Central Animal Care Services, Vice-Dean Research
Rady Faculty of Health Sciences
Position number: 37948
Date posted: August 25, 2026
CACS Breeding Coordinator - Tech 6 (AESES)
New Regular Continuing Full-Time (Budget Funded)
Work schedule:
35 Hours/week (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm)
Salary:
$32.15 to $46.36 per hour ($58,513.00 to $84,375.20 per annum)
Expected Start Date
November 2, 2026
For more information please contact: Chris Taylor - [email protected]
MINIMUM FORMAL EDUCATION/TRAINING REQUIRED:
- PhD in related study area with three years = directly-related experience
or
- Masters degree in related study area with five years = directly-related experience
or
- Bachelors degree in related study area with seven years = related experience.
- Post secondary education in genetics is required.
- Must possess a strong understanding of hereditary genetics and transgenic technology.
- Must possess a philosophy compatible with animal based research.
- Must be able to effectively articulate these philosophies to technical and research staff as well as other members of the community.
- Must have a current status with regards to University of Manitoba Ethics of Working with Animals Training requirements.
- Must have an understanding of the ethical questions involved in using animals for research, and have a thorough knowledge of the CCAC and University guidelines and policies regarding the use of animals in research.
- Minimum 5 years experience working in a recognized laboratory animal facility with experience with a broad range of animal species, with a strong emphasis on rodents with a considerable experience in rodent breeding colony management.
- Minimum 3 years experience working with genetically engineered mouse models.
- Minimum 2 years experience in a supervisory and mentoring position.
- Experience involving animal models is preferred.
- An acceptable equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Excellent communication skills (both verbal and written) and able to work effectively with individuals with a wide variety of backgrounds and levels of academic and technical experience, required.
- Adept with micromanipulation equipment is required.
- Ability to conduct research independently is required.
- Ability to plan, organize and administer projects is required.
- Flexible and willing to accept new and variable responsibilities is required.
- Organised and able to multi-task in a high pressure atmosphere is required.
- Excellent problem-solving ability working independently when required and able to facilitate a team approach to problem solving is required.
- Able to maintain composure in a busy multi-user/multi-demand service organization and to treat animals and the personnel that work with them with compassion and respect despite hectic work pace is required.
- Able to understand and interpret University Policies and Procedures and able to apply them in daily decision making is required.
- Able to discuss animal use ethics in a non-confrontational manner and know when to redirect questions to others authorized to speak on behalf of the institution is required.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams is required.
- Proficiency with bioinformatics and desktop tools including EPIC, Concur, Excel, Labtracks, and Cognito forms is required.
- Ability to interpret scientific literature related to transgenic technologies, mouse modelling, and breeding management practices is required.
- Ability to supervise and mentor staff and student is required.
- A satisfactory work record, including satisfactory attendance and punctuality, is required.
OTHER JOB RELATED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Humane treatment of all animals at all times must be a guiding principle.
- Must not be allergic to animals.
Program Coordination:
- Coordinate and oversee the CACS Small Colony Breeding Program for genetically engineered modified animals.
- Establish and manage breeding colonies of genetically engineered mouse models, including the development of breeding strategies and colony management plans.
- Develops contingency plans when breeding outcomes do not meet research timelines.
- Evaluates new genotyping methods and colony management approaches to improve efficiency and accuracy while minimizing animal use.
- Collaborate with Principal Investigators, Veterinary Services, CACS staff, and research staff to ensure breeding objectives and research requirements are met.
- Monitor breeding colony performance, including breeding frequency, colony size, phenotypic expression, and production outcomes.
- Ensures breeding practices preserve the integrity, health, and future viability of experimental animal models.
- Makes recommendations regarding breeding strategies, selection of breeders, culling of surplus animals, and allocation of experimental animals using My Research Tools.
- Maintains comprehensive historical and current records relating to breeding performance, phenotypic observations, colony production, animal health concerns, and distribution and usage records.
- Prepares reports regarding expected and unexpected phenotypes in genetically manipulated rodents.
- Conducts literature reviews and background research on animal models to understand and communicate impacts on animal welfare and research outcomes.
- Ensures the integrity, accuracy, and preservation of breeding colony records and data systems.
- Anticipates potential colony challenges and works proactively with research teams and CACS staff to develop solutions.
- Assists in the preparation of PI animal use protocols.
- Remains current with advances in transgenic technology, mouse models, breeding management, and regulatory requirements by attending various workshops and reviewing current scientific literature on transgenic, knockout, and CRISPR generated mouse models.
- Oversees and coordinates administrative processes associated with the Genetically Engineered Model Services Core Platform including facility operations, intake, tracking, and processing of transgenic service requests and related invoicing activities.
- Serves as the primary point of contact between PI’s and GEMS team, facilitating effective communication, project coordination, and client support.
- Supports and promotes strategic collaborations between GEMS and internal/external research partners and institutions, organizing workshops, and training initiatives.
- Contributes to the efficient delivery of core facility services through strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Assists in maintaining high standards of scientific service, operational efficiency, and stakeholder engagement.
- Supports the refinement, organization, and implementation of training workflows, allowing senior staff to focus on optimizing and finalizing training processes while maintaining efficiency across ongoing projects.
- Investigates and resolves issues such as low breeding performance, poor genotype yield, unexpected phenotypes, and colony health concerns.
Compliance and Regulatory Oversight:
- Promotes and ensures compliance with CCAC guidelines, University policies, and departmental Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Maintain responsibility for Schedule 13 compliance, including animal counts, breeding activity, phenotypic tracking, and distribution records.
- Reviews and updates Schedule 13 documentation for new and existing mouse models and coordinate required updates with relevant stakeholders.
- Participates as an ex-officio member of the Bannatyne Animal Care Committee to support institutional compliance in breeding colony management.
- Identify and report SOP violations, outdated procedures, and animal welfare concerns to the Director of CACS and Veterinary Services.
Supervisory/Training:
- Supervise, mentor, and train all CACS staff in all aspects of breeding colony management.
- Organize training materials, trainee assignments, and progress tracking to support efficient onboarding and skills development.
- Provides guidance on colony specific husbandry practices, breeding techniques, and procedural compliance.
- Provides initial GEMS training for new staff members, including instruction in basic surgical skills and core laboratory procedures, helping ensure new personnel are well prepared before progressing to advanced training stages.
- Assists with training related to CRISPR strategies and adeno-associated viral applications.
- Assists with genotyping training for new students and short-term collaborators working with GEMS to maintain consistency and quality in experimental procedures.
- May be required to preform related duties not exceeding skills and capabilities as required.
The University of Manitoba is committed to the principles of equity, diversity & inclusion and to promoting opportunities in hiring, promotion and tenure (where applicable) for systemically marginalized groups who have been excluded from full participation at the University and the larger community including Indigenous Peoples, women, racialized persons, persons with disabilities and those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, questioning, intersex, asexual and other diverse sexual identities).
If you require accommodation supports during the recruitment process, please contact [email protected] or 204-474-7195. Please note this contact information is for accommodation reasons only.
Application materials, including letters of reference, will be handled in accordance with the protection of privacy provisions of "The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act" (Manitoba). Please note that curriculum vitae will be provided to participating members of the search process.
