Animal Technician

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency; Ayot Green; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health regulatory agency in Ayot Green is looking for a qualified individual to perform in vivo scientific procedures on laboratory animals. The candidate must have practical experience in animal technology and hold a current Home Office Personal Licence. Responsibilities include ensuring compliance with welfare standards and conducting health checks on animals. This role offers a critical opportunity to contribute to research and innovation in healthcare.

Qualifications

• Practical experience in daily husbandry and handling of laboratory animals.
• Evidence of commitment to high standards of animal welfare.
• Training & competency in species and techniques for different containment levels.

Responsibilities

• Perform a range of in vivo scientific procedures on laboratory animal species.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislative requirements.
• Provide care and health checks for animals held under your responsibility.

Skills

Experience in animal technology

Knowledge of animal welfare

Ability to perform in vivo procedures

Education

Home Office Personal Licence

Job description

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research. The Scientific Research and Innovation Group delivers public health impact, world-leading research innovation, and a unique proposition via an ambitious Science Strategy which will balance innovation against sustainability and affordability.

The SR&I Research & Development (R&D) function delivers statutory mandated strategically aligned, sustainable and impactful Regulatory Scientific research that is applied primarily to biological reference materials development and medicines control testing and areas of international and national priority for future biological medicines. Analytical and Biological Sciences (ABS) is a multi-laboratory, multi-disciplinary team of experts within R&D.

Biological services, within ABS supports three Functions of SR&I; Standards Lifecycle, Control Testing and R&D in all aspects of in vivo science. The facility is provisioned to manage activities with a wide species including at different biocontainment levels up to and including containment level 3 (CL3) and Specified Animal Pathogen Order 4 (SAPO4).

A highly trained and professional technical team care for the animals and perform the scientific procedures, underpinned by a specialist support team, ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare are always maintained. The role holder will use their knowledge and skills to perform a diverse range of in-vivo scientific procedures on a variety of laboratory animal species including at higher containment levels, including injections, blood and tissue sampling, and safe use of anaesthetics.

Key Responsibilities

• Performing a diverse range of in vivo scientific procedures on a variety of laboratory animal species at all containment levels.
• Ensuring all testing protocols are fully compliant with the relevant legislative requirements.
• Taking primary responsibility for the animals under which staff member's Personal Licence is applied.
• Advising scientific staff of the general health and condition of the animals.
• Detailed observations of animals for the collection of scientific data.
• Completion of reports to relevant scientists.
• Discussions with the Named Veterinary Surgeon (NVS) and the Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer (NACWO), concerning animal health and welfare.

Care and Welfare of Animal Species

• Responsible for specified animal holding rooms and the daily care of the animals within.
• Performing health checks/formal observations on animals.
• Performing minor veterinary treatments for sick or injured animals under advice from Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer (NACWO) or Named Veterinary Surgeon (NVS).
• Contributing to environmental enrichment initiatives for the animals.

Additional Divisional Organisational or Support Duties

• Act as a nominated Deputy for a local specified responsible role (quality management, H&S, business continuity etc.).
• Organisation of a small team for specified in vivo testing procedures or specialised husbandry tasks.
• Training other staff in specific and specialised tasks.

Selection Process

We use the Civil Service Success Profiles to assess our candidates. The selection process includes an online application form, interview, and may include an initial sift based on the lead criteria.

Candidates must have practical experience of working in the animal technology field, including daily husbandry, handling and restraint, dealing with health issues and evidence of a commitment to high standards of animal welfare. Candidates must also hold a current Home Office Personal Licence or has recently held a Home Office Personal Licence with evidence of appropriate training & competency for species, techniques and working at different containment levels.