Laboratory Technical Specialist- Invivo Cancer Modelling

Newcastle University; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday package

Pension schemes

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Job summary

Newcastle University is seeking a Research Technician for the Newcastle Centre for Cancer, based in the Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre. You will oversee in vivo rodent cancer studies, including orthotopic PDX modelling and imaging, collaborating with PIs to design and deliver innovative cancer research programs.

You will ensure regulatory compliance, develop models and methods, and support staff with a range of lab skills such as mammalian cell culture, flow cytometry and PCR.

Qualifications

• Experience in a technical or research role
• Advanced skills in developing/using animal models of childhood cancer
• Experience maintaining mouse breeding colonies; genotyping and welfare
• Knowledge of HTA regulations and compliance
• Experience with ASPA licence applications and compliance
• Strong health and safety knowledge
• Excellent teamwork and problem-solving abilities
• Organisational skills and deadline discipline
• Ability to adapt to changing research priorities

Responsibilities

• Prepare Home Office licence applications and reports; ensure ASPA licence compliance
• Design and perform high-impact in vivo studies for cancer research
• Develop and optimise rodent protocols including cell culture, genotyping, flow cytometry and imaging
• Maintain mouse colonies and liaise with AWERB/Home Office
• Manage budgets and supervise staff to ensure timely output
• Deliver training and inductions on complex techniques and equipment

Skills

In vivo rodent cancer modelling

Mouse genetics

Flow cytometry

PCR

Cell culture

Team supervision

Education

BTEC/HNC/HND or A-level or equivalent

Home office personal licence

ASPA training (PILAB, C and PPL)

IVIS/SARRP imaging training

HEA registration or working towards

Tools

In vivo imaging

Genotyping

Job description

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Requisition ID: 29936

Location: Newcastle, GB

Contract Type: Fixed Term

Working Pattern: Full Time

Salary: £32,722 to £33,662 with progression to £35,302 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits . We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 24 November 2026

The Role

The post is within the Newcastle Centre for Cancer and is based in the Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre. The successful applicant will be an experienced and enthusiastic research technician working in the field of animal research. You will oversee and implement a portfolio of in vivo studies for multiple cancer projects. You will work with PIs to deliver state of the art study design, innovation, and delivery to underpin cancer research in Newcastle. The studies will continue to develop the outstanding international reputation for Childhood Cancer Research in Newcastle.

The appointed person will provide expertise in the area of in vivo rodent cancer modelling, including orthotopic PDX modelling and in vivo imaging. You will be substantially involved in developing improved animal models and methods for non-invasive assessment of malignant disease location and progression. You will ensure the provision of appropriate resources and compliance with regulatory frameworks, oversee budgets, and help supervise team members to ensure smooth running and timely output of in vivo projects. Additionally, you will be responsible for provision of basic laboratory skills, including mammalian cell culture, flow cytometry, and PCR, necessary to support the in vivo work.

The role will require an in-depth knowledge of technical and scientific practices, methods and procedures gained through experience and/or formal qualification and will deploy this knowledge to provide a range of technical support activities. It will also require some working out of normal hours.

Reporting to Dr Simon Bomken and the Institute Technical Manager team, the role will display an in-depth knowledge of technical or scientific practices, methods and procedures gained through either experience and/or formal qualification and will deploy this knowledge to provide a range of technical support activities.

This is a fixed term role until 31 March 2027.

Key Accountabilities

• Work directly (deputise) with the Project licence holder to prepare Home Office licence applications and reports. Ensure ASPA licence compliance, including study plans, training records and procedure documentation
• Ensure HTA compliance
• Work with Principal Investigators to design and perform high impact in vivo studies for cancer research and assist in developing novel, reliable mouse cancer models
• Provide extensive expertise in a range of rodent regulated procedures including the implantation of cells, administration of substances, surgery and in vivo imaging. Implement health and welfare scoring methods and ensure humane endpoints. Devise and implement 3Rs interventions
• Devise and optimise protocols for a range of purposes including cell culture, mouse genotyping, sample preparation, cell-tracking, flow cytometry, surgery and in vivo imaging
• Effectively manage mouse GA colonies to ensure research requirements and liaise with AWERB and Home Office representatives to maintain the highest standards of care and welfare within the Comparative Biology Centre
• Complete a range of routine and complex maintenance activities and repairs
• Liaise with suppliers and manufacturers to resolve both routine and complex problems and investigate replacement options
• Advise on equipment capabilities demonstrating how results can be achieved
• By developing local procedures, establish and maintain a safe/compliant working environment
• Hold specific safety responsibilities relevant to the specialism
• Oversee compliance tasks ensuring timely completion and maintenance of appropriate records
• Maintain in-depth and up-to-date health and safety knowledge relevant to the specialism. Assist with the completion and updating of a wide range of safety paperwork
• Schedule, prioritize and monitor work in line with demands and deadlines
• Hold delegated responsibility from the academic lead for the planning, operation and supervision of laboratory spaces occupied by the specialism
• Be a key contributor to specialism development, delivery and planning
• Contribute to and support change
• Manage one or more budgets monitoring resource usage
• Create, update and implement procedures to deliver an aligned, efficient and effective service
• Prepare and manufacture specimens/samples requiring specialist skills with limited direction
• Manage equipment bookings, calculate charges/costs and assist with re-charging
• Design, develop and deliver inductions, demonstrations and training covering complex techniques and specialist equipment.
• Assist managers with the identification of training and development needs and mentor junior staff

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Demonstratable work experience in a relevant technical or research role
• Advanced skills in the development and use of animal models of childhood cancer, including an understanding of mouse genetics and pathology
• Experience of maintaining mouse breeding colonies, including mouse genotyping, development, welfare and working with immunocompromised mice
• Knowledge of Human Tissue Act (HTA) regulations and compliance
• Experience of ASPA licence applications and securing compliance
• Thorough working knowledge of Health and Safety procedures
• Excellent team working skills
• Demonstrates technical and problem-solving capacity
• Demonstrates good organising ability to meet deadlines, with a positive and proactive approach to duties and diligence and attention to detail
• Ability to adapt to changes in laboratory research priorities

Attributes and Behaviour

• Tact, diplomacy and able to handle difficult situations
• Ability to meet deadlines with effective time and resource management
• Clear communicator and active listener
• Consistent and appropriate approach to staff and situations
• Use of feedback for process improvement and staff development
• Team player, self starter and able to manage complex workload
• Ability to respond enthusiastically and positively to undergraduate students

Qualifications

• BTEC HNC / HND; or A’ level (or equivalent) qualification; or broad work experience acquired through a combination of vocational training and considerable on-the-job experience, demonstrating development through progressively more demanding relevant roles
• Current home office personal licence holder
• Completion of ASPA approved training (PILAB, C and PPL)
• Trained and competent using in vivo imaging (IVIS, SARRP, CT)
• Professional registration with an accredited professional body (including HEA) or working towards this on appointment

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.