1702055 UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO Te Whare Wananga o Otago

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: Prosector DEPARTMENT: DIVISION: Health Sciences

PRIME FUNCTION

Production and maintenance of prosected human material for teaching and research.

MAIN OBJECTIVES

• Produce and maintain prosections for teaching and research. • preparation and maintenance.

KEY TASKS

Production and maintenance of prosections • Produce detailed and accurate prosections, both routine and specialised. • Liaise with clinical anatomy academics to determine particular requirements and precise details for prosection work. • Prepare prosections for plastination and wet display in consultation with Museum Curator. • Maintain the supply of prosections, replacing as required when worn or damaged. • Locate and label prosections for practical exams. • Assist the Room Technician with the day-to-day running of the Prosection Storage Room by treating and returning class prosections to their assigned cabinets. • Keep the Gross Anatomy Manager informed of any problems with the condition of prosections, making suggestions as to the use (further prosection/skeletonisation) or disposal of damaged/worn prosections. • Assist with the removal (harvest) of body parts for research and teaching and associated labelling, identifying pieces that are best suited to prosection requirements.

Cadaver preparation and maintenance • Develop, in conjunction with the Gross Anatomy Team, specialised and preservation techniques and apply those techniques where appropriate when preparing and producing specimens (e.g. “light” embalming, new formulations for optimum plastination results). • Maintain an awareness of all safe handling practices as they relate to cadaver preparation and maintenance (e.g.: human blood and waste, chemicals, disposal of clinical and related waste). • Preparation of for classes, including latex injecting, calvarium sawing and other specialised body-related duties that may be required. • Preparation of cadavers and human material for cremation. • Undertake routine embalming for teaching and research, as required.

Page 1 of 3 Warehouse Duties • Provide assistance with cadaver receipt at the Warehouse as required, maintaining a good working knowledge of established protocols. • Assist with the transport of human and other material between the warehouse facility and the Lindo Ferguson facilities as required. • Assist with regular checks of the cadavers in storage at the warehouse, identifying and acting to correct any potential problems early.

General Duties • Assist with postgraduate and professional workshops, providing material and equipment as required. • Assist in clinical anatomy research projects, as appropriate. • Participate in and contribute to regular Gross Anatomy Team meetings. • Assist with class set-up/take down in the DR as required. • Assist with other Departmental duties/activities, as required. • Maintain current Forklift and drivers licences.

RELATIONSHIPS

Directly responsible to: Gross Anatomy Manager. Supervision of: No supervisory role. Functional relationships with: Prosector. Plastinator/Prosector. Dissecting Room Technician. Clinical Anatomy Research Technician. Museum Curator. Body Committee. Clinical anatomy teaching staff. Technical Manager. All staff and students of the Department.

BUDGETARY RESPONSIBILITY

• None.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

• Continual, timely production of high quality prosected human material for research and teaching. • Assistance with warehouse/DR Suite duties is provided in a timely and effective manner.

Page 2 of 3 PERSON SPECIFICATION

• BSc (Hons) in the area of functional anatomy or equivalent is essential. • Experience with human prosecting or veterinary dissection would be advantageous but is not essential as full training is available. • Detailed human gross anatomical knowledge would be advantageous. • Prepared and able to work with human bodies/prosections; sensitive to issues surrounding working with human material. • Willingness to develop and maintain an understanding of the Human Tissue Act 2008 and NZ Standard 8135-2009 and their importance. • Awareness of and willingness to, abide by H&S requirements, particularly as they relate to human material and lifting. • Hold or be able to achieve a full drivers licence and forklift licence. • Experience in use of computer databases. • Ability to work without close supervision. • Accurate and detailed record keeping, including ability to provide detailed and accurate anatomical descriptions. • Highly motivated and well organised. • Able to work as part of a team.

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