Job Description

Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell

Salary £52,253 to £60,834 per annum

Band MRC-3 S2

Contract type Open ended

Hours: Full time (36 hours)

Location: Harwell, Oxfordshire

Closing date: Tuesday 21 April 2026

Overall Purpose:

To ensure the efficient, safe and fully compliant daily running of the Mary Lyon Centre husbandry and animal care facilities.

The post-holder will manage husbandry operations, staff, equipment, infrastructure, biosecurity and procurement processes to support consistent, high‑quality service delivery. They will ensure animal welfare, barrier integrity, smooth facility function and dependable technical support for internal operational teams, whilst always maintaining a safe working environment. This role requires forward thinking, and the ability to review current processes and systems to increase efficiency and improve environmental sustainability.

Main Duties/Key Responsibilities:

Daily Operations and Service Delivery

• Oversee the day‑to‑day functioning of the genetically altered mouse facility, ensuring equipment, housing environments and workflows operate reliably and consistently
• Lead operational response to issues such as equipment failures, alarms, environmental deviations or access‑control problems, coordinating swift resolutions
• Lead husbandry and maintenance teams, including line management of biological service managers, support team dynamics, staffing levels and ensuring provision of a high standard of animal care
• Ensure accurate, audit‑ready operational records, logs, and documentation
• Maintain clear communication of operational changes, equipment downtime, works schedules or safety notices to internal teams
• Troubleshoot technical failures and guide staff on corrective actions

Staff Supervision and Team Coordination

• Support and line‑manage biological service managers, ensuring appropriate staffing levels, rotas, performance management and capability development
• Foster a positive, supportive working environment centred on effectiveness, safety and a culture of care
• Maintain effective and efficient communication with site operational teams such as Laboratory Services, Engineering and Estates and Health & Safety (H & S)
• Coordinate and/or deliver training in key operational areas such as H & S induction, liquid nitrogen handling, equipment troubleshooting and barrier protocols

Compliance, Biosecurity and Health & Safety

• Act as the point of contact for the MRC Harwell H & S team for matters relating to the animal holding facilities, including fire warden duties
• Coordinate risk assessment processes and support research staff in developing the necessary controls to minimise delays in meeting scientific milestones
• Maintain barrier and biosecurity standards, including staff induction and access control, equipment transfer protocols, Vapour Hydrogen Peroxide/Ethylene Oxide sterilisation, and equipment maintenance
• Support Named Persons with operational aspects of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) compliance
• Lead on business continuity with animal facilities and support senior management if the business continuity plan is instigated

Equipment, Facilities and Infrastructure

• Lead operational maintenance and servicing of all key equipment including individually ventilated cage (IVC) systems, cage‑wash units, husbandry equipment and environmental controls
• Coordinate engineer visits, host contractors and ensure alignment with facility operational needs and act as main point of contact for the Engineering and Estates team, including prioritising outstanding work
• Support layout changes, refurbishments and operational improvements
• Coordinate all internal and external work that could impact the animal holding facilities to ensure minimal delay to research programs and biosecurity
• Plan and oversee equipment lifecycle management, identifying modernisation, upgrade and replacement needs to maintain service reliability, enhance operational efficiency and improve sustainability

Procurement, Inventory and Supplier Management

• Manage procurement of consumables (diet, bedding, enrichment, PPE), ensuring uninterrupted availability and contingency
• Oversee ordering, delivery checks, stock management and supplier issue resolution
• Lead on developing technical specifications, tenders and single‑source procurement for equipment and contracts

Working Relationships:

The post-holder will work under the direction of the Scientific Manager of the MLC but with significant autonomy to manage the facility, including line management of the biological service managers. Significant cross-team communication will be required within the MLC particularly with Engineering and Estates, Laboratory Services and Health & Safety, as well as communication with external contractors and suppliers.

Person Requirements

Education/Qualifications/Training Required:

Essential:

• Degree or equivalent experience in animal science, biosciences, laboratory animal technology, or a related discipline
• Relevant professional training in animal facility operations, health and safety, or technical services
• Evidence of ongoing professional development in operational management or facility management

Desirable:

• Formal management or leadership qualification (e.g., ILM, CMI)
• Training in business continuity planning, incident management or emergency response

Previous Work Experience Required:

Essential:

• Significant experience working within a laboratory animal facility, research environment, or other regulated technical operations setting
• Proven experience managing operational teams, rotas, performance and capability development

Desirable:

• Experience leading facility upgrades, refurbishments or operational improvement projects

Knowledge and Experience:

Essential:

• Strong understanding of husbandry standards, animal welfare, barrier containment, and biosecurity principles

• Demonstrated ability to oversee maintenance of complex equipment e.g., IVC systems, cage‑wash units, environmental controls

• Experience troubleshooting operational, equipment or infrastructure issues and coordinating timely resolutions

• Knowledge of compliance requirements relating to health and safety, risk assessments, and safe systems of work

• Experience maintaining accurate operational documentation, logs, and audit‑ready records

• Familiarity with procurement, stock management, and supplier/contractor coordination

• Ability to interpret technical information relating to facility systems, engineering works or equipment performance

• Demonstrates a strong commitment to promoting wellbeing, safety, and high professional standards

Desirable:

• Understanding of ASPA and the roles of Named Persons

• Experience in developing technical specifications and tender documents for equipment purchasing

• Competence in coordinating contractors and works schedules while maintaining facility integrity and minimising disruption

Personal skills/Behaviours/Qualities:

Essential:

• Strong leadership and staff‑management skills, including the ability to coach, motivate and support teams

• Excellent organisational and planning abilities, with the capacity to manage competing tasks and maintain service continuity

• Clear and confident communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to work collaboratively with internal groups and convey information effectively

• Strong problem‑solving skills with the ability to diagnose issues and guide staff in taking corrective action

• High attention to detail and commitment to maintaining compliance, barrier standards and accurate documentation

• Calm and effective under pressure, especially when responding to unexpected events, alarms or equipment failures

• Forward‑thinking, proactive and committed to continuous improvement in processes and systems

• Reliable, accountable and able to take ownership of operational decision‑making

• Positive, supportive and approachable, contributing to a collaborative and respectful working environment

Desirable:

• Ability to use data and operational metrics to drive efficiency improvements

• Skills in environmental sustainability, waste management or resource optimisation within technical facilities

• Interest in innovation, technology adoption, and modernisation within animal facility operations

Equality & Diversity

The MRC values the diverse skills and experience of its employees and is committed to achieving equality of treatment for all. Our objectives are that all individuals shall have equal opportunities for employment and advancement on the basis of their skills, aptitudes and abilities. The MRC is committed to the engagement and retention of the best possible talent and to creating an environment that encourages excellence in scientific research through good equality and diversity leadership and management.

Corporate/Local Responsibilities & Requirements

The post-holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to the MRC’s:

• Code of Conduct

• Equality and Diversity policy

• Health and Safety policy

• Data Protection and Security policy

The above lists are not exhaustive and the post-holder is required to undertake such duties as may reasonably be requested within the scope of the post. All employees are required to act professionally, cooperatively and flexibly in line with the requirements of the post and the MRC.

UKRI - UK Research and Innovation

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.

Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.

More information can be found at www.ukri.org

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’.

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, any candidate who opts into the scheme and best meets the essential criteria, will be shortlisted for interview. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

How to apply

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.

As part of the pre-employment checks there is a requirement to undergo Baseline Personnel Security Screening. BPSS is a pre-condition of employment and failure to achieve it may mean that the employment offer is rescinded. UKRI reserves the right to run, or re-run, security clearance as required during the course of employment.