Description
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BRF Research Officer (Entry level or Experienced Animal Technician/Aquarist)
Reports to: BRF Unit Manager(s)
This is a full time, permanent position on Crick Terms and Conditions of Employment.
Summary
Interested in working with animals and taking care of them? Enjoy practical work and have an empathy with animals? If yes, then the role of an Animal Technician/Aquarist may be perfect for you.
At the Francis Crick Institute, we offer training and support to start a rewarding career where you can make a positive difference to both research and animal welfare.
We are looking for passionate, self-motivated and enthusiastic team players to take on the role of Animal Technician/Aquarist, caring for either mammalian or aquatic species. This is a vital role within our team and organisation, contributing to improving the quality of life for laboratory animals.
Our animal technicians are essential in supporting the science conducted and the Crick, and work closely with researchers. However, this is not a laboratory-based position; you will be based in an animal facility with primary responsibilities focused on husbandry duties. As the main focus of this role animal husbandry and welfare, post holders are required to work on-site to carry out their daily allocated duties. Therefore, there is no opportunity for remote working in this role.
About the BRF
The Biological Research Facility (BRF) is the Crick’s animal facility, offering resources and services to those scientists who use animals to answer their research questions.
The BRF provides high quality husbandry to a variety of laboratory species housed within our cutting-edge facilities, and supports all animal research at the Crick through our comprehensive animal care and use programme. We provide a service to ~550 Personal Licensees using ~55 Home Office Project Licences.
We are incredibly proud of our work, enabling world class science with animal welfare at the heart of all our activities.
Our multidisciplinary animal facilities were designed and built to deliver optimal conditions for our animals. The majority of our animals are mice, most of which are genetically altered. We also have large numbers of zebrafish and frogs, plus the only UK colony of laboratory opossums. We also house rats and ferrets, as well incubating fertile hens’ eggs. As well as adhering to all relevant legislation and guidelines, we take pride in keeping our animals comfortable and in the best possible health. We provide our animals with various species-appropriate enrichment materials such as nesting, cage balconies, mouse houses, and chew blocks. We also regularly trial new enrichment products to improve our animals' environments and keep up with the needs of science and industry developments.
The BRF has approximately 150 highly trained animal care staff spread across several self-contained animal units. Our teams of Animal Technicians and Named Animal Care and Welfare Officers (NACWOs) provide daily care for our animals and support researchers with their experiments, to minimise any distress or adverse effects. 24/7 healthcare support is provided by Named Veterinary Surgeons, and an in-house team carries out regular animal health monitoring to closely monitor the health status of our animals.
Key Animal Technician/Aquarist responsibilities
These include, but are not limited to:
1. Providing excellent care, welfare and husbandry to laboratory animals including mice, rats, laboratory opossums, ferrets, zebrafish, guppies and frogs, within specialist facilities.
2. Cleaning cages/tanks of animals
3. Feeding and watering animals
4. Checking environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity and water quality
5. Monitoring the condition of animals and making health observations
6. Undertaking domestic duties such as general cleaning and disinfection of equipment and areas
7. Complying with relevant legislation, such as, Animals (Scientific Procedures Act) 1986 and Health and Safety Regulations
8. Working within defined Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
9. Maintaining accurate written and computer-based records
10. Performing culling and carrying out basic organ dissections
11. Applying and promoting the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement)
Key Animal Technician/Aquarist experience and competencies
Full training will be provided, and post holders are expected to participate in continuing professional development.
The post holder should embody and demonstrate our core Crick values: bold, open, and collegial, in addition to the following:
Essential Qualifications, experience and competencies:
12. Educated to GCSE level or equivalent and possess a minimum of 5 GCSEs (including Maths and/or Science)
13. Respects and has empathy towards the care and use of animals in science
14. Demonstrates contributing effectively to the work of a team
15. Has a desire to work in the laboratory animal technology field
16. Possesses good time management and organisational skills
17. Possesses good observational and attention to detail skills
18. Possesses clear and effective written and oral communication skills
19. Proven accurate record keeping skills
20. Willing to participate regularly in essential animal care overtime, weekends and public holidays (including Christmas day)
21. Is fit to meet the demands of the role, this will include frequent carrying and lifting and standing for most of the day
22. Is computer literate
23. Is conscientious and reliable
Desirable Qualifications, experience and competencies:
24. Previous experience in the laboratory animal technology field
25. Qualifications in Animal Technology, animal management or zoology
26. Holding a Home Office Personal Licence (PIL A, B, L&E1)
To enquire about other upcoming BRF vacancies please email
Find out what benefits the Crick has to offer:
For more information on our great pay and benefits package please click here:
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:
We welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, pregnancy, age, disability, or civil partnership, marital or family status. We particularly welcome applications from people who are Minority Ethnic as they are currently underrepresented in the Crick at this level.
Diversity is essential to excellence in scientific endeavour. It increases breadth and perspective, leading to more innovation and creativity. We want the Crick to be a place where everyone feels valued and where diversity is celebrated and seen as part of the foundation for our Institute’s success.
The Crick is committed to creating equality of opportunity and promoting diversity and inclusivity. We all share in the responsibility to actively promote dignity, respect, inclusivity and equal treatment and it is our aim to ensure that these principles are reflected and implemented in all strategies, policies and practices.
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