About Us
We are a team of passionate individuals, developing ground-breaking biological technologies designed to sustainably, and safely, control insects that transmit diseases and destroy crops. We do this work to improve lives and livelihoods around the world in the face of the growing threats that insects pose to human health and the global food supply.
Whilst what we do relates to developing insect control technologies, Oxitec is about people and is in service to people.
We are strongly committed to a set of values, principles, and behaviours, and foster a culture of trust, respect, creativity, and accountability. Click here to learn more, and here to read our CEO's blog about trust and our culture.
Purpose of the Job
We are seeking a highly motivated and capable Technician to join a dynamic project team dedicated to the advancement of our self-limiting technology in insect species that are agricultural pests or vectors of disease and of public health importance.
You will join our Development Team, who are focussed on the invention and validation of new processes and equipment that allow us to rear and deploy world-leading quantities of high-quality insects.
You will be responsible for maintaining multiple insect colonies for use in research and assisting with delivering high quality experimental output to drive our innovations forward. All activities must be completed according to standard operating procedures and pre-defined experimental protocols. You will also need to play a pro-active role in maintaining a clean, safe and efficient working environment.
Responsibilities
* Insect colony maintenance for use in experiments.
* Running experiments according to specified protocols to develop and test rearing equipment and processes.
* Preparation and maintenance of laboratory consumables and equipment.
* Data collection, recording and data entry.
* Assisting with maintaining up to date health and safety records.
* Training staff as required in line with training records.
* Collaboration across teams e.g. sharing knowledge, insect colonies, lab space, equipment, and consumables.
* Stock-taking and ordering.
* Cleaning insectary areas and washing up equipment.
* Providing occasional weekend support as part of a Rota within the R&D team.
Skills, Experience, and Education Requirements
* Educated to A-level or equivalent experience.
* Experience of working in a life science industrial setting is strongly preferred, with insect rearing expertise desirable.
* Robust to feedback, showing self-awareness of strengths and areas for improvement.
* Must be diligent and organized, with data recording abilities and attention to detail.
* Able to work independently and within a team.
* Demonstrate integrity through consistency of actions, values, expectations, and outcomes.
* Good written English and oral communication skills.
* Competent in MS Word, Excel and Outlook.
Behavioural Requirements
* Committed to and passionate about the Oxitec mission and values.
* Responsive to the needs of an international business working across different time zones, adapting working patterns in-line with business requirements.
* Positive, humble, co-operative, and professional always.
* Work with a sense of urgency and solve things promptly.
* Resilient and persistent in an innovative and constantly changing environment.
* Decisive and assertive with a driven and proactive approach.
* Ability to work with people, showing a spirit of inclusiveness, adapting to, and respecting others, supporting the team.