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Director, California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory

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Position description

The School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, invites applications for the position of Director of the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory system (CAHFS) and optional appointment as Professor/Associate Professor of Clinical Diagnostic Medicine, depending on the qualifications and interests of the successful candidate. Appointment in the Professor of Clinical (__) series will be without salary in CAHFS and an appropriate academic department within the School of Veterinary Medicine.

CAHFS is a premier, state-of-the-art veterinary diagnostic laboratory system, accredited by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD). With laboratory facilities in four locations throughout California, CAHFS is responsible for laboratory diagnostic support to identify and control diseases that are detrimental to the animal health and public health of California. CAHFS provides a comprehensive array of diagnostic services including anatomic pathology, histology and immuno-histochemistry, molecular and immunodiagnostics, virology, bacteriology, electron microscopy, milk quality testing, toxicology, , and equine analytical chemistry and pharmacology. With 200 faculty and staff, and a $30M annual budget, CAHFS tests more than 500,000 samples annually and offers an impressive catalog of tests designed to assist veterinarians, animal owners, public officials, and organizations in identifying, tracking and addressing animal health, public health, and food safety concerns.

CAHFS provides support to: 1) public agencies responsible for animal health, public health, and food safety; 2) veterinarians, primarily those engaged in food animal, avian, aquatic, and equine medicine ; and 3) livestock and poultry producers. The majority of CAHFS’ budget is transferred by contract from the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) to the University and supplemented by fee-for-service work, contracts, and grants. Additional programs include the Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, which provides drug testing and pharmacology support to the California Horse Racing Board and CDFA ; the Central Milk Laboratory, which is certified by the US Food and Drug Administration, and provides regulatory testing of livestock feeds for the State of California. CAHFS is part of, and an active participant in, several prestigious laboratory networks, including the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN), the Laboratory Response Network (LRN), and the Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (VetLIRN), and the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN).

Qualifications: The Director must have a DVM degree (or equivalent) and to satisfy AAVLD accreditation, an advanced degree in a relevant field of study, at least 5 years veterinary diagnostic laboratory or relevant work experience; and at least 5 years of directing/supervising experience (including fiscal management). Experience can include regulatory/policy, industry, state/federal, and practice management. A PhD and/or board certification in a laboratory-related specialty are desirable, as is experience coordinating activities with, and obtaining funding from, government and non-government agencies, and demonstrated achievement in research, teaching, diagnostic medicine and/or outreach. The successful candidate must possess excellent leadership, administrative, management, and entrepreneurial skills, in keeping with the CAHFS commitment to excellence in diagnostic service, research and teaching. The Director must possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills and a demonstrated ability to work with others in a collegial team atmosphere as well as demonstrated contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion. UC Davis is committed to supporting a diverse community of scholars with an emphasis on recruiting employees who embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion, and uphold UC Davis’ Principles of Community.

Appointment and salary: This position is a full-time annual appointment as an Academic Administrator. Initial and subsequent appointments as Director are for 5-year terms with review for reappointment initiated in the 4th year of each term. Salary and level dependent on qualifications and experience. The optional appointment as Associate Professor/Professor of Clinical Diagnostic Medicine is not a tenured title and is a without salary appointment that is contingent on continuing appointment as Director. Regular academic review occurs every 2 (Associate) or 3 (Professor) years with rank dependent on qualifications and experience.

Responsibilities: Located on the UC Davis campus, the Director reports to the Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine. As the chief administrative officer, the Director is responsible for all aspects of CAHFS operations and administrative matters including strategic planning, personnel management, material management, business procedures, budgeting, and fiscal management. The Director is expected to uphold and facilitate CAHFS mission and vision, including provision of quality services that protect animal health and performance, public health and the food supply; promotion of excellence within laboratory sections; and adherence to AAVLD quality principles.

The Director is responsible for management of the entire budget process from development through the legislative process. Personnel management includes maintaining effective mentoring of faculty and other professionals within CAHFS and responsibility for professional personnel actions in compliance with University policies.

As an Academic Administrator, major responsibilities are divided as: Administration/Management of Programs (80%); Professional Competence and Activity (10%), and University and Public Service (10%).

The optional Clinical ( ) appointment requires experience in teaching, professional competence and activity (diagnostic activity), creative work, and university and public service.

The successful candidate will interact closely with colleagues in the School of Veterinary Medicine and University administration, faculty, staff, students as well as clients and the public and must be an effective spokesperson for CAHFS and its programs. In addition, the successful candidate will represent CAHFS in interactions with state agencies such as the California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Horse Racing Board, and California Department of Health Services; animal industry groups and agricultural organizations including the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN); and other agencies including the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Director must have the ability to coordinate activities with national and state associations such as the AAVLD, the United States Animal Health Association (USAHA), the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA). Finally, experience working with and responding to media inquiries is desirable.

Application Instructions: For full consideration, applications must be received by January 31, 2021, but no later than June 30, 2021. The University of California, Davis has an on-line, centralized application process and candidates must submit the following: 1) a letter of intent outlining special interest in the position, overall related qualifications and experiences pertinent to the position, and career goals; 2) curriculum vitae; 3) the names and addresses of three professional references; and 4) a statement summarizing their experience and professional contributions in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Please visit https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/apply/, posting number JPF03948 to apply. Qualified applicants wishing more information are invited and encouraged to contact Dr. John Pascoe, Recruitment Advisory Chair (phone 530-752-1324; e-mail: jrpascoe@ucdavis.edu). More information on CAHFS can be found at: https://cahfs.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/.

The University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, and CAHFS are interested in candidates who are committed to the highest standards of scholarship and professional activities, and to the development of a campus climate that supports equality and diversity. The University of California is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. UC Davis supports family-friendly recruitments: https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/work-life

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Cover Letter

  • Statement of Research (Optional)

  • Statement of Teaching (Optional)

  • Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion documented in the application file will be used to evaluate applicants. Visit https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/faculty-equity-and-inclusion for guidelines about writing a statement and why one is requested.

Reference requirements
  • 3-5 required (contact information only)
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Job location

Davis, CA