Animal Technician

**Details**: **Reference number**: - 431681 **Salary**: - £32,617 - A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% GBP **Job grade**: - Executive Officer **Contract type**: - Permanent **Business area**: - MHRA - Science, Research and Innovation Group **Type of role**: - Science **Working pattern**: - Full-time **Number of jobs available**: - 3 **Contents**: - Location - About the job - Benefits - Things you need to know **Location**: - South Mimms, Hertfordshire **About the job**: **Job summary**: We are currently looking for an **Animal Technician** to join our **Biological Services** Function** within the **Scientific Research and Innovation Group.** This is a **full-time** opportunity, on a **permanent**basis. The role will be based in South Mimms, Hertfordshire. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. **Who are we?** The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research. The Scientific Research and Innovation Group delivers public health impact, world-leading research innovation, and a unique proposition via an ambitious Science Strategy which will balance innovation against sustainability and affordability. It is divided into 6 sub-Groups, Innovation Accelerator, Clinical Investigations and Trials, Research and Development, Standards Lifecycle, Control Testing and Quality Assurance and Health & Safety. The SR&I Research & Development (R&D) function delivers statutory mandated strategically aligned, sustainable and impactful Regulatory Scientific research that is applied primarily to biological reference materials development and medicines control testing and areas of international and national priority for future biological medicines. Analytical and Biological Sciences (ABS) is a multi-laboratory, multi-disciplinary team of experts within R&D. Both in vitro and in vivo methods are used to deliver practical laboratory analysis, experimentation and expertise aligned the Agency objectives. Biological services, within ABS supports three Functions of SR&I; Standards Lifecycle, Control Testing and R&D in all aspects of in vivo science. The facility is provisioned to manage activities with a wide species including at different biocontainment levels up to and including containment level 3 (CL3) and Specified Animal Pathogen Order 4 (SAPO4). A highly trained and professional technical team care for the animals and perform the scientific procedures, underpinned by a specialist support team, ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare are always maintained. **Job description**: The role holder will use their knowledge and skills to perform a diverse range of _in-vivo_ scientific procedures on a variety of laboratory animal species including at higher containment levels, including injections, blood and tissue sampling, and safe use of anaesthetics: this will involve expert safe animal handling and restraint techniques, and the ability to use specialised equipment associated with procedural duties. The procedures performed will be in support of work programmes led by project licence holders and senior scientists across the Standards Lifecycle, Control Testing and R&D sub-groups of SR&I. Within Biological Services the role holders will receive instruction and guidance from senior staff and Named Persons under ASPA. In addition to specific procedures the role holder will contribute to the maintenance of high standards for the care and welfare of a variety of animal species, including non-human primates (NHPs) housed in the biological services facility in support of the Agency programmes of work that require_ in - vivo_ models. There is the expectation of contribution to the provision of evening, weekend and Bank Holiday cover for the care of animals All responsibilities are performed in accordance with relevant Standard Operating Procedures, Codes of Practice and appropriate legislation, regulatory guidelines and compliance, including: - Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) - Quality Standard ISO/IEC 17025 - Local Health and Safety Codes of Practice **Key responsibilities and results areas** - Scientific Procedures for _in vivo_ testing work: this requires an experienced holder of a Home Office Personal Licence, detailed knowledge of ASPA legislation, and an awareness of the parameters set out for procedures. - Ensuring all testing protocols are fully compliant with the relevant legislative requirements. - Taking primary responsibility for the animals under which staff member’s Personal Licence is applied, including awareness of test severity limits and adverse reactions. - Performing a diverse range of _in vivo_ scientific procedures on a variety of laboratory animal species at all containment levels, including injections, blood and tissue sampling