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Animal Technician
Hours
37 per week
Starting salary
£12,000 + per year
In this job you would care for the animals used in research. Sometimes you would also be involved in experimental work. Your job means that you would be in day-to-day contact with the animals. The majority of technicians work with one type of animal.
To become an animal technician, you should have close attention to detail. You should be able to keep accurate records. You will also need good computer skills.
There are no entry qualifications, but most employers will expect you to have GCSEs or equivalent qualifications.
WorkDesc
The work
You would carry out routine tasks including:
- providing food and water for the animals and organising special diets if necessary
- carrying out regular observations and health checks
- making sure that animals are clean, comfortable and behaving as expected
- keeping up high levels of hygiene
- controlling heating, lighting and humidity
- monitoring the weight and growth of animals
- maintaining and ensuring high standards of cleanliness and hygiene, throughout the animal facility
- providing environmental enrichment, exercising and training opportunities for animals
- keeping accurate records and inputting data onto computer systems.
With experience, you could also be involved in setting up scientific studies and breeding animals.
You would need to follow strict legal controls. These exist to ensure that animals used in research are well looked after and humanely treated.
HoursDesc
Hours
Animals need care 24 hours a day, all year round. This means you would usually work on a rota including weekends, bank holidays, and possibly occasional nights. You would work a 37-hour week, but may be able to work part-time.
You would mainly be based in purpose-built animal facilities but, with larger species such as farm animals, there would be some outdoor work. Depending on the task, you would need to wear protective clothing and shoes, a face mask, and a hat or hair covering.
The working environment is carefully controlled including the temperature, humidity, noise and lighting cycles. Access is also strictly controlled.
IncomeDesc
Income
Trainee technicians can earn between £12,000 and £15,000 a year.
Qualified and experienced technicians can earn between £15,000 and £20,000.
Senior technologists can earn between £20,000 and £30,000.
These are mid-range examples quoted by the Institute for Animal Technology (IAT). There are no national pay scales, so there are variations between employers.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
There are no specific entry qualifications, but most employers will expect you to have GCSEs (A-D) in English, maths and science subjects, or equivalent qualifications. For some jobs you may need higher qualifications such as A levels or similar.
If you wish to do some training before applying for your first position, you could complete courses such as the following:
- BTEC Level 2 Certificate/Diploma in Animal Care
- BTEC Level 3 Certificate/Diploma in Animal Management (Care)
- City & Guilds Certificate and Diploma in Animal Care and Management.
You will need to show employers that you are interested in working in a scientific research environment and in animal care and welfare. It will be useful if you have experience of working with animals, for example kennel work. This could be either paid or voluntary. Visit do-it.org.uk to find out about local volunteering opportunities.
You will also find it useful to have experience of work in a scientific setting, for example as a laboratory assistant.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
Once you start work you would receive on-the-job training, learning how to do the routine tasks that are essential for the animals' care and welfare.
Before you can be involved in the experimental side of animal research, you must have a Home Office licence. You will need at least one year's experience, and must complete a short training course. This is part of the Home Office regulation of animal research. As well as personal licences for staff, all research laboratories must have a licence, and each separate research project must also be licensed. See the Science and Research section of the Home Office website for details.
The IAT is the professional body representing animal technicians. They offer the following qualifications:
- IAT First Certificate in Animal Husbandry
- IAT First Diploma in Animal Technology
- IAT National Certificate in Animal Technology
- IAT Higher Certificate in Animal Technology
Foundation degree, BSc, Masters degree and PhD programmes are currently being developed. Details will be on the IAT website when they become available.
As a member of the IAT you can attend IAT training courses, seminars and workshops. Visit the IAT website for details of careers, qualifications, training providers and IAT membership.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
To become an animal technician, you should have:
- commitment to the care and welfare of animals
- a respect for confidentiality
- good maths skills
- close attention to detail
- the ability to keep accurate records
- good computer skills
- the ability to work as part of a team.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
Lantra 
Lantra House
Stoneleigh Park
Nr Coventry
Warwickshire
CV8 2LG
Tel: 0845 707 8007
www.lantra.co.uk
Institute of Animal Technology (IAT)
5 South Parade
Summertown
Oxford
OX2 7JL
www.iat.org.uk
Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) Careers
12 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2DY
Tel: 020 7930 3477
http://careers.abpi.org.uk
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
You could be employed as an animal technician by universities, pharmaceutical companies, laboratory animal breeding companies or specialist research companies.
With experience and appropriate qualifications, you could progress to senior animal technologist or unit/section supervisor or manager. You could also specialise in areas such as breeding, immunology or training.
You may find the following links useful for job vacancies and general reading (links open in new window):
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
LMIData
Related industry information
Industry summary
The animal technology industry is part of the environmental and land-based industries, represented by Lantra Sector Skills Council, which also includes the following industries: agricultural crops; agricultural livestock; animal care; aquaculture; equine; environmental conservation; farriery; fencing; fisheries management; floristry; game and wildlife management; land-based engineering; horticulture, landscape and sports turf; production horticulture; trees and timber; and veterinary nursing. The sector as a whole currently employs 1,126,000 people (approximately 4% of the UK workforce) in around 230,000 businesses. In addition, there are an estimated 500,000 volunteers working in the sector on a regular basis. Approximately 42% of the workforce is self-employed.
The animal technology industry involves the husbandry, care and welfare of animals bred to be used in scientific research and the carrying out of authorised procedures. Research using animals in the UK comes under the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Animal technologists/technicians work in a variety of areas, including: universities; pharmaceutical companies; medical or veterinary colleges; teaching hospitals; research institutes; government departments (e.g. Defra); and special laboratory animal breeders.
Key facts:
- In the UK, there are an estimated:
- 4,000 - 5,000 animal technologists
- 30 named animal care and welfare officers
- 14,500 Home Office personal license holders (not all will be qualified animal technologists)
- There are approximately 232 Home Office approved research establishments in the UK.
- 7% of the workforce is employed part-time.
Jobs in the industry include: trainee animal technician, director of biological services, team leader, deputy unit manager, study director, animal technologist, senior licensed animal technician/technologist, animal facility manager, operational manager, animal auxiliary, licensed animal technician.
National and regional data
[N.B. No industry data by nation or region are available.]
Animal technology employers are mostly based in the South East, East of England, London and Scotland. Some major in vivo employers are located in the North West, North East and Yorkshire and Humberside.
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