Job Description
BRF Research Scientist (Senior Animal Technician - Production and Supply/Experimental)
Reports to: BRF Unit Manager(s)
This is a permanent position on Crick Terms and Conditions of employment.
Summary
BRF Senior Animal Technicians are vital to the success of the Francis Crick Institute. The role of a BRF Senior Animal Technician can involve specialist technical support, or management of a specific area of work, or supervision of others, or a combination of all these.
The BRF manages several multidisciplinary animal facilities housing rodents, zebrafish, Xenopus spp., laboratory opossums and ferrets, with associated specialist equipment and dedicated areas. It provides a service to ~550 Personal Licensees using ~55 Home Office Project Licences and has over 150 staff.
The BRF department brings together a number of highly skilled and specialised individuals who contribute to the culture of care of animals in a laboratory environment.
Key responsibilities
The level of responsibility for all senior animal technician roles is the same. The level and type of tasks, however, will vary from unit to unit and particular area requirements. Nevertheless, the role may include some or all, but not be limited to, the following duties:
- Providing excellent animal husbandry involving specialised caging systems, ensuring that the standards of animal care and welfare, required by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, are maintained within specialised barrier systems
- Promoting the 3Rs
- Maintaining Genetically Altered and Wild-Type animal lines which may involve using complex breeding systems to achieve specific gene combinations and/or ensuring supply and demand requirements are met
- Providing post-operative care to a range of surgical models
- Being familiar with all relevant Project Licences and monitoring adverse effects in individual animals in multiple studies across a range of experimental models
- Maintaining, through adherence of strict SOP’s, the integrity of the microbiological barriers for all BRF areas and to report any potential and actual breaches to the BRF Unit Manager(s)
- Processing and organising space and animal shipments, both internally and externally, with relevant stakeholders
- Working alongside NACWO in responding and acting upon health and welfare concerns
- Supporting BRF Unit Managers in liaising with Named Veterinary Surgeon, Home Office Inspectors and others regarding 3Rs, and implementation of best practice
- Deputising in the absence of the BRF Unit Manager when/if required
- Being responsible for a defined work area/specialised service/specialised equipment with some decision making (where applicable)
- Providing formal on the job training and/or supervision of others where appropriate, and providing performance related feedback as required
- Providing daily support, advice and coaching to BRF Research Officers and other BRF staff where appropriate
- Being aware of and promoting all relevant health and safety legislation
- Ensuring compliance of local safety requirements and SOPs, including containment areas, as appropriate
- Performing a range of regulated/non-regulated procedures to science groups and being aware when each is applicable
- Possessing contemporary knowledge of Home Office approved procedures and best practice
- Providing clear and accurate written and verbal reports as required
- Interpreting and communicating information effectively to staff across all levels
- Building and maintaining effective relationships with a range of colleagues in BRF and from the Institute
- Working closely with all levels of BRF staff in the implementation of any approved projects relating to the BRF
- Engaging positively with the BRF and all its activities
- Carrying out any other duties as may be appropriate to the role as directed
Key experience and competencies
Full training will be given and post holders will be expected to participate in continuing professional development.
The post holder should embody and demonstrate our core Crick values: bold, open, and collegial, in addition to the following:
Essential
Qualifications, experience and competencies:
- Minimum IAT certificate/Level 2 in animal technology or other professional equivalent qualification
- Possesses and regularly uses Home Office Licence (PIL A, B, L&E1)
- Willingness to attend in-house and external training courses to develop necessary skills to fulfil the role
- Experience of supervising staff within an animal research environment
- Experience of training of other staff members
- Very good written and oral communication skills
- Very good working knowledge of ASPA and Health and Safety legislation
- Relevant Animal technology/research/specialist experience
- Participation in the weekend/public/privilege holiday rota for essential animal care
- Supportive of the work/research being undertaken at the Francis Crick Institute
- Proficient in Microsoft based software, use of databases and internet skills
- Ability to problem solve, use initiative and think beyond the immediate work area
- Ability to work with minimal supervision, prioritising appropriately
- Is conscientious and reliable
- Is proactive, positive and flexible in approach
- Is physically fit to meet the demands of the role
Desirable: Core – all BRF Research Scientists
Qualifications, experience and competencies:
- Home Office Licence (PIL C)
- NACWO experience and/or training
- Level 3 in Animal Technology or equivalent
- Registered Animal Technician (Ran Tech)
- Participation in the Edstrom/Aquatics Responder Rota
- Able to demonstrate flexibility and adaptability in managing significant responsibilities, including empathy, patience, and a compassionate approach to meeting the basic needs of animals.
- Demonstrates resilience and the ability to prioritise sometimes competing tasks, and work under pressure in a fast- paced environment.
- Strong critical thinking skills and decision-making abilities to navigate complex situations.
- Empathy and emotional intelligence to effectively communicate and collaborate, understand and respond to the needs of colleagues and researchers.
Desirable: Aquatics
- Experience with zebrafish (Danio rerio) and guppies (Poecilidae ssp.)
- Experience/ knowledge of freshwater fish husbandry, breeding and maintenance
- Knowledge of recirculating systems, static aquariums and nitrogen cycle with a high level of operation knowledge and theory of life support systems.
- Experience/ knowledge of amphibian husbandry, specifically African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis)
- Making quarantine systems and adhering to holding processes/timelines
- Able to identify and report any non-functioning life support systems to Unit Manager
- Able to interpret water quality results and act upon them
Desirable: Experimental areas
- Containment 2, 3, and/or 4 experience
- Experience of providing post–operative care to a range of surgical models
- Experience of monitoring adverse effects to a range of experimental models
- Regularly carries out a range of regulated procedures
- Husbandry knowledge and experience of multi species
- Experience of working with a range of caging systems e.g. Isolators, IVCs
Desirable: Production & Supply units
- Experience of working within a shower-in unit
- Experience/knowledge of breeding mouse lines to match with supply
- Sound knowledge of basic Mendelian genetics
- Experience/knowledge of breeding complex genetically altered laboratory mouse lines to maintain and generate complex genotypes and predict desired phenotypes
- Proficient in the administration of substances to mice, via the intraperitoneal route
- Proficient at carrying out ear biopsies and/or identification of mice via ear punch method
- Understanding of other methods of sampling and identifying rodents
- Experience of candling/incubating chick eggs
Find out what benefits the Crick has to offer:
For more information on our great pay and benefits package please click here: https://www.crick.ac.uk/careers-and-study/life-at-the-crick/pay-and-benefits
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:
We welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, pregnancy, age, disability, or civil partnership, marital or family status. We particularly welcome applications from people who are Minority Ethnic as they are currently underrepresented in the Crick at this level.
Diversity is essential to excellence in scientific endeavour. It increases breadth and perspective, leading to more innovation and creativity. We want the Crick to be a place where everyone feels valued and where diversity is celebrated and seen as part of the foundation for our Institute’s success.
The Crick is committed to creating equality of opportunity and promoting diversity and inclusivity. We all share in the responsibility to actively promote dignity, respect, inclusivity and equal treatment and it is our aim to ensure that these principles are reflected and implemented in all strategies, policies and practices.
Read more on our website:https://www.crick.ac.uk/careers-and-study/life-at-the-crick/equality-diversity-and-inclusion