Designated Veterinarian

at  Charles River Laboratories

For over 75 years, Charles River employees have worked together to assist in the discovery, development and safe manufacture of new drug therapies. When you join our family, you will have a significant impact on the health and well-being of people across the globe. Whether your background is in life sciences, finance, IT, sales or another area, your skills will play an important role in the work we perform. In return, we’ll help you build a career that you can feel passionate about.

DESIGNATED VETERINARIAN

We are looking for a licensed Designated Veterinarian to join our Animal Care and Welfare team in Kuopio, Finland. Our Kuopio site is focusing on providing early stage pe-clinical drug development support and services for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Our key focus areas are central nervous system (CNS) disorders and oncology in which we have provided services already for over 20 years.
As a Designated Veterinarian (DV), you run the vivarium veterinary care program and high-quality veterinary practices ensuring that the needs of the site operations are met. In addition to DV responsibilities and duties, the position requires from the candidate commitment to continuous training and development, especially from animal humane care perspective to which we are passionately committed to.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS

• Higher degree in Veterinary Medicine (DVM), licensed practitioner in Finland. A doctorate in veterinary medicine is a plus.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills as DV is in close contact with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Previous experience in animal vivarium operations, biosecurity and/or animal care is beneficial to be able to develop the functions
• Industrial/academic pre-clinical drug development and/or scientific background from veterinary medicine perspective is desirable.
• Knowledge of diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) is an asset.

The role of the designated veterinarian is described in detail in the following regulations:

• Act on the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific or Educational Purposes (497/2013) 7§
• Government Decree on the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific or Educational Purposes (564/2013) 23-26§
• Directive 2010/63/EU on the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes

You are responsible for ensuring that the veterinary care program is run on a level that meets or exceeds the requirements of legislation, site is operating under AAALAC program requirements, and in adherence to Charles River Laboratories internal policies and guidelines.
You also ensure that the following functions are working according to legislation, and internal policies and SOP’s: veterinary care program, health monitoring program, biosecurity and pest control program, and quality assurance programs within the vivarium such as environmental monitoring, water and hygienic quality.
Furthermore, you serve as a point person for the Finnish governmental officials such as Finnish customs, Valvira (National Supervisor Authority for Welfare and Health), Ruokavirasto (Finnish Food Safety Authority), and Regional State Administrative Agency, and help organizing and coordinating relevant functions and reporting with/to them.