BRF Research Scientist (Surgical)

BRF Research Scientist (Surgical)

This is a full-time, permanent position on Crick terms and conditions

Reports to: BRF Senior Research Scientist - Surgical Services

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the new Surgical Service with a chance to make a significant impact on the welfare of surgical animals as well as playing a key role in training and influencing surgical practice at the Crick. We are looking for an individual with a passion for communicating and driving forward best practice and with experience in the field of microsurgery in rodents. 

This role will be located within the Surgical Services team within the BRF which provides specialist support to the science around Surgery.

The Service provides advice & training in aseptic surgery and suturing as well as best practice in a variety of surgical techniques (e.g. stereotaxic) together with the NVS & NTCO. In addition, they will provide surgical support and complete provision of surgical techniques where appropriate to the science to assist in ensuring best animal welfare in surgery & therefore reliability & reproduction of scientific research.

The Surgical Research Scientist will report to the Surgical Lead and work closely with the NVS, NCTO and NACWOs to fulfil their remit. In addition, the post-holder will interact with other scientists and staff across the research laboratories and the Biological Research Facility and with other local and off-site services. They may be expected to contribute to the work of the training team.

Summary

The Francis Crick Institute (the Crick) is a partnership between the Medical Research Council (MRC), Cancer Research UK (CRUK), the Wellcome Trust, University College London (UCL), Imperial College London and Kings College London. It is a registered charity whose purpose is to conduct biomedical research into all aspects of human health and disease.

The institute is a world-leading centre of biomedical research and innovation. It promotes connections between researchers and disciplines and between academic institutions, healthcare organisations and businesses. Dedicated to research excellence, the institute will have the scale, vision and expertise to tackle the most challenging scientific questions underpinning health and disease. It is world-class with a strong national role —training scientists and developing ideas for public good. The Crick is located in a purpose-built research centre in central London (Midland Road next to St. Pancras International), and will house some 1,250 researchers and 250 support staff.

The state-of-the-art Biological Research Facility (BRF) enables world-leading scientific research involving the use of animals including mice, ferrets, laboratory opossums, fish and frogs. The BRF is both science and welfare driven, flexible, and forward-looking, and promoting collaboration within and beyond the Institute. The Biological Research Facility (BRF) are providing expertise and support for housing and experiment, all underpinned with world-class standards of welfare.

Organisation

This role will be located within the Surgical Services team within the BRF which provides specialist support to the science around Surgery.

The Service provides advice & training in aseptic surgery and suturing as well as best practice in a variety of surgical techniques (e.g. stereotaxic) together with the NVS & NTCO. In addition, they will provide surgical support and complete provision of surgical techniques where appropriate to the science to assist in ensuring best animal welfare in surgery & therefore reliability & reproduction of scientific research.

The Surgical RS will report to the Surgical SRS and work closely with the NVS, NCTO and NACWOs to fulfil their remit. In addition, the post-holder will interact with other scientists and staff across the research laboratories and the Biological Research Facility and with other local and off-site services. They may be expected to contribute to the work of the training team.

Key responsibilities

The BRF Research Scientist (Surgical) will contribute to all or most areas of the service and may have responsibility for one key area.

Specific objectives will include, but not be limited to:

• To participate across all areas of the Surgical service, and specialising in some key skills. Assisting other members of the team, as well as the wider BRF, to achieve the delivery of specialist services that support scientific research at the Crick. Undertaking reasonable work requests and when required participating in essential out of hour rota’s, maintaining surgical suites, consumables & equipment

• Working closely with the Surgical SRS, the post holder will, with experience, be expected to assist in the day-to-day management and provision of the service, showing initiative, maintaining records, troubleshooting and improving procedures, while fostering and maintaining good client relationships.

• To train, and supervise other members of the BRF & more often, members of the research community at the Crick in best practice in surgical techniques. Advise on potential refinements to surgical techniques and welfare initiatives in pre & post op care. Working to achieve and exceed the service’s goals, working to agreed protocols and operating in a culture of innovation, best practice and collaboration. To be conscious of resourcing constraints, acting to achieve value for money. Training may include delivery of workshops, and assessment of competency in surgery,

• To assist in managing any procedure rooms & equipment, keeping SOPs, DOPS and COSHH up to date, oversight of all ordering and stock, servicing of equipment, keeping any surgical suites cleaned and up to QC standards.

• To maintain records of their work for communication, for reporting and compliance, ensuring that their own scientific work and that of staff they supervise, is carried out accurately and efficiently, adhering to legal frameworks. Develop methods to assess competence & best practice in the techniques the postholder is skilled in.

• To report on the outcome of their work, collaborating with the SRSs and the Head(s) of CMS, to address problems and make changes and improvements

• To develop a considerable knowledge base across all aspects of this work helping to improve and update techniques and protocols, aiming to refine procedures to ensure optimisation of animal welfare and a culture of care.

• Work with relevant service stakeholders to conduct research/(pilot)studies within the surgical services remit: to ensure optimisation of animal welfare, a culture of care, value for money, and scientific rigour. Using their knowledge base they will be expected to identify areas of improvement and make suggestions, as well as understand the foundations of experimental design and properly execute it.

• Postholder will confidently and effectively communicate ideas publicly and internally, representing the Crick at conferences and other external events as appropriate.

• At all times demonstrate the qualities of openness, honesty and personal responsibility.

• Develop a wide knowledge of best practice in surgical techniques, refinements and peri-operative care through CPD and in-house training

• To carry out any other reasonable request from the Surgical SRS’s, Head of CMS and the Director of the BRF. This may include regularly contributing to other aspects of the CMS service, particularly assisting with the colony management program ,working on colony MOTs.

Person Specification

The post holder should embody and demonstrate our core Crick values: Bold, Imaginative, Open, Dynamic and Collegiate, in addition to the following:

Experience, qualifications and competencies

Essential

• Will have a relevant qualification and &/or several years relevant experience in the laboratory animal field
• Personal Licence holder with some surgical experience
• Ability to work steadily and dexterously at the microscopic level
• Ability to stay calm and confident under the pressure of surgery
• A proven record of accomplishment of training staff to become competent in their duties, working to defined standard operational procedures.
• Ability to follow complex protocols accurately and reproducibly
• Experience of contributing effectively to the work of a team, a flexible and cooperative approach to working with others
• Experience of customer service
• Ability to work independently, project plan, problem solve, maintain good records & work flexibly & proactively
• Experience with or willingness to work on animal models  & familiarity with the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986
• Passionate about driving forward and communicating best practice in animal welfare

• Ability to keep up to date with best practice and show some skill in applying that knowledge - striving for continuous improvement in performance.

• Proactive and flexible in approach
• Ability to work with minimal supervision, prioritising appropriately and working in a conscientious and reliable manner
• Good written and verbal communication skills

Desirable

• Further qualification (preferably a subject relevant degree)
• Several years experience of rodent surgeries
• Demonstrable technical aptitude in the use of microsurgical equipment such as microscopes and micromanipulation equipment, and have good hand/eye co-ordination
• Developing and ensuring BRF values of:
  • Science & welfare driven, embracing philosophies of the 3Rs
  • Dynamic, integrated and interactive, understanding scientific needs
  • Proactive, ambitious, flexible, adaptable and receptive to change
  • Creative in developing training, career structure and opportunities
  • Adopting mechanisms to review, control and promote sharing and synergies
  • Providing efficiency, effectiveness and value for money are consistently met and embedded within all activities.