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The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 2,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.

Exciting opportunities have arisen to join various Departments at APHA. You will have the opportunity to perform testing in order to establish the diagnosis of animal disease, monitoring animal health, screening for incursion of exotic disease, and performing statutory testing. Working as part of a cross department team of veterinary, laboratory and administration staff to deliver results to internal and external customers. Laboratory staff are required to liaise with other agency laboratories and may be required to communicate with external customers.

This diverse and varied role is suitable for anyone with a keen interest in science and animals but no laboratory experience is necessary as full training will be given. We welcome people to apply from the local area.

The role of Lab Assistant is to provide scientific, administrative and archiving support. This could include communicating with customers via the phone and email, checking and reporting laboratory test results, registering sample submissions and processing blood samples before distributing them to the testing laboratories.

The role may also include performing laboratory diagnostic techniques such as culture, PCR, ELISA, CFT, MIC, zone diffusion tests and Whole Genome Sequencing. It could involve working at a microbiological safety cabinet in a containment laboratory or carrying out cell culture.

The successful candidate will be employed in one of many busy departments: Virology, Bacteriology, Pathology, Laboratory Testing or Animal Services Unit dependant on business need and candidate experience.

All departments will provide full guidance and training - in return we would ask that the successful candidate is keen to learn and prepared to work within our safety and quality guidelines.

Your responsibilities may include, but won’t be limited to:

• Producing reagents for diagnostic tests for use within APHA and for commercial purposes.
• Using aseptic techniques for cell culture.
• Administration duties including customer interactions and filing.
• Completion of workbooks and other documentation to ensure quality standards are adhered to.
• Compliance with all safety procedures including wearing appropriate PPE and reporting incidents and near misses.
• Responding to animal disease outbreaks which may involve working weekends and shifts.
• Working in containment laboratories and using microbiological safety cabinets.
• Participating in all the necessary training to allow you to perform your role correctly and safely.

Required skills and experience:

• Experience in the use of computer software including Microsoft Office.
• Ability to organise own work and time.
• A keen interest in Science and the food animal production sector.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills with colleagues at all levels.

Flexibility in working hours is required if called upon to finish a particular urgent task or call upon in an event of an outbreak.

The post is full-time, we may consider two part-time staff on a job-share basis if continuity can be arranged. The role is based at Weybridge where the team is located and due to the nature of the role and duties required.

The post will also require Health clearance. Due to access requirements to biosecure areas, individuals must be physically able and heavy lifting will be required.

The successful candidate will need to comply with a number of health protocols and wear protective clothing and Respiratory Personal Protective Equipment (RPPE) as required.

Restrictions on contact with farm or companion animals may apply.

This post may require travel around the UK, including visiting abattoirs and farms. You must have a valid driving licence, or be able to call upon suitable alternate means of transport.

Depending on the areas of work involved you will be expected to have any necessary vaccinations or health surveillance. This will be arranged by the Health Team, Weybridge.

You may be asked to undertake experimental Home Office procedures (under licence), including Schedule 1 Techniques. Full training will be provided.

On occasions, you may be required to provide support to veterinary colleagues to assist on farm visits to help with sampling, recording and other work as required.

The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Government’s response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason all post holders based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance. It is up to each person applying for this post at APHA Weybridge to ensure they meet the 3 year UK residency criteria. Please contact the vacancy holder before applying if you are unsure you meet this requirement.

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Working Together

Job contact :

Name :
Gemma Aliaj
Email :
[email protected]

Recruitment team :

Email :
[email protected]