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Job Title: Postdoctoral fellow in dairy calf welfare                                             

Department: Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, College of Sciences                    

Campus/Location: Palmerston North                    

Reference number: A464-15

Closing date:             January 13, 2016                             

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The Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences is offering a two-year full time postdoctoral fellowship to conduct a specified programme of research and scholarship on dairy calf welfare in the commercial New Zealand supply chain. The aim of the research is to identify factors that cause and/or contribute to calf morbidity and mortality across the complete supply chain. In addition, the research must identify scientifically rigorous and practical welfare indicators for use on-farm and at lairage.

As the successful candidate, you will have the opportunity to work with globally-renowned researchers from Massey University’s Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre (AWSBC) and AgResearch’s Animal Behaviour and Welfare Research Centre. Ideally, you will have training and experience in areas relevant to scientific assessment of animal welfare. It is preferred that you have experience in statistical data analysis but at least strong numerical competence is essential. It would also be useful to have direct experience of the dairy cow industry, with particular emphasis on the farm management, transport and processing of calves. Proven ability to write scientific papers is essential.

The position will be based in Palmerston North but will involve extensive and extended travel to dairy farms and slaughter premises around New Zealand to evaluate the welfare of young dairy calves during on-farm management, transport and leading up to slaughter. As the successful applicant, you will be able to work with minimal supervision and communicate successfully with a range of people, including farmers, transport operators and other industry stakeholders.

Please direct enquiries to: Dr Ngaio Beausoleil N.J.Beausoleil@massey.ac.nz

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Postdoctoral fellow in dairy calf welfare                                             

Department: Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, College of Sciences                    

Campus/Location: Palmerston North                    

Responsible to: Dr Ngaio Beausoleil                                 

Purpose Statement:            

The need has been identified for research in a commercial New Zealand setting to understand the factors that cause and/or contribute to calf morbidity and mortality across the complete supply chain. On-farm management, transport and lairage at slaughter premises all impact on calf welfare but, currently, mortality rate is the only available indicator of poor welfare. Thus, the research must also identify scientifically rigorous and practical welfare indicators for use on-farm and at lairage. The purpose of this two-year full-time postdoctoral fellowship is to conduct a specified programme of research and scholarship on dairy calf welfare under the supervision and direction of a team of scientific investigators from the globally-renowned Massey University Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre (AWSBC) and AgResearch Animal Behaviour and Welfare Research Centre.

Please direct enquiries to: Dr Ngaio Beausoleil N.J.Beausoleil@massey.ac.nz

Key Accountabilities:

1.       Accountability: Research study design

Duties and Responsibilities:

·       Review the literature and existing data to identify potential risk factors for dairy calf welfare

·       Participate in discussions of study design with other team members

·       Be responsible for implementation of agreed experimental protocols

2.       Accountability: Data collection and statistical analysis

Duties and Responsibilities

·       Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders

·       Coordinate collection of field data, including both survey and quantitative approaches

·       Undertake surveys and animal-based measurements with minimal supervision (will require extensive and extended periods of travel to farms and slaughter premises throughout New Zealand)

·       Manage resulting datasets

·       Undertake statistical analysis and interpretation of data with guidance

3.       Accountability: Produce required outputs in collaboration with other team members

Duties and Responsibilities:

·       Write stakeholder reports

·       Write papers for publication in scientific journals

·       Write and deliver presentations at scientific and stakeholder meetings

4.       Accountability: Engage in day-to-day activities of department

Duties and Responsibilities:

·       Engage in appropriate training and professional development opportunities as required by your supervisors, Institute, or the University

·       Engage in the wider research and scholarly activities of your research group or Institute

·       Take responsibility as requested for day-to-day advice and support of graduate research students associated with your research group

·       Mentor and assist, as appropriate and as directed, the research graduate students in your Institute.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualifications: PhD

Experience:

·       The preferred candidate will have training and experience in areas relevant to scientific assessment of animal welfare.

·       It is preferred that the candidate has experience in statistical data analysis but at least strong numerical competence is essential.

·       It would also be useful to have direct experience of the dairy cow industry, with particular emphasis on the farm management, transport and processing of calves.

·       Proven ability to write scientific papers is essential.