Laboratory Animal Research Officer

About us

The Sainsbury Wellcome Centre (SWC) brings together world-leading scientists to investigate how brain circuits process information to generate perception, form memories and guide behaviour. Developed through the vision and partnership of the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and Wellcome, and with substantial investment from these partners, the mission of the SWC is to generate experimentally testable theories of brain function. SWC has a specialist and experienced professional services team. It is structured to efficiently support research activity and deliver effective management and operational leadership of the Centre.

About the role

Would you like to join our state-of-the-art Neurobiological Research Facility (NRF) and contribute to enabling world-leading scientific research? The NRF provides expertise and support for the housing and care of all animals within SWC as well as leading relevant research projects, all underpinned with world-class standards of welfare. As Laboratory Animal Research Officer (LARO), you will support named roles, liaise with other members of the NRF and provide technical advice, training and services to the SWC’s scientific staff to ensure the health and welfare of the institute's animals. You will work closely with the NVS, NACWOs and Personal Licence Holders and ensure the standards of husbandry and welfare detailed in the Home Office Code of Practice are met. This position is available until 31 October 2025 in the first instance with the possibility of extension subject to funding renewal. Interviews will take place on 13th and 14th July 2023.

About you

You should be fully conversant with transgenic technology including knowledge and experience of transgenic breeding and maintenance as well as tracking of breeding colonies. Educated to degree level, you will also have equivalent professional experience such as an Institute of Animal Technology (IAT) fellowship or equivalent. You'll be solutions-driven with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively at all levels. Good presentation skills are essential including ability to deliver lectures, formal training and practical demonstrations to NRF staff and researchers relating to project techniques.

What we offer

The SWC offers staff an award-winning work environment in the heart of Fitzrovia with access to pleasant outdoor spaces. The Centre also offers the full range of UCL staff benefits, including a generous annual leave entitlement, occupational pension schemes, excellent family-friendly policies such as occupational shared parental pay, a work-life balance policy, and a range of financial benefits such as a season ticket loan scheme and staff discounts. SWC prides itself on offering a high quality administrative, technical and operational support function, and fully supports the professional development and progression of its staff, actively encouraging colleagues to learn new skills and broaden their experience. The SWC is supported in this aim by UCL’s Organisational Development team who run a wide range of training programmes for all staff types and grades.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women. The Athena SWAN Charter recognises commitment to advancing women's careers in science, technology, engineering, maths, and medicine (STEMM) employment in academia. SWC is delighted to have received an Athena Swan Bronze Award in 2021. We stand by our commitment to positive action to improve equality and accessibility in the workplace. We will provide reasonable adjustments to enable people to work and flourish with us. SWC is proud to uphold both UCL’s Dignity at Work and Work-Life Balance policies. As Centre we commit to fostering a positive cultural climate where all staff and students can thrive and and actively support Wellbeing@UCL, UCL community, supported by our Wellbeing.