Animal Welfare and Research Technician
- Remote, United Kingdom
- Permanent·Remote
- Full time
Job Description
Type: Full-time
Location: Brighton — On-site
Compensation: £38,000–£48,000/year, in accordance with experience
The Role
Netholabs is building AI grounded in biological intelligence. We record petascale, high-resolution neurobehavioural data from living systems and use it to train neural foundation models — a new substrate for the next generation of AI, robotics, and personalised intelligence. We aim to greatly reduce the burden of animals used in basic scientific research and pharmacological work, with eventual removal and replacement by in silico models.
We’re looking for a reliable, hands-on Animal Research Technician to support the day-to-day care and use of animals in our Brighton research programme. Working under our veterinary and welfare leads, you’ll be responsible for daily husbandry, supporting behavioural data collection sessions, assisting with licensed procedures, and keeping our facility running to a high standard. This is an execution role: you’ll follow established protocols and Home Office standards precisely, and help make sure animal welfare and data quality are never compromised.
Responsibilities
Husbandry & Welfare
Carry out daily husbandry: feeding, housing checks, and enrichment
Monitor animal health and welfare, and flag concerns promptly
Maintain accurate welfare and health records in line with Home Office and AWERB requirements
Behavioural Testing & Data Collection
Support behavioural and neurobehavioural data collection sessions following established SOPs
Handle animals calmly and consistently to minimise stress during testing
Log sessions accurately and flag anything anomalous
Licensed Procedures
Assist with regulated procedures under the relevant Home Office project licence (PPL)
Work towards or hold a Home Office Personal Licence (PIL) for the species and procedures involved
Follow ASPA (Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986) requirements and site-specific SOPs at all times
Facility & Equipment
Maintain clean, well-organised, and session-ready facilities
Carry out routine equipment checks, cleaning, and maintenance
Maintain supply inventory and flag restocking needs
Requirements
Core (essential)
Prior experience in animal husbandry or laboratory animal care
Comfortable and confident handling animals calmly and safely
Organised, reliable, and detail-oriented; able to follow protocols precisely and document as you go
Good communication and a strong personal commitment to animal welfare
Willingness to work towards a Home Office Personal Licence (PIL) if not already held
Valued (or willing to learn)
Existing Home Office Personal Licence (PIL)
Experience with behavioural testing, motion capture, or physiological recording setups
Familiarity with AWERB processes and Home Office record-keeping standards
Basic Python or scripting for logging and data organisation