Job summary
Are you looking for a career with variety and flexibility in the work you do?
Do you want a role safeguarding standards of animal health and welfare, protecting Great Britain from exotic notifiable diseases? Many of the skills and competences already acquired in veterinary positions elsewhere will be applicable and valued in veterinary roles within APHA.� Why not explore a change, a new veterinary path, one that can have far reaching impacts?
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice, and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.
You will join the Animal Sciences team as part of a team of specialist veterinary surgeons, bioveterinary scientists and animal technicians in the Department of Pathology and Animal Sciences. You will lead the delivery of live animal phases of infectious disease research and statutory disease surveillance functions, ensuring compliance with Home Office regulations (ASPA), providing advice on the welfare and treatment of the animals as Named Veterinary Surgeon, developing and promoting the animal science discipline, and managing specialist staff and facilities within APHA.�
This is a great opportunity to further your career if you have a keen interest in animal science. We have a variety of training opportunities available to support your career at APHA. We are after individuals with a passion for working with animals and promoting their welfare.
Animal science project delivery and capability leadership: to contribute to animal welfare of a wide range of animals used in research, development animal science capability and expertise and engage in policy relevant research across disease portfolios.
Named Veterinary Surgeon (NVS) responsibilities and associated duties outlined in the Animal Act 1986.� This includes leadership of compliance and implementation of APHA�s Animal Welfare Standards.
Veterinary duties: to provide basic medical care in animals held at APHA.
Staff and facility management: line management including functional management of staff working in animal facilities. Responsibility for delivery of high disease containment animal studies, with responsibility for animal disease biosecurity and Home Office compliance, and staff training.
Corporate activities: budget contribution, administrative responsibilities, CPD and other duties as required, including on call, duty rotas and emergency response.
Job description
1. Animal science project delivery and capability leadership: to further welfare of a wide range of animals used in research, design and lead relevant projects across a range of disease or commercial portfolios. Development of animal science capability and expertise, including development and application of new technologies and advances relevant to Animal Sciences at APHA, and engagement in policy relevant research across disease portfolios. Opportunity for a post-graduate degree/PhD. Job holder must have a keen interest in research and proactively seek opportunities to develop modern welfare assessment tools. They will proactively contribute to the �3Rs� (reduction, refinement, replacement), particularly the refinement of experimental or veterinary procedures.
2. Named Veterinary Surgeon: provision of advice on implementation of the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act (full training will be provided). Ensure veterinary care and attention is given to a range of experimental animals as appropriate. Ensure the veterinary team can deliver adequate veterinary cover and services at all times. A rota is shared with the other NVSs to respond to animal welfare emergencies. Advise on the health and welfare needs of a range of species, and the implementation of the 3Rs. Participate in study planning, execution and reviews, and ensuring appropriate records and documentation are kept and quality and safety standards are adhered to.
3. Staff and facility management: line management including functional management of scientific staff working in animal facilities. Responsibility for delivery of high disease containment animal studies (up to ACDP3, SAPO4), with responsibility for animal disease biosecurity and Home Office compliance, staff training and performance management.
4. Specialism: the jobholder will be expected to develop as a veterinary specialist with regards to the species and the infectious organisms used in their area of responsibility and an awareness of the policy relevance of the work undertaken. They will lead on the development of the science capability within the department and support the Animal Science discipline champion. They will be encouraged to obtain a personal Home Office licence in order to carry out regulated procedures.
5. BioEthics, Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB): The jobholder will be an active member of the AWERB and its species care and use subcommittee, participating in meetings as well as have input into project licence applications, study and protocol reviews.
6. Communication: The jobholder will be required to have excellent interpersonal skills liaising with a very diverse range of people with differing skills and expertise. They should be able to confidently deliver training and presentations, and chair meetings as required as well as write/contribute to scientific reports and publications.
7. Budget and Financial planning: Sound resource management is important - they will be involved in planning of multidisciplinary work, liaising with departmental administration team to ensure good budgetary management, effective use of resource and workforce planning. They may have contract management duties.
8. Safety Ensure that adequate training and planning for response to emergency scenarios is in place; actively lead and participate in safety inspections and audits. Work closely with safety representatives in respect of these duties.
9. Quality: The jobholder will be required to keep up to date on all legislation that could impact on quality issues within the department (GLP, GMP, ISO9001) and will contribute to the preparation and planning of inspections and audits within the department, and be involved as required in pre-start meetings, facilitation on the day, wash-up meetings and management resolution of arising actions.
Person specification
Experience and skills:
You will need to demonstrate the following:
Experience
10. Clinical practice in small or food animal species or experimental models is required
11. Strong interpersonal and communication skills � written and oral, team working and leadership skills
Skills
12. Statement of 250 words of how you meet the relevant technical skills for this post; This should include: veterinary expertise and skills, previous experience with experimental models or pathogens at different containment levels
Qualifications
Veterinary degree
Memberships
The applicant must be registered with, or immediately eligible for RCVS. (MRCVS is essential for this post).
Licences
A valid driving licence that covers the UK, access to a vehicle with appropriate business use insurance.�
Security clearance
The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Government�s response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason all postholders based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance or above. It is up to each person applying for a post at APHA Weybridge to ensure they meet the residency criteria. Applicants must be currently resident in the UK & have at least three years continuous UK residency as this is a requirement to work at the Weybridge site where the team and work is situated.
Licences
A valid driving licence that covers the UK, access to a vehicle with appropriate business use insurance.
Qualifications
Veterinary degree
Memberships
The applicant must be registered with, or immediately eligible for RCVS (MRCVS is essential for this post).
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
13. Seeing the Big Picture
14. Working Together
15. Making Effective Decisions
16. Communicating and Influencing
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
17. Seeing the Big Picture
18. Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
19. Statement of 250 words of how you meet the relevant technical skills for this post; This should include: veterinary expertise and skills, previous experience with experimental models or pathogens at different containment levels
Benefits
Alongside your salary of �42,577, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes �10,648 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
In return for your dedication and hard work, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training. Inclusion, support as the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA.� Our benefits include generous annual leave, a generous employer contributory pension (27%), staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme, reward vouchers and in-year bonuses. We also offer additional days off if accrued extra hours (flexi-time �if accumulated), three paid volunteering day per year. We also have a social committee who run team building and fun events at the Weybridge site. You will have access to an Employee Assistance Programme Further details can be found in the Candidate Information Pack.
Everyone in APHA is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role.�
APHA offers a wide range of CPD and further development opportunities, Masters programme or PhD, and an excellent benefit package. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of APHA during the Science Capability for Animal Health development.
Ways of working
This post is based at our Headquarters at APHA Weybridge. Flexibility in working hours is required if called upon to finish a particular urgent task or call upon in an event of an outbreak. The post is full-time with working hours of 37 per week (excluding lunch break)
Periodic travel within the UK may be required as part of ongoing research or to attend training courses. This could also include farm or abattoir visits.
As NVS, out of hours working (very low call out rate) will be required on a rota basis, which will be remunerated accordingly. If called out, you will be required to attend site within a reasonable time, usually no later than 40 minutes after the call.
Health and Safety
The successful candidate will need to comply with a number of health protocols, which may require vaccination. This will be arranged by the Health Team, Weybridge. They must wear protective clothing and Respiratory Personal Protective Equipment (RPPE) as required.
Due to access requirements to biosecure areas, individuals must be physically able. The work of the post is physically demanding.
Restrictions on outside/domestic contact with small animals, mainly rodents and rabbits, will apply. The successful candidate should not keep pigs or poultry or live on premises where there are domestic livestock or poultry.