Location:
Camden (Kings Cross, London) / Hawkshead (nr Potters Bar, Herts)
Salary:
£31,930 to £35,311 Pro Rata Per Annum Including London Weighting
Closing Date:
23.59 hours BST on Monday 10 August 2026
Interview Date:
Thursday 20 August 2026
We are seeking one or more highly motivated field technicians to undertake rodent fieldwork in Wytham Woods, Oxfordshire, as part of an exciting US-UK collaborative project on viral dynamics in wildlife. The posts are available for six months to support the completion of field data collection. We anticipate appointing up to two technicians, with flexibility around the exact FTE, working pattern, and distribution of duties. Applications are welcome from individuals interested in a range of part-time or full-time arrangements, from approximately 0.3 FTE to 1.0 FTE.
The postholders will lead and/or support field activities investigating virus transmission dynamics among wild rodents across temporal and spatial scales, depending on their experience, availability, and agreed working pattern. Data generated through the fieldwork will contribute to the development and optimisation of new methods for inferring epidemiological dynamics, and will advance fundamental understanding of how viruses circulate in wild rodent populations.
The ideal candidates will have an undergraduate or master’s degree in ecology, infectious diseases, wildlife health, animal health, or a related field, and experience undertaking small mammal fieldwork. Interested individuals with vocational qualifications, or school education to a standard grade together with relevant work experience of two to three years, will also be considered.
The postholders will share responsibility for the day-to-day organisation and running of field activities, with the exact distribution of duties discussed with the successful candidates. Depending on the agreed role and working pattern, duties will include trapping wild rodents, collecting non-invasive samples and morphometric data, and managing RFID loggers to track spatial movements and social networks, using a well-established capture-mark-recapture study in Wytham Woods. The postholders will also take a leading role in curating the resulting data and samples, and supporting the maintenance of field equipment.
Individuals with a Home Office personal licence for rodent work are especially encouraged to apply, although this is not essential and full training in all required techniques will be provided. Excellent organisation and communication skills, and the ability to work as part of a team, are essential.
The field technicians will work in close collaboration with Dr Jayna Raghwani at RVC, Dr Sarah Knowles at the University of Oxford, and Dr Christina Faust at the University of Glasgow. While the main tasks will be leading and supporting UK-based fieldwork, the postholders will be embedded within a highly collaborative and international team with expertise spanning virus genomics, disease ecology, and infectious disease dynamics.
RVC benefits
Competitive and attractive pension package
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Generous 30 days annual leave (plus bank holidays + concessionary days)
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A range of family friendly policies, including adoption, maternity and paternity pay and leave
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On site café and restaurant
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Free membership to on site gyms
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Cycle to work scheme
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Free mini-bus service to and from Potters Bar station and Hawkshead Campus
For informal enquiries, please contact Dr Jayna Raghwani at [email protected].
We promote equality of opportunity and diversity within the workplace and welcome applications from all sections of the community.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.
