About the job

Job summary

We are currently looking for an Animal Technician Manager to join our Research & Development function within the Science, Research & 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 Science, Research & Innovation Group R&D function will deliver 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 sub-groups of SR&I; Standards Lifecycle, Control Testing and R&D in all aspects of in vivo experimentation. The division houses a range of species across two floors at different containment 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 maintained at all times

What’s the role?

The Animal Technician Manager actively contributes to the management, performance, and practical delivery of the in-vivo functions to support the scientific activities of the Agency.

Working collaboratively, the role holder helps to ensure full legislative compliance of all animal work performed and is the central point of contact for scientists and those performing scientific procedures and animal care within the managed area.

Job description

•   Planning, scheduling, and operational delivery of in-vivo testing work in the assigned area.

 

• Organisation and supervision of staff assigned to work in the managed area, including the provision of training, on-going competency, and continual professional development.

 

• Responsible for operational upkeep of managed area, including equipment, environment, and relevant controlled documentation.

 

• Responsible for Health and Safety within the managed area.

Person specification

Our successful candidate will: 

 

• (MIAT), or relevant equivalent (Registered Animal Technician status (RAnTech) is desirable).
• Good knowledge of ASPA legislation, and relevant sections (in detail) of the Guidance, along with how the regulations are implemented in practice.
• Experience as of supervising/managing a discrete area within an animal laboratory facility.
• Experience of organising, supervising, and training staff to meet operational, quality and health and safety requirements.
• Considerable experience within the animal research field including husbandry and regulated scientific procedures on a range of species.

 

If you would like to find out more about this fantastic opportunity, please read our Job Description and Person Specification! 

 

Please note: The job description may not open in some internet browsers. Please use Chrome or Microsoft Edge. If you have any issue viewing the job description, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,869, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency contributes £11,574 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

We use the Civil Service Success Profiles to assess our candidates, find out more here. 

 

• Online application form, including questions based on the Behaviour, Experience and Technical Success Profiles. Please ensure all application questions are completed in full; your application may not be considered if any responses are left blank. Our applications are CV blind, and our Hiring Managers will not be able to access your CV when reviewing your application. 
• Presentation, to be prepared as part of your interview, with further information being supplied when you reach this stage. 
• Interview, which can include questions based on the Behaviour, Experience, Technical and Strengths Success Profiles. 

 

Applicants are assessed on whether they meet any mandatory requirements as well as the necessary skills and experience for the role. Applications are scored based on the answers provided - ensure you have read these thoroughly and allow sufficient time. You can view the criteria for this role in the job description. 

 

Applicants must ensure that anything submitted is factually accurate and truthful. Plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

 

 

If you require any disability related adjustments at any point during the process, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk as soon as possible. 

  

Closing date: 19 April 2024

Shortlisting date: 24 April 2024

Interview date: 09-10 May 2024

 

Candidates will be contacted within a week of the sift and the interviews completed to inform them of the outcome.

 

If you need assistance applying for this role or have any other questions, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk 

 

Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements as well as Civil Service nationality rules. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here. 

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check as well as animal rights and pro-life activism checks. People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Any move to the MHRA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility here.

 

Successful candidates may be subject to annual Occupational Health reviews dependent on role requirements. If you have any queries, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk.

 

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should firstly contact Mira Mepa, Head of Recruitment and Operations, Mira.Mepa@mhra.gov.uk.  

 

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk 

 

info@csc.gov.uk 

Civil Service Commission 

Room G/8 

1 Horse Guards Road 

London 

SW1A 2HQ 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.