Operations Jobs at Rush University Medical Center with Visa Sponsorship

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Business Unit: Rush Medical Center

Hospital: Rush University Medical Center

Department: Comparative Research Center

Work Type: Full Time (Total FTE between 0.9 and 1.0)

Shift: Shift 1

Work Schedule: 8 Hr (7:00:00 AM - 3:30:00 AM)

Pay Range: $34.89 - $50.63 per hour

Rush salaries are determined by many factors including, but not limited to, education, job-related experience and skills, as well as internal equity and industry specific market data. The pay range for each role reflects Rush’s anticipated wage or salary reasonably expected to be offered for the position. Offers may vary depending on the circumstances of each case.

Summary

The Husbandry and Operations Manager, Comparative Research Center, provides leadership and operational oversight of animal care and facility operations within RUSH’s Comparative Research Center and associated satellite facilities, with direct responsibility for supervising and developing animal care, husbandry, and operations staff. Reporting to the Associate Director of Operations, Comparative Research Center, this role ensures high-quality, compliant, and ethically responsible animal care by coordinating daily facility operations, staffing, scheduling, specialized husbandry services, and study-specific arrangements in collaboration with investigators and veterinary personnel. The Manager is responsible for learning and administering facility budgets, animal per diem charges, and invoicing processes for principal investigators, while maintaining accurate animal census records to support financial accountability and regulatory compliance. This position works closely with veterinary, regulatory, and institutional partners to uphold animal welfare standards, support inspections and accreditation activities, and advance operational efficiency. Exemplifies the Rush mission, vision and values and acts in accordance with Rush policies and procedures.

Required Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, Animal Science, or related field.
• Minimum of 5–8 years of progressively responsible experience in laboratory animal science, including animal husbandry, facility operations, and staff supervision within AAALAC-accredited and USDA-registered facilities.
• Demonstrated experience supervising animal care and operations staff, including responsibility for daily work coordination, scheduling, performance management, training, hiring, and disciplinary processes.
• Proven expertise in managing daily animal husbandry operations, facility maintenance coordination, cage wash operations, environmental monitoring, and equipment oversight.
• Extensive hands-on experience working with multiple species, including rodents and large animals, in research, toxicology, or comparative medicine environments.
• Strong working knowledge of USDA, AAALAC, IACUC, GLP, OSHA, and institutional regulatory requirements, with active participation in inspections and accreditation activities.
• Experience serving as a primary liaison to principal investigators, veterinary staff, facilities/engineering, environmental services, EHS, and other stakeholders to resolve animal care, compliance, and operational issues.
• Demonstrated ability to develop, review, implement, and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and ensure staff compliance.
• Experience with facility documentation, recordkeeping, animal census tracking, environmental monitoring systems, and quality control activities.
• Ability to manage the procurement of animals, feed, bedding, supplies, and equipment, including coordination with vendors and contractors.
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a complex research environment.

Preferred Job Qualifications:

• Certification as Certified Manager of Animal Resources (CMAR) is strongly preferred.
• Laboratory Animal Technologist (LATG) is strongly preferred.
• Graduation from the AALAS Institute for Laboratory Animal Management (ILAM) is strongly preferred.

Physical Demands:

• Potential for exposure to blood, body fluids, and other potentially infectious materials, chemicals and other hazardous conditions that may pose a potential health risk.
• Trained and is expected to observe all fire and safety procedures, blood-borne pathogen and hazard communication standards, and the Institutional Animal Care and Use program.
• Ability to handle and restrain all species of animals used in the facility.
• Ability to work in proximity with all species of animals used in the facility.
• Ability to lift, move and/or place objects of a minimum of 50lbs. in a repeated fashion.
• No known animal allergies.

Competencies:

• Leadership & People Management: Supervises, develops, and holds accountable a team of animal care and operations staff through structured hiring, training, and performance management processes.
• Operational Oversight & Facility Management: Manages daily animal facility operations — including husbandry, cage wash, space utilization, and equipment — and proactively resolves issues to maintain efficient, uninterrupted facility function.
• Regulatory Compliance & Animal Welfare: Applies working knowledge of USDA, AAALAC, IACUC, and GLP standards to ensure rigorous compliance; actively supports inspections, accreditation activities, and SOP development.
• Process Improvement & Change Management: Identifies operational improvement opportunities and leads modernization efforts, including transitions to electronic recordkeeping, while managing staff adoption and maintaining continuity.
• Organizational Effectiveness & Priority Management: Manages competing priorities in a complex research environment, applying strong organizational and problem-solving skills to allocate resources efficiently and sustain quality standards.

Responsibilities:

• Provides day-to-day leadership and operational oversight of all animal care, husbandry, and facility operations within the Comparative Research Center and associated satellite facilities, including conducting routine walk-throughs to proactively monitor animal welfare, environmental conditions, sanitation, and operational readiness.
• Directly supervises schedules, trains, and evaluates animal care and operations staff; ensures adequate staffing coverage, efficient workflow, and consistent adherence to institutional performance standards; leads hiring, onboarding, and ongoing staff development, including maintaining current job descriptions.
• Coordinates comprehensive daily husbandry activities — including routine and specialized care, sanitation, environmental enrichment, and study-specific requirements — and serves as a primary liaison to principal investigators to support housing needs, special husbandry requests, and study-related operational planning.
• Leads the transition of animal care and facility operations from paper-based to electronic record systems, implementing and maintaining digital documentation for animal census, husbandry logs, environmental monitoring, and operational records, and trains staff to ensure consistent adoption across the facility.
• Ensures rigorous compliance with all applicable federal, accreditation, and institutional regulations, including USDA, AAALAC, IACUC, and institutional standards; supports inspections and accreditation activities, including contributing to updates of the AAALAC program description.
• Develops, reviews, and enforces standard operating procedures (SOPs) related to animal care, husbandry, and facility operations; identifies and implements opportunities for operational improvements and efficiencies while maintaining high standards of animal welfare and regulatory compliance.
• Manages procurement of animals, feed, bedding, supplies, and equipment; oversees cage wash operations, space utilization, and room turnovers; and coordinates with Facilities, Engineering, Environmental Services, and EHS to address maintenance, safety, and infrastructure needs.
• Learns and administers facility budgeting processes, including animal per diem charges and service fees, and supports accurate billing and invoicing of principal investigators; maintains thorough documentation and reports related to animal care, staffing, and compliance, and escalates operational issues appropriately to senior leadership.

Rush is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.