Technician in Animal Care in Chippenham

Location: Lackham

Salary: £25,304 rising to £25,835 per year

Are you passionate about animal care and looking for a hands-on role where every day is different? Wiltshire College & University Centre is looking for a Technician in Animal Care to help care for our diverse collection of animals while maintaining our industry-standard facilities at the beautiful Lackham Campus. This is an exciting opportunity to work in a unique educational environment, supporting the day-to-day running of our Animal Resource Centre and ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare. You'll play a vital role behind the scenes, preparing practical learning environments, maintaining facilities, and helping students gain valuable industry experience.

Whether you're currently working in an animal care setting and looking for a better work-life balance, or you're seeking a rewarding new challenge where your skills can make a lasting impact, this role offers variety, stability, and excellent opportunities for professional development.

What We Offer:

• Salary: £25,304 rising to £25,835 per year
• Contract Type: Permanent, Full Time 37 hours per week based on a 7-day rota, including weekends and bank holidays, 52 weeks per year
• Year-Round Employment: No unpaid breaks between contracts
• Outstanding Benefits:
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Generous Holiday Entitlement: 30 days paid annual leave plus 8 days paid bank holidays
• College Closure and Wellbeing Days
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 confidential wellbeing, legal, and financial support
• Free On-Site Gyms available across multiple campuses
• Lifestyle Discounts: savings on retail, technology, travel, and leisure
• Cycle-to-Work Scheme
• Professional Development: ongoing training and career progression opportunities
• Additional Perks: discounted meals, hair & beauty services, and reduced attraction entry

A stable role with benefits that support your life today and your future tomorrow.

What You'll Do:

• Provide the highest standards of daily care, feeding, handling, and enrichment for a wide variety of animal species
• Monitor animal health and welfare, reporting concerns and supporting veterinary treatment where required
• Maintain clean, safe, and well-organised animal accommodation to meet legislative and welfare standards
• Prepare feeds, bedding, equipment, and practical resources for teaching sessions
• Assist with the maintenance of animal enclosures, facilities, and equipment
• Support students during practical sessions, demonstrating safe animal handling and husbandry techniques
• Maintain accurate records relating to animal health, welfare, stock, and husbandry
• Ensure compliance with health & safety, biosecurity, and animal welfare legislation
• Contribute to the smooth day-to-day running of the Animal Resource Centre

What You'll Bring:

• Level 3 qualification (or above) in Animal Care, Animal Management, or a related subject (or willingness to work towards one)
• Practical experience caring for a range of domestic, farm, companion, or exotic animals
• A sound understanding of animal husbandry, welfare, and current industry best practice
• Good organisational skills with the ability to prioritise tasks effectively
• A proactive, reliable, and flexible approach to work
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• A genuine passion for animal welfare and supporting the education of future animal care professionals

Why Choose This Path?

• A varied role caring for a diverse collection of animals
• The opportunity to support and inspire the next generation of animal care professionals
• Greater job security and excellent benefits
• Ongoing training and opportunities for career progression
• A supportive team and positive working environment
• Better work-life balance than many commercial animal care settings

If you're ready for a secure, rewarding role where your animal care skills will make a real difference every day, we'd love to hear from you.

Please note: Your Application Form will be shortlisted against how your skills, qualifications and experience match the Essential and Desirable points on the Person Specification for this role.

Vacancies may close early if sufficient applications have been received; therefore, we would encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

Safer Recruitment: Wiltshire College & University Centre follows Safer Recruitment Guidance outlined by the Department for Education in Keeping Children Safe in Education. This involves conducting enhanced DBS checks, including checks against the children's barred list, and other employment verifications, including an online presence review for shortlisted candidates.

We embrace diversity, recognising the valuable perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and cultures individuals from different backgrounds bring. Committed to safeguarding, we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we pledge to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for a job vacancy and assess them based on their abilities.

Closing date: 30th July 2026

Shortlist date: 31st July 2026

Interview date: TBC