Research Specialist or Senior Research Specialist in Agriculture, Poultry Research Farm

Duties Responsibilities Operation and Maintenance

• Lead operations at the Poultry Research Farm including animal care, inventory management, manure management, facility maintenance, and equipment maintenance.
  • Ensure proper diet preparation and feeding amounts throughout the unit.
  • Work with veterinary professionals in setting up a flock health plan.
  • Enforce and maintain the flock health plan.
  • Provide proper treatment and care to animals at the unit.
  • Maintain a proper inventory of animals at the unit and be able to provide this information to business and animal care professionals.
  • Oversee the application of manure to university owned farm ground.
  • Ensure that application is done within the standards and maintain compliance of such applications.
  • Submit work orders to university facilities group and ensure this work is completed within the timeframe needed.
  • Coordinate work with outside contractors to complete facility maintenance.
  • Supervise maintenance of facilities to ensure competence and integrity of research efforts.
  • Make sure that all equipment at the unit is in safe and proper working condition. Make or arrange the proper repairs when needed.
• Coordinate and facilitate procurement of commodities and resources necessary for optimal operations and maintenance of the unit.
• Provide day-to-day supervision of personnel of academic and non-academic staff working in the facility.
• Establish written and well developed “Standard Operating Procedures”, and enforce them.

• Coordinate facility use and availability for educational needs of faculty, graduate students, and others at the Poultry Research Farm.
  • Coordinate teaching laboratory sections at the unit.
  • Oversee the procurement of animals and production of needed products for educational needs.
• Establish and reinforce consistent practices to produce high-quality research results.
  • Provide ongoing training of research personnel in poultry production practices including animal handling, proper treatment techniques, illness/injury detection and euthanasia.
• Lead tours of the facility for internal and external groups.

• Maintain fiscal responsibility of the Poultry Farm accounts.
  • Monitor transactions on both accounts and ensure that these transactions are accurate.
  • Input P-card transactions and upload proper documentation.
  • Hire and supervise needed staff to maintain operations and optimize staff costs.
• Promote and maintain a work environment with the highest standards of worker safety.
  • Attend departmental operational, safety, and development meetings.
  • Establish and maintain professional and safe standards for facility appearance.
  • Supervise maintenance of facilities to ensure competence and integrity of research efforts.
  • Provide training on and reinforcement of safe working standards including lock-out, tag-out, use of PPE, and electrical and chemical safety.
• Ensure regulatory compliance with university, state, and federal agencies.
  • Establish written research targets, develop "Standard Operating Procedures", and enforce consistent research methodology associated with the unit.
• Other duties as assigned to support the unit and department.