Scientist – Animal Sciences & Technologies (12-month secondment/fixed-term contract)

Scientist – Animal Sciences & Technologies (12-month secondment/fixed-term contract)

Cambridge, UK

Competitive salary & benefits

At AstraZeneca, we turn ideas into life changing medicines. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big and working together to make the impossible a reality. We’re passionate about the potential of science to address the unmet needs of patients around the world!

Our vision is to push the boundaries of science to change the practice of medicine, transform the lives of patients, and to ultimately eliminate cancer, respiratory, cardiovascular and renal diseases as a cause of death.

The Animal Sciences & Technologies (AST) Department supports and drives in vivo science for AstraZeneca in Cambridge. We conduct studies to evaluate the efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of candidate drugs. Use your scientific and animal technical expertise in the AST Department. Work with disease area focused teams to conduct animal studies and support the growth of our drug portfolio. This is a vivarium-based role best suited for a professional with experience in animal work keen to work in a fast-paced environment as a positive, highly collaborative team member.

What You’ll Do

As a Scientist, you will be responsible for carrying out daily animal husbandry tasks for rodent species, identifying and reporting any abnormal findings, and maintaining the highest standards of animal care and welfare. Key duties include undertaking technical procedures such as animal identification, collecting biological samples, coordinating test articles, tumour measurements and condition reporting. You'll generate clear and complete data sets, including the documentation of raw data in computerised data capturing systems and on handwritten records.

Able to work autonomously, managing your own work, you'll meet agreed targets and quality standards in a timely manner, communicating progress appropriately. Passionate about self-development, you will maintain current knowledge in Laboratory animal sciences, e.g., through Continued Professional Development (CPD), collaboration with peer scientists or contact with other internal groups. Highly diligent, you'll ensure that tasks are performed in accordance with appropriate Safety, Health & Environment (SHE), quality and compliance standards, e.g., Good Laboratory Standards (GLS).

Working Patterns

Based at the Anne McLaren Laboratory on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, our In Vivo Scientists are required to work flexibly across different therapy areas and participate in the provision of weekend (1 in 5), Bank Holiday and out of hours support, compensated by a shift disturbance allowance.

Qualification, Skills & Experience

Essential Requirements

• A Levels, HNC, HND in a related field (or equivalent) or relevant experience
• Experimental in vivo skills in rodents with current or previous Home Office personal licence holder (modules A-B or 1-2/1-3) or equivalent qualification
• Fully conversant with all aspects of the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, Directive 2010/63/EU, associated Home Office guidelines and their implications.
• Ability to work independently in cross-functional teams
• Fluent in verbal and written English language

Desirable Requirements

• BSc/MSc degree (or equivalent) in a related specialism, or relevant experience
• Experience as a trainer or assessor of in vivo skills under ASPA
• Experience as Named People, for example NACWO
• Familiarity with specific techniques such as imaging or surgery (PIL module C).

Eligibility

In April 2024, the Home Office increased the salary threshold requirements for Skilled Worker Visas to £38,700 – If you require a skilled worker visa, please be advised that the base salary range for this role may not meet the minimum salary requirement.

To be eligible to apply for this role you may need to provide your right to work in the UK.

Next Steps

If your passion is science and you want to be part of a successful team that makes a bigger impact on patients’ lives, then there’s no better place to be!

Submit your application before the scheduled closing date. Apply now!

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. 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.