Technician in Animal Welfare - CS12182

This role is pro rata so the salary you will be receiving is £20,186.75 per annum. This role is temporary until the 31st of May 2027. The schedule is 4 days a week and will include weekend work on rota. Working days are 8:30am-4:30pm.

Any offers of appointment will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, a certificate of good conduct if applicable, plus receipt of satisfactory references, Occupational Health clearance, an understanding of safeguarding and qualifications verification. An Enhanced DBS check is required for this position, as you will be working within 'Regulated Activity' within a specific place (i.e. the College).

Background to the Post: WCG is one of the largest FE colleges in the UK. We have seven centres offering a range of vocational subjects with over 20,000 enrolments. Animal related programmes are delivered at both our Landbased Colleges (Moreton Morrell and Pershore). The Animal Welfare and Veterinary Nursing Department delivers courses to students ranging from Foundation Learning to BSc (Hons) Degree level. The Animal Welfare Centres within WCG include housing for a range of animal species including canines, felines, small and large mammals, aquatics, invertebrates, avians, reptiles, exotics and other specialist animal facilities.

The Centre operates all year round with activity occurring outside the academic year and at weekends and holidays. It is staffed by a range of staff including Instructor/Technicians, Apprentices and Temporary Casual Staff who work on a rota basis to cover weekends and holiday periods. For this reason, the post-holder is expected to be able to support the centre during times of the year where there could be adverse weather conditions to ensure the safety and welfare of the animals on site and thus local geographical presence is essential.

Purpose of the Post: This is an important post supporting the wider team within the department while offering opportunities for personal development and growing responsibilities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• To develop and maintain a well-prepared, realistic and safe animal centre environment, delivering exceptional standards of animal husbandry and welfare, and supporting the development of students’ professional attitudes and practical skills.
• Support the efficient and effective running and development of all aspects of the curriculum, including the preparation of animal housing, equipment and practical areas, and assisting in the supervision of students during animal handling and husbandry activities, ensuring best practice in daily care routines.
• Carry out routine maintenance of animal accommodation and facilities, ensuring high standards of hygiene, cleanliness, biosecurity and animal husbandry, in accordance with Health and Safety, Standard Operating Procedures and animal welfare regulations, and liaise with external agencies (e.g. vets, suppliers, maintenance contractors) to ensure the continued upkeep of the animal centre.
• Maintain an effective stock control system, including the storage, ordering and receipt of feed, bedding, enrichment items and other materials, ensuring appropriate organisation and availability of resources to support high quality animal husbandry practices.
• Support academic and instructing staff to ensure that all students working within the animal centre receive appropriate Health and Safety, animal handling and husbandry inductions, including safe working practices, animal welfare considerations and relevant legislation.
• Assist with additional technical and support duties across the department as required, including preparation for open days and careers events, participation in team meetings, and contributing to the overall smooth operation of the animal centre while upholding exceptional husbandry standards.

Offers of Work: For the successful candidate a conditional offer of work will be made. Our offer of work will be conditional upon a number of mandatory pre-employment checks, to include but not limited to DBS, Barred List check, right to work check, internet search, TRA check (academic posts).

Essential Attainments:

• Educated to Level 2 in Animal Welfare or demonstrable experience.
• Evidence of formal structured training in a relevant vocation.
• Be flexible with the ability to adapt to changing situations.
• Flexible availability for weekend and holiday cover.
• Working knowledge of information technology such as e-mail, the internet and other software applications.
• Excellent administrative and organisational skills.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.