Animal technician
Animal technicians look after animals in medical and scientific research laboratories.
Typical Salary
£17,000 – £28,000
per year
Working Hours
38–40
hours per week
Day-to-day tasks
As part of your day-to-day duties you will:
- provide exercise, food and water to the animals
- carry out regular observations
- make sure that animals are clean and comfortable
- control heating, lighting and humidity
- monitor animals' weight and behaviour
- follow hygiene rules in the facility
- keep accurate records
Skills needed
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- the ability to use your initiative
- sensitivity and understanding
- thinking and reasoning skills
- excellent verbal communication skills
- administration skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
How to get into this role
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
Career progression
You could become a senior animal technician and supervise or manage the work of other technicians.
With experience and further training, you could become an animal technologist or a named animal care and welfare officer.
You could specialise in working with animals in specific research areas like breeding, immunology or genetics.
There may also be opportunities to work as a trainer and assessor of new animal technicians.