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Advertising Summary: Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine is a premier academic medical center located in the heart of Richmond. Accounting for almost half of VCU’s sponsored research, the School of Medicine is internationally recognized for patient care and education. Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity employer.

Unit: School of Medicine

Department: Cellular, Molecular and Genetic Medicine

Department Summary: The Department of Cellular, Molecular and Genetic Medicine is dedicated to unraveling the fundamental biology that supports health and drives disease. Our faculty, trainees and students tackle some of the most pressing challenges in biomedical science, from the molecular and genetic roots of disease to the complexities of whole-body physiology.

Our foundational studies are driving the frontiers of scientific discovery, pushing the boundaries of what we understand about biology, disease and the human body. From our labs in downtown Richmond to research collaborations around the world, our work is generating new knowledge, influencing the direction of biological science and redefining what is possible in biomedical research.

We are proud to be a community of passionate educators and mentors, deeply committed to empowering the next generation of scientists and leaders. With alumni enjoying successful careers across a broad spectrum of industries, our rigorous training programs offer students a transformative education that drives innovation today and creates lasting impact for tomorrow.

Position Overview: 

We are seeking a highly motivated scientist to lead animal model creation at a large (>$500M in research awards) Carnegie R1 research university. This is an exciting opportunity to work with a highly respected and experienced team with a long history of serving the university’s research community. The Director must possess comprehensive knowledge of all aspects of the Core’s operations. This role supports a diverse active user base across VCU—predominantly within the School of Medicine (SOM), but also servicing the School of Pharmacy, School of Dentistry, and others, as well as external investigators. The Director ensures the seamless delivery of major core services, including breeding colony management (the facility's largest service line), cryopreservation, rederivation/IVF, and the production of new genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs).

Duties & Responsibilities:

1. Scientific & Operational Direction

• Core Oversight: Prioritize and supervise all daily technical functions, project timelines, and operational workflows within the Core; management of three direct reports
• Investigator Consultation: Meet with faculty and investigators to discuss new projects, design custom genetic strategies, and provide regular status updates on ongoing projects
• Institutional Grant Support: Provide customized letters of support for faculty grant submissions, assist investigators with budget preparation, and directly participate in grant and manuscript writing
• Importation & Logistics: Collaborate with the Division of Animal Resources (DAR) to manage mouse line importation and rederivation. Assist investigators with identification of existing mouse models and with the logistics for procurement from sources such as the Mutant Mouse Resource and Research Center (MMRRC) and various international sources of mouse lines
• Specialized Grant Leadership: Serve formally as the Director of the Mouse Core for key institutional research grants
• Technical Innovation: Keep the facility at the cutting edge of genome-editing capabilities by tracking emerging methodologies and staying active within professional networks such as the International Society for Transgenic Technologies (ISTT)
• Institutional Engagement: Attend and contribute to relevant Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center meetings, including Scientific Steering Committee meetings and External Advisory Board meetings, ensuring alignment of Core activities with institutional priorities and strategic goals

2. Administrative & Financial Leadership

• Regulatory Compliance: Serve as the Principal Investigator (PI) on two Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocols and maintain compliance as the PI on the Virginia Board of Pharmacy license
• Grant Reporting: Support institutional grant mechanisms by managing deliverables for the Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG), including compiling annual progress reports and driving the 5-year renewal process
• Financial Oversight: Direct budgeting and financial cost accounting, including the annual A21 cost accounting processes and monthly financial dashboard certifications
• Complex Billing Management: Oversee and execute the Core's multi-stream billing framework

3. Teaching & Mentorship Responsibilities

• Didactic Instruction: Develop and deliver formal lectures on genetically modified mice in several university courses (e.g., “Techniques in Molecular Biology and Genetics”)
• Specialized Training: Provide ad-hoc lectures focused on operational best practices in Mouse Breeding Colony Management
• Hands-on Mentorship: Provide direct, one-on-one scientific and technical training to graduate students, postdocs, and laboratory trainees utilizing the Core's services

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• Advanced scientific degree (preferably Ph.D.) in genetics, molecular biology, or a related biomedical field
• Deep, comprehensive scientific and technical expertise across all facets of GEMM technologies
• Proven administrative capacity to manage complex budgets, multi-user facility operations, and institutional compliance protocols
• Excellent communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior direct experience managing or directing a successful Transgenic and Knockout Core Facility or similar shared resource lab
• Demonstrated record of collaborative grant writing and peer-reviewed publications

Salary Range: Commensurate

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU's robust benefits package, that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Restricted Position: No

Sensitive Position: Yes

ORP Eligible: Yes

Flexible Work Arrangement: Other

Rank: Open

Tenure: Ineligible

Months: 12 months

Contact Information:
Contact Email: SOMHR@vcuhealth.org