View Vacancy -- Specialist Animal Technician - MLC 2681

Open Date
08/08/2025, 13:30
Close Date
24/08/2025, 23:55
MRC Mary Lyon Centre
As this job does not fulfil the UK Government minimum salary criterion for obtaining sponsored migrant worker status we will be unable to apply for sponsorship for anyone not eligible to work in the UK.  At interview, all shortlisted candidates are required to bring with them identification documents and original documents that prove they hold or can obtain the right to work in the UK.  You can check your eligibility here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y
The Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell (MLC) 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.
UK Research and Innovation is a new entity that brings together nine partners to create an independent organisation with a strong voice for research and innovation, more information can be found at www.ukri.org

MRC - 6
Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire
£26,543 per annum
Permanent
Technical & Scientific Professionals
Full Time

Overall Purpose: 

We are recruiting an adaptable Animal Technician to join our growing team working across three specialist units:

  • Germ-free (axenic and gnotobiotic) units, using isolators and aseptic husbandry
  • Immunocompromised units, following high-barrier Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
  • Quarantine unit, for high-health surveillance and barrier transitions

The post-holder will rotate across these areas, supporting husbandry work, ensuring welfare and compliance to regulatory standards. 

This is a hands-on role involving routine and specialised husbandry, and close interaction with researchers and facility teams. The post-holder will be instrumental in maintaining sterility, biosecurity, and animal welfare in high-containment environments. 

Main Duties/Key Responsibilities: 

  • Perform husbandry for germ-free, gnotobiotic, and immunocompromised colonies
  • Operate and maintain germ-free isolators and individually ventilated cage (IVC) systems
  • Conduct animal procedures (e.g., sampling, phenotype scoring) under Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA)
  • Monitor animal health and welfare; escalate and act on clinical observations
  • Maintain meticulous digital records using a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and in line with SOPs
  • Work flexibly across specialist units, including weekend and rota-based duties
  • Contribute to quarantine operations and aseptic workflows
  • Participate in audits, health and sterility monitoring programmes
  • Liaise with scientists and the wider animal care team to support studies

Working Relationships: 

The post-holder will be a member of a team working under the supervision of a line manager and ward supervisor. Animal technicians work in teams and support each other to ensure that all the work is carried out to a high standard. Good communication and the ability to work with others is essential. The post-holder will also liaise with members of other teams, including MLC maintenance, phenotyping and necropsy, and with teams of researchers. 

Additional Information: 

Willingness to work weekends and occasional overtime.

Full training will be provided for specialist environments.

There are excellent opportunities for progression, including support to obtain Institute of Animal Technicians (IAT) qualifications and access to UKRI’s Advance training centre.

Education/Qualifications/Training Required:

Essential:

  • 5 GCSEs (grade C/4 or above)

Desirable:

  • GCSE in Science
  • IAT Level 2 (or willingness to work towards it)
  • Home Office Personal Licence

Previous Work Experience Required:

Essential:

  • Experience of working in a laboratory or animal facility under SOPs

Desirable:

  • Experience of working in isolators or under sterile conditions
  • Experience of working with immunocompromised or genetically altered mice
  • Experience in procedures such as dosing or phenotyping

Knowledge and Experience:

Essential:

  • Strong attention to detail and excellent hygiene awareness
  • Demonstrates ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team
  • Genuine care for animal welfare and high standards of ethics
  • Ability to follow strict aseptic techniques and regulatory compliance
  • Basic computer skills, including the ability to use digital record keeping systems and common software packages (for example, Excel)

Desirable:

  • Practical experience in one or more regulated animal procedures
  • Ability to train other members of staff
  • Familiarity with colony management or breeding programmes

Personal skills/Behaviours/Qualities:

Essential:

  • Excellent attention to detail
  • Ability to work as part of a team or autonomously when required
  • Self-motivated and positive influence on other team members

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

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.

The MRC is a unique working environment where scientific researchers and professional support staff can actively partake in world class innovation and collaboration opportunities and their skills and knowledge through accessing a wide catalogue of  training & development, including professional registration with the Science Council.

In addition, MRC (part of UKRI) provides its community of employees access to a whole host of useful benefits, including a defined benefit pension scheme and excellent holiday entitlement (30 days plus 2.5 privilege days & 8 bank holidays), family friendly policies (6 months full pay maternity & adoption leave),  a range of shopping/travel discounts, access to our Employee Assistant Programme Scheme, Health and Wellbeing Support and a salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme.  Please follow this link to find out more - Benefits

Our success is dependent upon our ability to embrace diversity and draw on the skills, understanding and experience of all our people. We warmly invite people from diverse backgrounds and heritage, including people who identify as having a disability, to apply for a role that excites them.   As "Disability Confident" employers, any candidate who opts into the scheme and best meets the essential criteria, will be shortlisted for interview. 

UKRI supports research in areas that include animal health, agriculture and food security, and bioscience for health which includes research on animals, genetic modification and stem cell research. Whilst you may not have direct involvement in this type of research, you should consider whether this conflicts with your personal values or beliefs.

We will conduct a full and comprehensive pre-employment check as an essential part of the recruitment process on all individuals that are offered a position with UKRI. This will include a security check and an extreme organisations affiliation check.  The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role.  UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

This opportunity is closed to applications.