In Vivo Study Supervisor

Overall purpose

To oversee coordination of studies as part of the in‑vivo team in the Mary Lyon Centre. This post would be responsible for executing studies planned by the in‑vivo project managers for external academic researchers or biotech companies. These studies involve mouse models of human diseases, including cancers, mitochondrial disease, kidney disease and other areas. Most studies involve phenotyping tests, dosing and welfare assessment, followed by tissue dissection after study termination. This role requires excellent organisation skills to plan studies across teams, organise workflows and ensure work is completed on time and of high quality. This role is also a critical step in the quality control process, ensuring day to day changes in the study plan are well thought out and appropriate, and that detailed records are kept and reported back to senior managers and researchers. The postholder will need to carry out procedures, such as dosing and tissue dissection, in addition to study organisation and record keeping. This post will line manage a team of two technicians who will carry out many of the dosing and imaging experiments, as well as working closely with other managers and teams of technicians who work together to complete these studies.

Main duties / key responsibilities

• Line Management: Line management of technicians working in the in‑vivo projects team, including pastoral care, career development, managing performance etc.
• Study Coordination: Day‑to‑day responsibility for running allocated studies. This involves being on the ground in the animal house, scheduling mouse cohorts, arranging technicians to cover tests, calculating doses and diluting drugs, organising appropriate training, ensuring full plans are in place and relevant paperwork (e.g. risk assessments and SOPs) are signed off by technicians. Allocate workload of technicians under direct line management, as well as discussing with other managers to ensure distribution of workload across teams. Develop SOPs and ensure these are read and adhered to. Troubleshoot problems that arise in studies, using your experience to make appropriate judgment on the best course of action. Work flexibly to manage changing priorities in a busy working environment. Generate study records and ensure they are up to date and accurate. Ensure all studies are compliant with Home Office regulations, i.e. that they are covered by the Project Licence and technicians working on the study are licensed, trained and competent. Work alongside other managers in the MLC to ensure mice are appropriately looked after and welfare is taken care of as a priority. Carry out basic plotting to check data such as mouse body weights vs treatment. Carry out QC of data relevant to your studies, helping the data management and project management teams to ensure all data is complete and correct. Working on weekends on a rota basis.
• Advisory role / responding to enquiries: Liaise with internal and external users in response to enquiries about studies under your supervision.
• Training: Undergo training to achieve a Home Office Licence to allow work on mice. Carry out training of technicians, particularly in regulated procedures, good laboratory skills, making up solutions, calculating doses.

Working relationships

The post holder will work within the in‑vivo projects team and be line managed by the In‑Vivo Project Manager. They will work closely with 8-9 other managers, together these managers look after all the teams working with mice in the Mary Lyon Centre and share resources to get the studies done. This requires someone with excellent teamwork skills and the ability to build good working relationships and support both their own team and the teams they work alongside.

Person Requirements

• Education/Qualifications/Training Required: Essential: Bachelor’s degree with biological experience in an academic or commercial research setting. Desirable: Home Office licence.
• Previous Work Experience Required: Essential: Research experience, including working in a laboratory environment. Study or project management. Experience working with any laboratory animals. Desirable: Experience working under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
• Knowledge and Experience: Essential: Proficient in the use of Microsoft packages. Ability to accurately follow protocols/SOPs. Ability to calculate concentrations and doses. Experience in accurate record keeping for multiple studies. Desirable: Experience with laboratory information management systems. Experience writing SOP’s. Experience of quality control processes.
• Personal skills/Behaviours/Qualities: Essential: Excellent communication skills. Excellent attention to detail. Flexible and adaptable in approach to work to ensure changing priorities and deadlines are met. A service delivery focus. Ability to work on day‑to‑day functions both independently and as part of a team. Desirable: Experience in training others.

Equality and Diversity

The MRC values the diverse skills and experience of its employees and is committed to achieving equality of treatment for all. Our objectives are that all individuals shall have equal opportunities for employment and advancement on the basis of their skills, aptitudes and abilities. The MRC is committed to the engagement and retention of the best possible talent and to creating an environment that encourages excellence in scientific research through good equality and diversity leadership and management.

Corporate/Local Responsibilities and Requirements

The post holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to the MRC’s: Code of Conduct, Equality and Diversity policy, Health and Safety policy, Data Protection and Security policy. The above lists are not exhaustive and the post holder is required to undertake such duties as may reasonably be requested within the scope of the post. All employees are required to act professionally, cooperatively and flexibly in line with the requirements of the post and the MRC.