Facility Manager

UK Health Security Agency; Chilton; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

The UK Health Security Agency is seeking an experienced Animal Facility Manager to lead a dedicated team in posting within the Radiation Effects Department. This pivotal role involves managing the animal facility, ensuring compliance with regulations, and facilitating research on radiation-related health effects. Candidates should possess significant experience in animal husbandry, relevant qualifications, and a commitment to high standards of animal care and welfare.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Civil Service pension with employer contributions

Learning and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience managing an animal facility.
• Extensive knowledge of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, 1986.
• Ability to maintain high standards of animal care.

Responsibilities

• Manage and oversee the RCCE animal facility operations.
• Act as Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety legislation.

Skills

Animal care

Team management

Problem-solving

Compliance with regulations

Education

5 GCSEs + 2 A levels or equivalent

Accredited animal care qualification

Home Office personal licence

Job description

UKHSA Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RQ

Job Summary

The Animal Facility Manager role leads a team of animal technicians within the Radiation Effects Department of the UK Health Security Agency’s Radiation, Chemical, Climate and Environmental Hazards Directorate.

The team engages in research related to the evidence for radiation related health effects, to ensure ionising radiation is used as safely as possible within society.

The main responsibilities of the post-holder will be to develop and manage the animal facility:

• be responsible for the running and management of the RCE animal facility
• be responsible to the Home Office as Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer (NACWO), Named Training and Competency Officers (NTCO), and Home Office Liaison Contacts (HOLC) under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986
• facilitate experimental animal studies in the Department and Division, and develop services to offer for UKHSA and external
• contribute to the Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Board (AWERB)
• contribute to experimental studies in animal behaviour and other topics as agreed with line manager.
  
  

Working for your organisation

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

Job Description

The post holder will:

• be responsible for the smooth running and management of the RCCE animal facility
• act as Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer, Named Training and Competency Officers (NTCO), and Home Office Liaison Contacts (HOLC) under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. In this role, liaise with the Named Veterinary Surgeon in the maintenance of appropriately high standards of animal care. Co-ordinate correspondence with the Home Office concerning animal usage, licence applications and amendments. Ensure that those working with animals are adequately educated, trained, and supervised until competent and maintain their expertise.
• support staff carrying out experimental animal work, co-ordinating animal purchases, availability of space and other resources
• provide advice on and assist with procedures involving animals, undertaking regulated procedures under a Home Office Personal Licence and advising Personal and Project Licence Holders; arrange associated training
• ensure compliance with all aspects of experimental animal and health and safety legislation and contribute to requirements for Refinement, Reduction and Replacement in the use of animals; arrange animal health checks
• take overall responsibility for decisions on whether to sacrifice animals showing signs of distress
• co-ordinate and facilitate visits by the Named Veterinary Surgeon and Home Office inspector and respond to their advice / requirements
• source and distribute information on developments in animal care and on security issues
• keep abreast of developments in animal care and apply current best practice
• be responsible for the staffing, upkeep and maintenance of the animal facility and for its security
• undertake weekend/holiday animal care as required and provide a continuous on-call service throughout the year
• actively engage with both the RCCE and joint UKHSA cross site AWERB meetings as a core member of these groups
• work under COSHH regulations and other relevant regulations (genetically modified organisms, ionising radiation, laboratory animals) as appropriate. Complete relevant risk assessments as required
• be responsible for all users of the animal facility respecting health and safety rules and regulations
• contribute to experimental work by following defined procedures in animal studies (eg. exposures to radiations or chemicals, behavioral studies) and other areas as agreed with line manager
• Advise researchers on best practice in husbandry techniques and the breeding of GA animals where required.
• maintain records of animal usage and breeding according to Home Office requirements
• maintain clear and accurate experimental records
• maintain and build strong network links with other UKHSA animal sites.
  
  

Please see the job description for the full list of duties and responsibilities.

The Post Holder Will

• be responsible for the smooth running and management of the RCCE animal facility
• act as Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer, Named Training and Competency Officers (NTCO), and Home Office Liaison Contacts (HOLC) under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. In this role, liaise with the Named Veterinary Surgeon in the maintenance of appropriately high standards of animal care. Co-ordinate correspondence with the Home Office concerning animal usage, licence applications and amendments. Ensure that those working with animals are adequately educated, trained, and supervised until competent and maintain their expertise.
• support staff carrying out experimental animal work, co-ordinating animal purchases, availability of space and other resources
• provide advice on and assist with procedures involving animals, undertaking regulated procedures under a Home Office Personal Licence and advising Personal and Project Licence Holders; arrange associated training
• ensure compliance with all aspects of experimental animal and health and safety legislation and contribute to requirements for Refinement, Reduction and Replacement in the use of animals; arrange animal health checks
• take overall responsibility for decisions on whether to sacrifice animals showing signs of distress
• co-ordinate and facilitate visits by the Named Veterinary Surgeon and Home Office inspector and respond to their advice / requirements
• source and distribute information on developments in animal care and on security issues
• keep abreast of developments in animal care and apply current best practice
• be responsible for the staffing, upkeep and maintenance of the animal facility and for its security
• undertake weekend/holiday animal care as required and provide a continuous on-call service throughout the year
• actively engage with both the RCCE and joint UKHSA cross site AWERB meetings as a core member of these groups
• work under COSHH regulations and other relevant regulations (genetically modified organisms, ionising radiation, laboratory animals) as appropriate. Complete relevant risk assessments as required
• be responsible for all users of the animal facility respecting health and safety rules and regulations
• contribute to experimental work by following defined procedures in animal studies (eg. exposures to radiations or chemicals, behavioral studies) and other areas as agreed with line manager
• Advise researchers on best practice in husbandry techniques and the breeding of GA animals where required.
• maintain records of animal usage and breeding according to Home Office requirements
• maintain clear and accurate experimental records
• maintain and build strong network links with other UKHSA animal sites.
  
  

Please see the job description for the full list of duties and responsibilities.

Person specification

• 5 GCSEs + 2 A levels (Grade C or above) or equivalent (preferably including a life science), or equivalent experience managing a similar animal facility
• Accredited animal care qualification: membership of the Institute of Animal Technology (IAT)
• Home Office personal licence
• Extensive experience of experimental animal husbandry
• Experience of management of an Animal Facility, acting as Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer (NACWO)
• A thorough knowledge of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, 1986 and its practical implementation in a small animal facility
• Able to undertake regular manual handling activities, including moving and lifting loads of upto approximately 10kg
• Proven ability to identify and solve problems relating to animal care
• Manual dexterity and good general state of health
• Well developed observation skills
• Ability to remain up-to-date with changing legislation and best practice as applied in experimental animal studies
• Familiarity with basic computer packages and their use
• Good time management skills
• Ability to co-ordinate team work and accommodate differing needs
• Willingness to work with respiratory protection
• Willingness to work weekends and public holidays and organise and provide an on-call service
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.
  
  

Alongside your salary of £42,758, UK Health Security Agency contributes £12,386 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
  
  

Selection process details

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Required

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1000 word Statement of Suitability.
  
  

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.

Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

• Meets all essential criteria
• Meets some essential criteria
• Meets no essential criteria
  
  

Only those meeting all essential criteria will be taken through to shortlisting.

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:

• A thorough knowledge of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, 1986 and its practical implementation in a small animal facility
  
  

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.

Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.

Please do not exceed 1000 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview (competency based)

You will be invited to a face to face interview. If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview

You will be asked to prepare and present a 5-10 minute presentation at the start of your interview. The subject of this will be sent to you prior to interview.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Location

This role is being offered as lab based at our Scientific Campus in Chilton, Oxfordshire. Please note that hybrid working is not available for this role.

Please note the successful candidate will be expected to work weekends and bank holidays as part of this role.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard / Counter-terrorist Check.

For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder / Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Reasonable Adjustments

The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.

You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/

International Police check

If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own.

Internal Fraud check

If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.

Careers website

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
  
  

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

• Name : Jon Payne
• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: [e-mail] If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk