PRIMATE WELFARE SPECIALIST

University of Washington - Seattle, WA

Full-time

Seattle, WA

Educational Services

About the position

The University of Washington invites applications for the position of Primate Welfare Specialist at the Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC). Established in 1961, the Primate Center is one of a network of seven unique national facilities for nonhuman primate (NHP) research funded by the Office for Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Center has facilities in both Seattle, WA and Mesa, AZ. The primary purpose of this Primate Welfare Specialist position is to provide the appropriate environment for the center's NHPs in order to support outstanding biomedical research directed towards significant human health issues and nonhuman primate health, welfare, and biology. Under the direction of the Head of Behavioral Management Services (BMS), the Primate Welfare Specialist conducts activities to meet the mission of the BMS Program. This program oversees the implementation of the federally required UW Environmental Enhancement Plan for nonhuman primates (NHPs) which attends to the psychological well-being and behavioral health of WaNPRC's research monkeys.

Responsibilities

• Investigate project assignment and bloodborne pathogen status of prospective social partners
• Communicate and coordinate with investigators and research staff about potential partners and project schedules
• Write procedure requests and create maps for moving selected animals into appropriate social housing arrangements
• Send social contact notices and updates to research and animal resources staff
• Conduct formal social introduction observations and compatibility assessments
• Maintain detailed socialization records in requisite databases
• Help utilize data collected from social introductions and compatibility screenings for metrics, analysis, and publications
• Investigate reports of social incompatibility, and report findings
• Conduct regularly scheduled observations to monitor social pairs and groups
• Enter moves and housing type changes into the animals' electronic records
• Create and update social contact signs for each animal housing room
• Enter social housing exemption information into the animal's records for veterinarians to review regularly
• Provide socialization information for animals transferring to other facilities
• Provide socialization information for animals under consideration for project assignment
• Assess the social information provided by origin facilities for new arrivals and provide maps/ details to husbandry to facilitate socialization after arrival
• Assist husbandry and research staff by coordinating moves between rooms or facilities to ensure social contact is consistent and maximized
• Meet with new animal technicians and provide an overview of socialization and enrichment procedures
• Attend required meetings to discuss socialization plans and needs
• Assist in scientific research pertaining to various aspects of behavioral management, socialization, primate training, enrichment, and other aspects of animal welfare and nonhuman primate psychological well-being
• Conduct data entry, data tabulation, and data analysis as needed
• Consult literature, discuss research design, collect data, and contribute to scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals
• Attend scientific conferences/ workshops to present data
• Assist in research endeavors by supporting PIs and research staff through socialization
• As needed, contribute to research design early in the process of protocol development by collaborating with PIs on best methods for primate socialization
• Collect research data using software such as Noldus Observer or HanDBase once trained in their use
• Research and/or evaluate new/ innovative enrichment, therapies, or socialization methods and collaborate with outside experts in the field as needed
• Identify enrichment needs and request additional toys, devices, etc.
• Compile and place weekly produce and dry goods orders for primary work location(s)
• Ensure an ample supply of food and foraging treats are available for distribution
• Manage environmental enrichment inventory (toys, devices)
• Count, sort, clean, distribute or store upon arrival
• Help keep kitchens clean as needed
• Help create and distribute standard food and foraging treats as needed
• Distribute extra enrichment per BMS protocols
• Distribute and track the use of special therapeutic enrichment
• Create/post/collect/scan monthly enrichment calendars
• Help evaluate enrichment items for safety and efficacy
• Review and tabulate enrichment records and provide metrics as needed
• Conduct standardized monitoring of all animals as scheduled
• Assist in behavioral observations and collect data to ascertain animal time budgets
• Assist with behavioral records and databases as needed
• Assess therapeutic interventions for safety and efficacy as needed
• Interact with staff in a positive and discrete manner
• Stay current on all required personnel training
• Follow established protocols, methods, and schedules
• Maintain statistical reliability with BMS staff on behavioral and physical assessments
• Conduct physical exams in conjunction with veterinary staff to assess alopecia and to dye animals for identification purposes
• Become proficient in Noldus Observer and HanDBase software to conduct quantitative observations
• Be present for regulatory inspections to answer BMS related questions that arise
• Accompany site visitors if required to answer questions and explain the BMS Program
• Attend weekly BMS team meetings
• Participate in other meetings and webinars as needed
• Assist in updating BMS schedules, forms, SOPs, and databases as needed
• Provide back-up for other members of BMS team as needed
• Learn basic positive reinforcement training (PRT) skills from BMS trainers in order to assist as needed
• Collaborate with and solicit help from other animal resources staff as needed
• Educate staff on standard BMS procedures, behavior, and welfare regulations as needed
• Transport and set up BMS equipment between facilities as needed
• Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a related field and one year of relevant experience, OR Equivalent combination of education/experience
• Commitment to promoting nonhuman primate health and well-being
• Experience working with nonhuman primates
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, multi-tasking team environment
• Experience in a diverse working environment with people from different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Commitment to maintain high professionalism standards and adherence to the inclusive environment
• Ability to work effectively and with sensitivity and discretion
• Professional written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work reliably, consistently, and with attention to detail
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Understand and follow established written protocols, data collection methods and schedules
• Willingness to learn new software for observational data collection and animal records management

Nice-to-haves

• Training in leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork
• Experience training personnel
• Experience with positive reinforcement training
• Familiarity with U.S. Animal Welfare Regulations
• Familiarity with nonhuman primate enrichment and psychological well-being literature
• Experience observing and reporting nonhuman primate behavior
• Experience with NHP behavioral research, including writing reports on behavioral observations
• Experience using The Observer and/or HanDBase behavior tracking software
• Formal education in animal behavior
• Desktop computing skills including word processing, spreadsheet design, making graphs, data sheet design, database utilization (e.g., ARMS)