Animal Technologist/Personal Licensee

Do you enjoy working with animals!? Are you passionate about providing high stands of animal care and welfare!?

We are seeking to recruit a hardworking, proactive, self-motivated individual to join our Animal Services Group to build and strengthen our team of animal technologists who will be involved in various aspects of in-vitro and in-vivo work.

You will engage and work closely with the named people, scientific and technical specialists across a range of projects and animal models.

As an Animal Technologist you will be responsible for the provision of high quality care and welfare to animals within experimental facilities; some of which are conducted under high level microbiological containment. All the work is carried out in accordance with best practice and Home Office legislation and guidelines.

Dstl recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion as people from diverse backgrounds bring fresh ideas. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment in which each employee fulfils their potential and maximises their contribution.

We particularly welcome female, ethnic minority and those from the LGBTQI community, as they are under-represented within Dstl at these levels.

In this role you will:

• Initially undertake training as per protocols, become proficient and be assessed as competent against a sophisticated list of skills to enable effective delivery against role profile, delivering work independently and as part of the wider team.
• Trained in the Institute of Animal Technology Level 2 & Level 3 qualifications
• Carry out appropriate Function C training modules (ASPA)
• Deliver high quality care and welfare to all animals responsible for, maintaining humane endpoints and giving feedback on observations.
• Work to relevant safety and procedural documentation.
• Successful completion of Personal Licence training modules
• Perform regulated procedures as a responsible Personal Licence holder in support of Dstl’s experimental programmes.
• Engage with a wide range of other staff and stakeholders including; Named Animal Care and Welfare Officers, (delivering daily verbal reports on animal health and well-being) and regular dialogue with Named Veterinary Surgeons, Project Licence Holders and technical leaders.
• Work to quality standards – to include maintaining training and competency records.
• Undertake relevant CPD and achieve required annual credits based on role.
• Be a flexible member of the team for example by taking part in rostered out of hours/on-call duties (additional payment applies). (essential)
• Participation in the planned weekend/Bank Holiday overtime rotas, and where required as emergency cover (additional payment applies). (essential)
• Work with Work Place Managers to ensure fully functional and legally compliant animal-holding Facilities.
• Roles in the high containment animal areas will require working with animals housed in primary containment half suit isolators

We are looking for people who have:

Essential

Comprehensive understanding of the principles of animal husbandry and a basic understanding of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

Technical/Professional Experience

A sufficient number of years experience to be able to demonstrate an aptitude of working with a variety of laboratory animal species.

Desirable to have experience as a Home Office Personal Licensee or be in a position to undertake modular training in order to apply for one

Qualifications:

• Desirable to have 5 or more GCSE’s at grade C or above, including Double Science, Maths and English.
• Qualified to Institute of Animal Technology Level 2 or above.
• Desirable Animal Care/Management qualification BTEC First/National Diploma

Accountabilities:

• Initially undertake training as per protocols, become proficient and be assessed as competent against a sophisticated list of skills to enable effective delivery against role profile, delivering work independently and as part of the wider team.
• Trained in the Institute of Animal Technology Level 2 & Level 3 qualifications
• Carry out appropriate Function C training modules (ASPA)
• Deliver high quality care and welfare to all animals responsible for, maintaining humane endpoints and giving feedback on observations.
• Work to relevant safety and procedural documentation.
• Successful completion of Personal Licence training modules
• Perform regulated procedures as a responsible Personal Licence holder in support of Dstl’s experimental programmes.
• Engage with a wide range of other staff and stakeholders including; Named Animal Care and Welfare Officers, (delivering daily verbal reports on animal health and well-being) and regular dialogue with Named Veterinary Surgeons, Project Licence Holders and technical leaders.
• Work to quality standards – to include maintaining training and competency records.
• Undertake relevant CPD and achieve required annual credits based on role.
• Be a flexible member of the team for example by taking part in rostered out of hours/on-call duties (additional payment applies). (essential)
• Participation in the planned weekend/Bank Holiday overtime rotas, and where required as emergency cover (additional payment applies). (essential)
• Work with Work Place Managers to ensure fully functional and legally compliant animal-holding Facilities.
• Roles in the high containment animal areas will require working with animals housed in primary containment half suit isolators

Important Information
This role will require full UK security clearance and you should have resided in the UK for the past 5 years.

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners.

• GCSE (or equivalent) in English, Mathematics and Science
  

• A-Level biology (or equivalent experience).
  

• Willingness to obtain and hold a Home Office personal licence

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

• Working Together
• Developing Self and Others
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing

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

• Previous Experience

Benefits

Dstl’s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes:

• Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution (find out more here). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme.

• Flexible working: Options for some roles include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours (e.g. working a 4 day week/ 9 day fortnight), job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only).

• Working hours: Options for some roles include; Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month.

• Where you work: Depending on your role, blended working may be available including remote working to suit you and your team. This can be discussed at interview.

• Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum.

• Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid

• Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning.

• Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.