Job responsibilities
Responsibilities section:
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
- Work with the Colonies team performing routine animal husbandry, continually striving to maintain the highest standards of care and welfare of all NHPs.
- To recognise, report and record ill health and welfare issues in the NHPs and support with vet duties. Document and communicate issues to relevant team members, e.g. line manager, NACWO or Named Vet.
- Support the development, implementation and maintenance of environmental enrichment to enhance the wellbeing of the NHPs.
- Record all information regarding duties performed in relevant documentation and within specific guidelines.
- Assist with the supervision of specific designated areas such as the Prep- room, Surgical procedures room, X-ray processing room, Sample Receipt and Storage areas, (the post holder takes full responsibility of areas in the absence of the Supervisor).
- Ensure equipment used within the colonies is maintained, serviceable and in date for use at all times, reporting faults as identified and moving equipment as required by projects.
- Take part in rota system for weekend and public holiday working and essential out of hours scoring of NHPs in study.
- Perform all duties within guidelines laid down by the Home Office, Health and Safety Executive, Defra and MHRA.
- To perform any other duties required by the Line manager commensurate with grade.
- Complete necessary training to undertake role safely, as identified through the training matrix and in discussion with your line manager and maintain own training record.
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.
Please see job description attached for full list of duties and competencies associated with the post.
Essential Criteria:
It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 750 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the essential criteria (for full details of all essential criteria please refer to the attached job description):
Essential
- Good general education including a scientific subject (GCSE level)
- Educated to NVQ 2 level in a relevant subject or equivalent level of qualification or significant equivalent previous proven experience.
- Experience of working in a safety critical environment
- Can demonstrate reliability & the ability to work as part of a team
- Ability to keep detailed and accurate records
- An understanding of the requirement to continually review processes with the aim to improve animal welfare through refinement of husbandry and procedural techniques.
Desirable
- National Certificate in Animal Technology
- Theoretical and practical training for working at ACDP CL3 in an in-vivo setting
- Experience of working in a GLP environment
Please ensure that your statement of suitability does not contain any personal identifiers such as Name, Gender, Location, Marital Status, Sexual Orientation or Religion. The UKHSA operates a fair and open recruitment policy.
Selection process details
STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:
You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the full list of essential criteria as detailed in the attached job description please do provide evidence of how you meet this.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.
STAGE 2 INTERVIEW
This competition will involve a face to face interview.
As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.
Your Statement of Suitability should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).
You will also be asked to provide information within the Employer/ Activity history section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history.
The Competency based framework will be used to assess and recruit the most suitable candidate. The following will be used at the interview:
- Technical Skills
- Knowledge
- Experience
Expected Timeline:
Advert close: 23:55hrs on 12th March 2024 unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Shortlist: 19th March 2024
Interviews: w/c 1st April 2024
Please note these dates could be subject to change.
Eligibility Criteria
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants)
Nationality requirements
Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found athttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rulesThis job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of theEuropean Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.
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 welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.
Security clearance level requirement
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is UK SC Clearance. People working with government assets must complete UK Sc Clearance.
For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.
Please Note
This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&Cs are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/
Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.
Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/
Complaint process:
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email:Complaints1@ukhsa.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website.
