Clinical Veterinarian

Department Overview

The Oregon National Primate Center (ONPRC) is located 12 miles west of the OHSU main campus, and sits on 162 acres of land featuring forested areas, research and administration buildings, indoor and outdoor animal housing, and 2-mile perimeter walking path. Our mission is to improve human health and the quality of life through the support of nonhuman primate research programs that advance our knowledge of the causes, preventions, treatments, and cures of debilitating diseases.

Function/Duties of Position

This position provides clinical veterinary care for a large (4,500) nonhuman primate colony housed at the Oregon National Primate Research Center.  The unit manages a daily caseload including inpatient and outpatient cases, and contributes to other preventive care and research support programs such as weight management, annual and semi-annual examinations, dental prophylaxis, and a wide variety of specific research colonies including all age groups and disease statuses. The unit provides occasional coverage for the Small Laboratory Animal Unit.

The duties of this position include:

• The Veterinarian is primarily responsible for the provision of veterinary care for all NHP on campus at the direction of the supervisor, in conjunction with the rest of the Resources & Logistics Unit.
• The Veterinarian is additionally responsible for the management of health surveillance and preventative medicine programs, medical protocol development, post-approval monitoring and review, ensuring facility compliance with NIH and OLAW guidelines, USDA and Animal Welfare regulations, and providing medical or technical assistance and training to research scientists and technicians.
• Participation in an on-call rotation, and occasional weekend or offsite duties, is required.
• Participation in ongoing educational opportunities for peers, technical staff, primate consortium personnel, and the laboratory animal community as a whole is required.

Required Qualifications

• D.V.M./V.M.D. degree from a veterinary school accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
• 1 year hands on experience caring for animals in a veterinary hospital including 6 months in a clinical position.
• Licensed in the US to practice veterinary medicine, and valid driver’s license. 
• Ability to effectively work both independently and in a team environment.
• Effective organization abilities, advanced interpersonal skills for professional and effective communication with investigators and staff.
• Ability to operate effectively while meeting multiple deadlines and completing projects simultaneously.
• Ability to (1) move unassisted through various animal housing areas located in several separate buildings, indoor and outdoor, and in covered areas that are not environmentally controlled; (2) consistently interact with research investigative staff, supervisors and co-workers, in a positive and constructive manner, to provide research support in a professional manner, and with a service-oriented attitude; (3) use proper techniques to safely perform standard clinical procedures, including accurate calculation of medication dosages; (4) possess sufficient dexterity and manual skills to safely perform (or learn to perform) basic animal handling (using proper techniques); (5) read, write, and follow oral and written instructions, include proper documentation in medical records; (6) communicate effectively in oral and/or written formats with both technical and professional staff; (7) use computer keyboard and to learn computerized medical programs and perform data input.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience providing clinical care to NHPs.
• Experience with infectious, neurologic, metabolic, or reproductive disease protocols in NHPs; and boarded or board-eligible in a veterinary specialty (e.g., ACLAM).
• Adequate knowledge of normal physiological parameters, normal growth and development, and typical disease processes for all age groups and research species cared for in order to ascertain an accurate understanding of the patient’s symptoms. 
• Knowledge and practice of appropriate Animal Biosafety level 2 & 3 procedures is desirable.

Additional Details

Working Conditions

• Work involves moving on wet and/or slick surfaces, through narrow corridors between rows of cages, and climbing stairs to corral observation platforms.
• Work in areas where there is risk of exposure to zoonotic agents through injury, by direct contact with animals or their tissues and body fluids, or by contact with equipment contaminated by animals or their tissues and body fluids.
• Work where there is risk of exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals and sanitizing chemicals.
• Must be able to work in ABSL-2, 2+ and ABSL-3 conditions.

Physical Demands and Equipment Usage

• Ability to drive DCM/ONPRC vehicles on and off campus.
• Ability to lift and carry objects weighing up to 23 kg (50lbs), and lift objects weighing approximately 19 kg (42lbs) to approximately shoulder height.
• Ability to push and pull heavy wheeled equipment such as cage racks and loaded carts. 

Benefits

• Healthcare for full-time employees covered 100% and 88% for dependents.
• $50K of term life insurance provided at no cost to the employee.
• Two separate above market pension plans to choose from.
• Paid time off - 208 hours per year, prorated for part-time.
• Extended illness bank - 64 hours per year, prorated for part-time.
• 9 paid holidays per year.
• Substantial Tri-Met and C-Tran discounts.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Childcare service discounts.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Employee discounts to local and major businesses.

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