Associate Director, Colony Operations

Associate Director, Colony Operations

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced and collaborative Associate Director, Colony Operations to support the daily operations of a large-scale NHP colony program. This individual will play a key leadership role across husbandry operations, workforce management, compliance, training, and process improvement initiatives. This is an on-site role, relocation assistance can be provided.

Reporting into senior leadership, this role requires a hands-on operational leader who can build strong relationships across teams, support regulatory excellence, and help drive operational efficiency and modernization efforts throughout the colony.

Key Responsibilities

• Support daily colony and husbandry operations in partnership with leadership, veterinary, and operational teams
• Maintain a strong field presence by engaging regularly with supervisors and frontline staff
• Oversee workforce coordination, onboarding, training, staffing support, and employee development initiatives
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards, SOPs, training documentation, and operational best practices
• Support audit readiness, inspections, accreditation activities, and continuous improvement efforts
• Partner cross-functionally to improve communication, operational consistency, and workflow efficiency
• Help drive digitization and process modernization initiatives to reduce manual administrative burden
• Serve as a mentor and resource to operational managers and supervisors

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science, Biology, Veterinary Technology, Operations Management, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 8+ years of experience within animal research, vivarium, agricultural production, livestock operations, or similarly regulated compliance-driven environments
• Demonstrated experience leading teams in fast-paced operational settings
• Strong organizational, documentation, and problem-solving skills
• Familiarity with USDA, AAALAC, OLAW, or related regulatory frameworks

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Experience supporting large-scale husbandry or colony operations
• AALAS Certified, ILAM graduate and CMAR eligible
• Experience implementing operational process improvements or digitization initiatives
• Experience supporting large frontline workforces
• Bilingual Spanish/English strongly preferred

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is hands-on, approachable, and relationship-oriented, with the ability to balance field engagement and operational leadership with administrative and compliance responsibilities. They are someone who enjoys building systems, improving processes, developing teams, and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

This role is ideal for someone looking to step into broader operational leadership and make a meaningful impact within a growing organization.

If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please apply directly or send your resume to View email address on click.appcast.io . We always welcome referrals and recommendations!