Poultry Health & Lab Coordinator

The Opportunity

This position supports the day‑to‑day activities of the poultry veterinary practice and broader activities at the Maple Leaf Ag‑Ops Division. Key responsibilities include sample submission, communication with diagnostic laboratories, vaccine and medication inventory management, purchase order generation and related SAP transactions, coordination of vaccination and blood sampling procedures, and coordination/communication between veterinarians, departments, producers, and external laboratories.

The Poultry Health & Lab Coordinator will also support cross‑functional projects, such as plant condemnation monitoring, on‑farm sampling, blood collection, diagnostic follow‑up, data organization, and other poultry health and production initiatives. The ideal candidate will have 1–2 years of experience in the food‑animal industry, preferably in poultry production, veterinary diagnostics, sample handling, shipping, and organization of laboratory results. Candidates with extensive poultry or food animal experience, including foreign‑trained veterinarians with diagnostic experience, will be strongly considered.

• Complete and maintain veterinary records per ABVMA requirements.
• Support veterinary practice compliance with ABVMA requirements.
• Conduct in‑house projects related to poultry diagnostics, monitoring, and sample collection.
• Prepare and coordinate sampling schedules for pullet, broiler breeder, and broiler farms.
• Act as or support Biological Safety Officer responsibilities for the poultry laboratory.
• Perform laboratory testing and report results through the Laboratory Information Management System.
• Support oversight of quality management protocols.
• Assist the Veterinarian with necropsies, humane euthanasia of birds, collection of organs and tissues, and sample preparation for diagnostic submissions.
• Manage disposal of biological waste.
• Clean and disinfect biological hazard areas, equipment, and materials.
• Maintain in/out records for samples, submissions, and reports.
• Coordinate sample shipping, prepare laboratory submissions, and reports.
• Prepare aseptic sample kits.
• Maintain inventory of supplies and perform SAP transactions (purchase requests, sales orders, receiving, and shipping).
• Maintain inventory of medications, vaccines, reagents, and other supplies.
• Prepare and maintain standard operating procedures for the veterinary practice and laboratory.
• Maintain equipment maintenance logs and perform daily checks.
• Support prescription preparation under veterinary direction.
• Schedule farm visits and coordinate required logistics.
• Support QA programs and biosecurity protocols.
• Assist with data entry and analysis of pathogen results, farm trial performance, and routine sampling results.
• Perform sampling and environmental monitoring procedures in poultry barns, when required.
• Assist with training and on‑site verification of sampling procedures.
• Type and compile meeting notes, visit notes, and summaries for distribution.

• One to two years of relevant experience, preferably in poultry or food animal industry.
• Experience in poultry production, food animal laboratory diagnostics, or veterinary support roles.
• Comfortable handling poultry, including live birds, carcasses, organs, tissues, and diagnostic samples.
• Willingness and ability to perform humane euthanasia of birds under veterinary direction and according to approved animal welfare protocols.

• Experience in veterinary practice, animal health, or food animal production.
• Lab experience, especially in microbiology, sampling, handling, or diagnostic testing.
• Understanding of animal welfare, humane euthanasia, necropsy, biological safety, and biosecurity principles.
• Ability to organize, interpret, and summarize results to support recommendations and continuous improvement.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office and Excel; experience with SAP or other ERP systems is a plus.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Continuous improvement mindset.
• Strong problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to communicate with…