Director, Animal Care and Institutional Biosafety

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR) seeks a strategic and collaborative Director of Animal Care and Institutional Biosafety to lead and strengthen the university’s research compliance programs supporting animal research, biosafety and controlled substances used in scientific investigation.

This senior leadership position plays a critical role in advancing the university’s research mission by ensuring the highest standards of regulatory compliance, ethical research practices and institutional accountability. The Director provides oversight and strategic direction for programs involving live vertebrate animals, recombinant and synthetic nucleic acids, biohazardous agents and controlled substances used in research.

Reporting directly to the Vice Chancellor for Research, the Director serves as a trusted advisor to faculty investigators, research leadership and institutional regulatory committees. The role collaborates closely with the Environmental Health & Safety Office (EHSO) and the Biologic Resources Laboratory (BRL) veterinary team to support safe, responsible and innovative research.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced research compliance professional to shape institutional policy, strengthen regulatory programs and support a vibrant research community.

This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.

Salary: The budgeted salary range for the position is $140,000 -$160,000. The final salary offered will be determined by a thorough assessment of available market data, internal salary equity, candidate experience and qualifications, and budget constraints.

Job Responsibilities

IACUC/ACC Leadership and Animal Care Compliance

• Lead and manage the IACUC/ACC program to ensure compliance with:
• • Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and USDA Regulations
  • Public Health Service (PHS) Policy
  • ILAR Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
  • AAALAC International accreditation standards
• Oversee protocol and amendment reviews, semiannual program evaluations and inspections of all animal facilities, satellite areas and study sites.
• Maintain the institution’s PHS Assurance, including submissions, renewals, updates and annual reporting.
• Provide authoritative regulatory guidance to faculty, researchers and students.
• Serve as a voting member of the IACUC/ACC.

Institutional Biosafety Committee Oversight

• Direct operations of the IBC and ensure compliance with:
• • NIH Guidelines
  • CDC/NIH Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL)
  • CDC/USDA Select Agent Regulations
• Oversee review and approval of research involving recombinant/synthetic nucleic acids, biological toxins, infectious agents, select agent, human/non-human primate source materials and all BSL‑1, BSL‑2 and BSL‑3 work.
• Coordinate required reporting to NIH‑OSP and other agencies.
• Develop and maintain biosafety SOPs, training materials and emergency procedures.

Controlled Substances Program Administration

• Manage the university’s Controlled Substances Program for research use, ensuring adherence to DEA regulations and applicable state laws.
• Develop policies, training and audit systems to support secure storage, inventory, documentation and disposal.
• Advise researchers on licensing, recordkeeping and regulatory expectations.

Training, Outreach, and Education

• Develop and deliver mandatory training programs in:
• • Animal care and use
  • r/s NA and infectious agent handling
  • Biosafety principles and risk assessment
  • Controlled substances compliance
• Oversee creation of online training modules, workshops and educational resources.

Regulatory Reporting and Policy Development

• Prepare and submit all required federal reports (OLAW, USDA, NIH‑OSP, CDC, DEA, etc.).
• Draft, update, and implement institutional policies related to animal care, biosafety and controlled substances.
• Serve as the institution’s subject‑matter expert on evolving federal regulations and best practices.
• Represent the university during inspections, accreditation visits and regulatory agency interactions.

Program Leadership and Staff Management

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for IACUC, IBC and controlled substances administrative staff.
• Hire, train, supervise and evaluate personnel to ensure high‑quality service and compliance support.
• Implement process improvements in workflow efficiency, electronic protocol systems and compliance training.
• Lead special projects and initiatives assigned by the Vice Chancellor for Research.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master’s degree required; PhD, DVM, MD or equivalent terminal degree strongly preferred.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in research compliance, animal care oversight, biosafety or related regulatory fields.
• Demonstrated experience managing or supporting IACUC, ACC and/or IBC operations in a research-intensive environment.
• Comprehensive knowledge of AWA/USDA regulations, PHS Policy, the ILAR Guide, NIH Guidelines, BMBL, Select Agent rules and DEA requirements.
• Experience administering controlled substances compliance programs.
• Strong leadership, supervisory and project management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and an ability to work effectively with faculty, researchers, administrators and regulatory bodies.
• Experience with electronic protocol management systems (e.g., Huron Research Suite) preferred.

APPLICATION: To ensure fullest consideration, application materials must be received by Thursday, March 25, 2026 by 5pm CST. Start date is as soon as possible after the close of the search. Salary is commensurate with experience and education. All candidates must create a candidate profile through http://jobs.uic.edu and upload a cover letter, resume and contact information for three references by the close date.

Candidates must apply for this role by visiting the following link:

https://uic.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/19287?c=uic

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify. Offers of employment by the University of Illinois may be subject to approval by the University’s Board of Trustees.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position; however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.

The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees. Request an Accommodation