Internal Redeployment Only - Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer bei Cardiff University

Please note that this job is open only to current members of staff of Cardiff University who are eligible for redeployment.

Internal Redeployment Only - Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer
College of Biomedical and Life Sciences – Transgenic Services, Biological Services Department

A full-time, permanent, position as Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer is available with immediate effect in Transgenic Services, Biological Services.   Aligned to our well-established high standards for animal care, you will have a proven track record in laboratory animal management, and knowledge of the requirements of a service facility in a research establishment.  You will be expected to undertake the role of Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer (NACWO) within designated areas and training will be provided if you do not hold NACWO status. The role involves supporting transgenic services, so the successful candidate will need to acquire the skills necessary to support this.

For informal enquiries about the role and the College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, please contact Mrs Deborah Adams, Chief Technician, [email protected]

This position is full-time (35 hours per week) and open-ended, with immediate effect.

Salary: £28,031 - £31,236 per annum (Grade 4).  It is not expected that an appointment be made above £28,031 per annum, point 18.

A Disclosure and Barring (DBS) check, occupational health assessment and security screening will be carried out for the successful candidate. A contract of employment cannot be issued unless these have been passed satisfactorily.

Closing date: Friday, 7 November 2025

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds.  We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.

JOB PURPOSE

Providing comprehensive and professional support to the animal research community of Cardiff University while supervising the Biological Services team.

As the biggest university in Wales – and a major employer, with more than 7,000 staff – we are an ambitious and innovative university located in a beautiful and thriving capital city. We can offer you the chance to work in a vibrant organisation, with great benefits and opportunities for progression.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Key Duties

• Supervise the day-to-day operation of the Biological Services team, including allocating tasks, producing work schedules, monitoring holiday cover arrangements; completing probation, annual appraisal and staff development requirements; and providing training and wellbeing support to staff members where necessary.
• Provide detailed advice and guidance associated with the legal role of a NACWO and procedures to internal and external customers (staff, students or members of the public), using judgement and creativity to suggest the most appropriate course of action, and contributing to the solving of more complex issues. This will include –

• Training of technical staff and new licensees in a range of non-regulated and regulated procedures
• Taking responsibility for the husbandry, care and welfare of laboratory animals by assuming the legal role of NACWO. Offering advice on animal breeding regimes and the legally authorised research, being able to provide guidance on health and welfare issues that may arise, champion a culture of care and promoting the 3Rs, and maintenance of the Code of Practice

•  To support the Transgenic Services Manager with the provision of transgenic services of microinjection, sperm and embryo cryopreservation, In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and rederivation by acquiring the necessary practical skills and knowledge to deliver all techniques, help plan and maintain records.

• Work with others to make recommendations to improve departmental ways of working.
• Establish productive relationships with key individuals (University colleagues and external contacts) to help improve the level of service the team provides to its customers and represent the role on relevant University committees
• Perform a variety of administrative duties to support the team and department to achieve its goals.
• Instruct and guide colleagues across the University regarding the NACWO role as required.

General Duties

• Abide by all University policies and undergo appropriate personal and professional development.
• Perform other duties which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role.
• Uphold the Professional Services Values & Behaviours or local equivalent.

Please note: A Disclosure and Barring (DBS) check, occupational health assessment and security screening will be carried out for the successful candidate.

31,236

Grade 4

28,031

Technical

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Confidentiality essential
Willingness to work weekends on a rota basis and be on the emergency call out list

HOW WE WILL SUPPORT YOU IN PERFORMING THIS ROLE

We want to support and develop you in the role, using a combination of the following to help you reach your full potential.

1. Regular one-to-one meetings with your team leader.
2. An experienced and supportive team around you.
3. Support to undertake job-relevant training and development, as identified by your Line Manager. This could be informal or could be an apprenticeship leading to a formal qualification, such as Business administration NVQ.
4. A staff mentoring scheme.
5. Support to learn Welsh or to update language skills.

Technical

We want to employ people with a wide variety of experiences. We welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. We are particularly seeking applications from candidates who come from backgrounds that are underrepresented at the University, including people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.

We are looking for a team player who will work with colleagues to provide a great service to staff and students. You don’t need to have worked for a University before; this is an opportunity to show your potential and start or continue your career at Cardiff University.

This role may be an opportunity for you to build on your experience from working in a previous administrative role or environment, showing your transferable skills and aptitude to be successful in the role. You should have an interest in managing and developing a team. You should be enthusiastic about developing your knowledge and skills to become a valued member of the team and to provide supervisory support to those under your line management.

Your application will be assessed against the following essential and desirable criteria for the role. Please copy and paste this section into a new document and give clear examples of how you can evidence meeting each criteria by writing under each one. You can draw on elements from any aspect of your life (e.g. work, home, education/qualifications or community life) as long as you focus on their relevance to the role.

Please save your supporting statement in a separate document with the title [YOURNAME-BR NUMBER-JOB TITLE] and attach it to your application in the recruitment system, available here.

Please note that these are also the criteria shortlisted applicants will be assessed against at interview and/or by other means (e.g. a skills test).

Essential Criteria 

1. Ability to communicate in writing clearly, concisely, and effectively to provide detailed advice, guidance and support to team members and customers on (the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act, 1986).
2. Evidence of a good standard of numeracy and IT literacy.
3. Experience of working as a technician.
4. Understanding of line management responsibilities (such as work allocation, probation, appraisal, holiday requests etc.).
5. Ability to resolve and manage performance and welfare issues within your team within University procedures and policies, maintaining professional standards.
6. Ability to communicate information effectively and professionally to a wide range of people.
7. Ability to use your initiative and creativity to solve problems, respond to queries and make recommendations, identifying and proposing practical solutions.
8. Ability to work unsupervised to deadlines, planning, setting and monitoring your priorities and those of the team.
9. Ability to explore customers’ needs and adapt the service your team provides accordingly to ensure a quality service is delivered.
10. Active and experienced Personal Licensee

Desirable Criteria

1. Previous experience of supervision/line management.
2. Ability to speak/understand Welsh or a willingness to learn.