Job Description

Req ID #: 229011
Portishead, England, GB
3rd
Full time


At Charles River, we are passionate about improving the quality of people's lives. When you join our global family, you will help create healthier lives for millions of patients and their families.


Charles River employees are innovative thinkers, who are dedicated to continuous learning and improvement. We will empower you with the resources you need to grow and develop in your career.


As a Charles River employee, you will be part of an industry-leading, customer-focused company at the forefront of drug development. Your skills will play a key role in bringing life-saving therapies to market faster through simpler, quicker, and more digitalized processes. Whether you are in lab operations, finance, IT, sales, or another area, when you work at Charles River, you will be the difference every day for patients across the globe.

Job Summary

Do you have lab experience in the biotech or pharma industry?


Are you ready for your next laboratory position?


Our In Vitro Biology team in Portishead are recruiting, could you be the next team member in our lab?


As an Associate Technical Specialist, you'll be applying a defined technical knowledge base and skillset to independently execute routine tasks. These tasks aim to support the sites experimental and lab operations. You'll work in accordance with the Charles River Values at all times.


Main Tasks


Accountable for delivering specialised practical support that positively impacts the day-day lab operations for immediate team and wider division.


Able to contribute to the development of robust routine technical procedures under some supervision, can present own work effectively to peers within the team and wider division.


Resolve relatively complex technical issues with some confidence, utilising support from line manager within specialism.


Demonstrate clear ownership of tasks, consistently meeting project deliverables in line with client requirements.


Independent Technical support:


Blood and Ex Vivo Sample processing


Maintenance of cell lines across projects


Isolation of subsets of immune cells from blood (MACS)


Phenotype purity assessments by flow cytometry


Following training, other standardly used techniques used within in vitro/ex vivo Biology


Continuous improvement - ensure that any "just do it" actions are carried out in order to enhance efficiency and productivity. Focus on cost-saving initiatives both hard and soft savings.


Health and Safety - support H&S initiatives that ensure laboratories and buildings comply with CRL site-based guidelines - Proactively seek improvements and aid the implementation of new processes.


Stock control - ensure consumables stocks are kept to the required level, procuring best alternatives and finding cost savings where possible.


Maximo - continued operation and update of Maximo and ensuring all servicing reports are saved in the correct place. Work orders are completed/acted within a week (earlier depending on the urgency).

Skills and Experience

Significant lab-based experience in academia and / or industry


Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.


Excellent problem-solving skills, able to approach problems with sound logic and judgement.


Able to collate complex scientific data effectively.


Training is provided for all scientific tasks and processing.


Advantageous but NOT essential:


Educated to BSc level.


MSc preferred within a relevant scientific discipline.


Relevant CRO / Biotech / Pharma industry in specialism.


General cell biology and in vivo processing support.

What We Offer You

A very comprehensive benefits package from day one, including a generous pension contribution, private medical for you (and can add family members), private dental care, critical illness cover, bonus and more!


Access to great discounts via our CREDS discount scheme.


Global opportunities and strong career progression.


The chance to work on several varied projects and liaise globally and nationally with other business areas.


To be able make a difference to health and wellbeing of people.


To continue your own career growth.


Flexible and hybrid working.


Parental leave.


Group Life Assurance and Group Income Protection.


Remote GP access 24/7.


Well-being support and initiatives.


Cycle to work scheme.


Well-being support and initiatives.


Cycle to work scheme.

About Corporate Functions

The Corporate Functions provide operational support across Charles River in areas such as Human Resources, Finance, IT, Legal, Sales, Quality Assurance, Marketing, and Corporate Development. They partner with their colleagues across the company to develop and drive strategies and to set global standards. The functions are essential to providing a bridge between strategic vision and operational readiness, to ensure ongoing functional innovation and capability improvement.

About Charles River

Charles River is an early-stage contract research organization (CRO). We have built upon our foundation of laboratory animal medicine and science to develop a diverse portfolio of discovery and safety assessment services, both Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and non-GLP, to support clients from target identification through preclinical development. Charles River also provides a suite of products and services to support our clients' clinical laboratory testing needs and manufacturing activities. Utilizing this broad portfolio of products and services enables our clients to create a more flexible drug development model, which reduces their costs, enhances their productivity and effectiveness to increase speed to market.


With over 20,000 employees within 110 facilities in 20 countries around the globe, we are strategically positioned to coordinate worldwide resources and apply multidisciplinary perspectives in resolving our client's unique challenges. Our client base includes global pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, government agencies and hospitals and academic institutions around the world.


At Charles River, we are passionate about our role in improving the quality of people's lives. Our mission, our excellent science and our strong sense of purpose guide us in all that we do, and we approach each day with the knowledge that our work helps to improve the health and well-being of many across the globe. We have proudly supported the development of 86% of the drugs approved by the FDA in 2021.


At Charles River Laboratories, we recognize and recruit all talent. We are a company committed to the principle of diversity and inclusion and work daily in this direction.


For more information, please visit www.criver.com.