinary Accreditation is required.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Individual must be capable of handling, examining, treating, performing surgery, euthanizing/necropsying of regulated and unregulated species of animals.

• Strong leadership skills, specifically working in a team-based environment.

• Organized with the ability to multi-task and prioritize in a fast-paced environment.

• Analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

• Experience in leading animal care teams in manufacturing industry.

• Knowledge in laboratory animal medicine.

• Knowledge of governmental regulations, including USDA licensure process and Animal Welfare Act.

About Merck Animal Health

Our customers have always known that they can depend on Merck Animal Health for more than just medicines. They count on Merck Animal Health for information, technologies and veterinary services that truly advance animal healthcare. It is our heritage and our mission. Our core values are driven by a desire to be visionary in our thinking, and ever ready to respond to our dynamic industry. By collaborating closely with each other and our customers, we build strong partnerships in an effort to improve the health of animals around the world. We approach our work every day with a deep sense of responsibility – to our customers, consumers, animals, society and the planet.

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