Senior Animal Care Technician Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Job description
Salary: £24,144 to £25,285 with progression to £27,396 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: 06 April 2023
The Role
We are looking for an experienced Animal Care Technician to work in the Comparative Biology Centre (CBC), Newcastle University’s facilities for all research work which involved the use of laboratory animals. Newcastle University has a policy of using animals in research only if there are no realistic alternatives and in projects of major importance. UK standards of care are among the highest in the world, and we strictly enforce them.
You will provide excellent technical support and customer service to research groups that utilise the CBC facilities and services. You will ensure daily programs of work are achieved to the highest of standards, will be involved in breeding programmes and the monitoring of animal health and welfare. You will be able to make decisions and deal with problems immediately and independently, or know when to escalate, where the matter falls outside your remit.
You will be open to embracing change, continued professional and personal development. Play an active and engaging role within the CBC team, support junior and senior team members and be active in development of staff and customers in technical procedures. You will be expected to demonstrate own time management and planning.
This appointment is subject to receipt of a satisfactory security screening check.
You will be contacted by our provider, Horus Online Screening Service (HOSS), to request permission to facilitate these checks. You will be asked to complete a questionnaire and upload identification as part of this process.
Newcastle University’s policy on animal research can be found here.
This is a permanent full time post, available for an immediate start.
For informal enquiries, please contact [email protected]
Key Accountabilities
General animal husbandry including maintenance, care and feeding of animals to the highest of industrial standards. This could be any area/species within the department. Includes actively contributing to animal enrichment, proficient execution of training and enhancing animal welfare where required
Assist, support and communicate with research groups, peers and technical management team staff. This may include working in any of the designated areas including theatres and service area
Provision of excellent customer service for all stakeholders
Hold a personal licence under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act and competently carry and train others in regulated procedures
Pre and post-operative care of animals being decisive on supportive routes of care, in conjunction with the Named Veterinary Surgeon
Flexible to work outside of normal core hours when required to cover departmental needs. In addition participation in weekend and holiday rotas
Develop, support and supervise peers and researchers, when appropriate, in techniques, protocol and procedure
Read, understand and refer to study plans and project licences. Follow protocols, working practices and risk assessments, and contribute to their formulation and update- ensuring a safe working environment is maintained and animal welfare in maintained
Maintaining detailed records using written and electronic systems, reporting of issues involving animals, equipment or infrastructure
Support the Area Manager, where appropriate, in devising plans of work and objectives for the team. Acting as a team leader/deputy, where this responsibility is delegated, to ensure operational continuity
Supporting of theatres as and when required
As a team member uphold the security and biosecurity of the department at all times
The Person (Essential)
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Working Knowledge of Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act
Good animal handling skills, knowledge of breeding programmes
Competent in a range of experimental techniques and understanding study plans
Good written, oral and communication skills
Ability to use computers including email, calendars and Microsoft Office
Experience of customer service provision
Experience in training and assessing competence (Desirable)
Understanding of Health and Safety regulations and writing of risk assessments and working practices (Desirable)
Qualifications
Minimum 5 GCSE A-C or equivalent
Gained or working towards IAT level 3 Diploma in Animal Science and Technology
PILAB holder
Holds PILC or has completed modules (Desirable)
Other
Appointment is subject to receipt of a satisfactory security screening check - you will be contacted by our provider to request permission to facilitate these checks. You will be asked to complete a questionnaire and upload identification as part of this process
Appointment is subject to Occupational Health Pre-Placement check. You will be contacted by our Occupational Health team to arrange laboratory animal/bird and insect checks
Newcastle is an inclusive global University community 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 Global 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 our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from everybody, regardless of race, sex, ethnicity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital status/civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, as well as being open to flexible working practices.
The University holds a silver Athena S wan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. The University is also a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.
Requisition ID: 25261
