Salary for this Role:

Applicants with existing NVS experience will be appointed on the below salary range, dependent on their skills and experience:

£56,000 – £65,800 per annum, subject to skills and experience

 

Applicants for a trainee NVS role, will be appointed on the below salary range, dependent on skills and experience:

£49,500 – £56,000 per annum, subject to skills and experience

 

Job Title:

 

Named Veterinary Surgeon

 

Reports to:

Arturo Fernandez

 

Closing Date:

01/Jul/2023 23.59 GMT

Job Description:

Named Veterinary Surgeon – BRF

Reports to: Head of Veterinary and Animal Health Services

 

Applications are now open for an experienced NVS to join the Crick and support our comprehensive animal research and care programme. We will also consider applications from exceptional candidates who are looking to move from other veterinary positions, or have just qualified and are looking for their first NVS role. Full training and development will be provided.

 

Applicants with existing NVS experience will be appointed on the below salary range, dependent on their skills and experience:

£56,000 – £65,800 per annum, subject to skills and experience

 

Applicants for a trainee NVS role, will be appointed on the below salary range, dependent on skills and experience:

£49,500 – £56,000 per annum, subject to skills and experience

 

This is a full time, permanent contract on Crick terms and conditions. Flexible working including part-time options may be considered and should be discussed at interview stage.

 

Summary

The Biological Research Facility (BRF) supports all animal research at the Crick through our comprehensive animal care and use programme. The BRF provides the Cricks laboratory animal resource and technical services. High quality multidisciplinary in-vivo and ex-vivo research support is at the heart of the BRF’s philosophy and operations. The BRF is committed to improving animal welfare, scientific quality, care of staff and transparency for stakeholders. The BRF teams integrate husbandry of multiple species within a range of facilities, using state of the art technologies, via a talented and skilled team.

The Named Veterinary Surgeon (NVS) provides specialist veterinary services and assists other Named Persons in the conduct of duties, liaises with other members of BRF and provides technical advice and services to the institute’s scientific staff with regard to ensuring the health and welfare of the institute’s animals. The post holder performs his/her duty as defined in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (Amended 2012) and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ Code of Professional Conduct.

 

Key responsibilities

 

This is a non-exhaustive outline of the tasks, duties, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role:

 

  • Deputise for the Head of Veterinary and Animal Health Services, as required.

 

  • Play a key role in the programme of veterinary care and health monitoring to the animals maintained at the Crick:
    • Contribute to the establishment & maintenance of a programme of veterinary care and health monitoring, being actively involved in safeguarding the welfare of the protected animals, and visit the BRF units and other designated areas regularly
    • Attend to clinical cases, provide veterinary advice and treatment, and observe the professional responsibilities to the animals under your care
    • Maintain and develop relevant expertise in biosecurity, husbandry, biology, physiology, clinical aspects and welfare needs of the species used in the establishment, through consultation, literature review and attending scientific meetings
  • Oversight & guidance of the Animal Health Monitoring work
    • Supervise, train and guide members of the Animal Health Monitoring team in the delivery of their duties as required, to ensure a good understanding of biosecurity and effective screening procedures to determine and maintain the health status of all animal units at the Institute.
    • Supervise the maintenance of appropriate health records relating to all protected animals, including advice and treatment given
  • Fulfil other regulatory/statutory roles for example by
    • Advising on the welfare of animals to be transported and certify, where appropriate, that an animal is fit to travel to another establishment or abroad; to be used in further regulated procedures; to be released to the wild; or to be released from the controls of ASPA
    • Complying with the requirements of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations relating to the supply and use of controlled drugs, prescription-only medicines and other therapeutic substances used on animals
    • Acting as Official Veterinarian (OCQ(V)) for exports
  • Advise on interpretation of ASPA and best practice by
    • Participating actively in the local Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB). including drafting reports for the Establishment Licence Holder and the main AWERB committees
    • Advising Project Licence applicants on the drafting of Project Licence applications and amendments
    • Advising licencees and others on the practical application of best practice and the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) for procedural work in support of the Institute’s research, including appropriate methods of anaesthesia, analgesia and euthanasia, surgical and aseptic technique, and choice of species
    • Advising licencees and others on severity assessment and the recognition of pain, suffering, distress and lasting harm
  • Actively advance the training & procedural work offered by the BRF by
    • Developing, organising and teaching training programmes, for both external and internal delegates in collaboration with the NTCO
    • Assisting with training and competence assessments of Personal Licence holders and others
    • Advising and supporting the BRF Surgical Service and other relevant stakeholders, to develop best practices in surgical procedures across the Institute
  • Additionally, it will be essential to
    • Maintain records for communication, reporting and compliance
    • Write reports, protocols, and Standard Operating Procedures
    • Develop knowledge of and proven competence with MCMS and other commonly used databases by the BRF
    • Hold, as deemed necessary, a Personal/Project Licence under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (amended 2012)
    • Participate in emergency out-of-hours’ consultations or call-outs, as needed
    • Carry out any other duties as may be reasonably required by the line manager, on an ongoing basis and in accordance with the changing needs of the Francis Crick Institute
  • As the role advances, we would expect our NVS to
    • Design, conduct and participate in original research projects, including but not limited to: 3Rs projects; Research into prevention, identification, containment and treatment of animal diseases; Any study relevant to the mission of the institute or the welfare of the protected animals under care of the NVS
    • Participate in the conduct of scientific programmes of work as appropriate to the post holders’ knowledge, technical expertise, and experience

 

 

Key experience and competencies

 

The post holder should embody and demonstrate our core Crick values: bold, open and collegial, in addition to the following:

 

Essential

 

Qualifications, experience and competencies:

  • Veterinary degree
  • To hold a current and valid Membership of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
  • Capable of solving complicated clinical problems in a rational and organised fashion
  • Good communication skills, both oral and written, persuasive, tactful, collaborative, persistent, flexible, innovative, a problem solver and a lateral thinker
  • Excellent project planning, time-keeping, organisational and record-keeping skills
  • Some post-graduate work experience, primarily in clinical veterinary practice or in biomedical research.

 

Desirable

 

Qualifications, experience and competencies:

  • Knowledge and understanding of the requirements of the legislative framework, Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (Amended 2012)
  • Attendance of Home Office approved NVS course
  • Experience of working in an animal research setting, and understanding of requirements in relation to animal care and use
  • Full understanding of health and safety legislation, and experience working in a compliant environment
  • Experience in animal medicine and surgery, and specialist knowledge of biosecurity, health surveillance and disease outbreak management for species housed in the animal units, e.g. rodents, ferrets, and aquatic species
  • Post-graduate scientific qualification (e.g. PhD)
  • Rodent experience, particularly familiarity with the husbandry, biology, physiology, surgical & clinical