Laboratory Technician - MLC 2034

The Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell (MLC) https://www.har.mrc.ac.uk/ is located in an expanding science and innovation campus in Oxfordshire and is an internationally renowned centre at the forefront of genetics research.  As the hub of the new National Mouse Genetics Network, the specialist facilities and capabilities of the MLC support a number of research groups across the UK to accelerate our understanding of human diseases, such as cancer, developmental disorders and neurodegeneration.

 The Medical Research Council (MRC) is a great place to work and progress your career.  The MRC encourages the integration of clinical and discovery research to elucidate both disease processes and potential new therapies. The MLC provides vital scientific support for the UK biomedical community and focuses on preclinical research using mouse models, which supports clinical research and therapy discovery. 

 The MRC is an excellent place to develop yourself further and a range of training & development opportunities will be available to you, including professional registration with the Science Council.

Overall Purpose:

To provide a cross-team service in the pathology department, undertaking clinical pathology analysis as well as a range of in-vivo and ex-vivo procedures. The Pathology team at the Mary Lyon Centre is a team of dedicated individuals, who assist with the key mission of utilising mouse models for the preclinical study of human disease. Data produced by this team informs researchers around the UK and across the world about the roles of many mammalian genes and how they might lead to disease in humans.

 Main Duties/Key Responsibilities:

 Clinical Pathology

• Maintenance and operation of equipment, including Beckman Coulter DXC700AU, Advia2120i, FLUOstar Optima plate reader, RAPID Lab 348EX blood gas analyser, and CytoFlex S Flow Cytometer and Multiplex analyser
• Performance of  in-vivo phenotyping assays, such as blood sampling, and processing of samples for analysis
• Work under the Animals (Scientific Procedure) Act 1986 to ensure high standards of animal care and welfare whilst carrying out scientific procedures

 Ex-vivo Pathology

• Performance of dissections, including specialised techniques; e.g., perfusions
• Selection of tissues for embedding prior to tissue processing

 Training

• Assist with running laboratory skills training courses
• Assist in the design and running of new training courses
• Assist with internal training of staff and collaborators

Time management

• Sensible management of scheduled work to effectively prioritise work and maintain good turn-around times
• Cross-team working

 Quality Assurance & Record Keeping

• Ensuring that all SOPs, risk assessments and COSHH requirements are observed
• Maintenance of database and keeping various records and logs up to date as per requirements for ISO 9001 certification
• Collating, recording and uploading data into LIMS databases, spreadsheets and programs appropriate for data capture

 Working Relationships:

 The post-holder will report to the Metabolic Phenotyping Manager, working within the Pathology department. They will liaise with internal and external customers as well as service engineers and suppliers.

Equality & Diversity:

The MRC values the diverse skills and experience of its employees and is committed to achieving equality of treatment for all.  Our objectives are that all individuals shall have equal opportunities for employment and advancement on the basis of their skills, aptitudes and abilities.  The MRC is committed to the engagement and retention of the best possible talent and to creating an environment that encourages excellence in scientific research through good equality and diversity leadership and management. 

Corporate/Local Responsibilities & Requirements:

The post-holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to the MRC’s:

• Code of Conduct
• Equality and Diversity policy
• Health and Safety policy
• Data Protection and Security policy

 Job descriptions should be reviewed on a regular basis and at the annual appraisal.  Any changes should be made and agreed between the post-holder and their manager.

 The above lists are not exhaustive and the post-holder is required to undertake such duties as may reasonably be requested within the scope of the post.  All employees are required to act professionally, cooperatively and flexibly in line with the requirements of the post and the MRC.

Education/Qualifications/Training Required:

Essential:

• HND, BSc or extensive relevant laboratory experience in the Biological or Biomedical Sciences

 Desirable:

• Home Office license
• Teaching/Training qualification or experience

Previous Work Experience Required:

Essential:

• General laboratory experience
• Experience of handling blood samples
• Experience of blood sample analysis

 Desirable:

• Experience in clinical chemistry, haematology, ELISA or other immunoassays
• Experience of working in a commercial or service led environment
• Experience of working under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986
• Experience of dissecting tissues

Knowledge and Experience:

Essential:

• Computer literacy
• Ability to accurately follow protocols/SOPs 

Desirable:

• Experience with laboratory information management systems
• Experience writing SOP’s
• Experience of handling complex datasets
• Experience in phenotyping procedures

Personal skills/Behaviours/Qualities:

Essential:

• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Flexible and adaptable in approach to work to ensure changing priorities and deadlines are met
• A service-delivery focus
• Ability to work on day-to-day functions both independently and as part of a team

 Desirable:

• Experience in training others