Team Leader – Barrier Production

{ “@context”: “http://schema.org”, “@type”: “JobPosting”, “title”: “Team Leader – Barrier Production”, “description”: “

This is a people‑first leadership role. You don’t need to join us as a technical expert — we’ll train you. What matters most is your ability to lead, motivate, coach and develop others in a regulated production environment.


We are seeking a confident, resilient Team Leader to guide a team working in a high‑standard barrier rodent production facility. This is a hands‑on, visible leadership role, working alongside your team on a daily basis.


Key ResponsibilitiesLead & Develop People

  • Inspire, support and develop a team of animal technicians working with rodents
  • Set clear expectations around behaviour, performance and accountability
  • Foster a positive, inclusive and psychologically safe team culture
  • Address people and performance issues early, fairly and constructively
  • Actively coach team members and support their training and development


Drive Operational Excellence

  • Coordinate daily and weekly workloads to meet production and animal welfare standards
  • Monitor staffing, training needs and workload distribution, adapting plans as needed
  • Maintain exceptional barrier practice, routines and cleanliness
  • Ensure compliance with SOPs, training records, regulatory standards and internal quality systems


Be a Visible, Hands‑On Leader

  • Spend the majority of your time in the barrier facility, working alongside the team
  • Act as the first point of escalation for operational, welfare or people‑related issues
  • Lead by example in professionalism, safety and attention to detail


Collaborate & Improve

  • Work closely with peer Team Leaders and managers to ensure smooth day‑to‑day operations
  • Support audits, inspections and continuous improvement initiatives
  • Contribute ideas to improve efficiency, quality and team engagement


What We’re Looking For

  • Experience leading, supervising or influencing people in an operational, production or regulated environment
  • Confidence to have honest conversations and make fair, balanced decisions
  • Calm, consistent and resilient leadership, especially under pressure
  • A genuine passion for developing people — not just managing tasks
  • Strong communication skills, integrity and self‑awareness


Desirable but not essential:

  • Experience in laboratory animal care, technical production or regulated environments
  • (Full training will be provided.)


Why Join Us?

  • People‑focused leadership role with real impact
  • Full technical training and ongoing support
  • Stable, weekday‑focused working hours
  • Opportunity to contribute to world‑class scientific research
”, “datePosted”: “2026-05-01”, “hiringOrganization”: { “@type”: “Organization”, “name”: “Charles River Laboratories”, “sameAs”: “https://uk.whatjobs.com/pub_api__cpl__419498273__4861?utm_campaign=publisher&utm_medium=api&utm_source=4861&geoID=19323” }, “jobLocation”: { “@type”: “Place”, “address”: { “@type”: “PostalAddress”, “addressLocality”: “Manston” } } }
Company: Charles River Laboratories
Apply for the Team Leader – Barrier Production
Location: Manston
Job Description:

This is a people‑first leadership role. You don’t need to join us as a technical expert — we’ll train you. What matters most is your ability to lead, motivate, coach and develop others in a regulated production environment.

We are seeking a confident, resilient Team Leader to guide a team working in a high‑standard barrier rodent production facility. This is a hands‑on, visible leadership role, working alongside your team on a daily basis.

Key ResponsibilitiesLead & Develop People

  • Inspire, support and develop a team of animal technicians working with rodents
  • Set clear expectations around behaviour, performance and accountability
  • Foster a positive, inclusive and psychologically safe team culture
  • Address people and performance issues early, fairly and constructively
  • Actively coach team members and support their training and development

Drive Operational Excellence

  • Coordinate daily and weekly workloads to meet production and animal welfare standards
  • Monitor staffing, training needs and workload distribution, adapting plans as needed
  • Maintain exceptional barrier practice, routines and cleanliness
  • Ensure compliance with SOPs, training records, regulatory standards and internal quality systems

Be a Visible, Hands‑On Leader

  • Spend the majority of your time in the barrier facility, working alongside the team
  • Act as the first point of escalation for operational, welfare or people‑related issues
  • Lead by example in professionalism, safety and attention to detail

Collaborate & Improve

  • Work closely with peer Team Leaders and managers to ensure smooth day‑to‑day operations
  • Support audits, inspections and continuous improvement initiatives
  • Contribute ideas to improve efficiency, quality and team engagement

What We’re Looking For

  • Experience leading, supervising or influencing people in an operational, production or regulated environment
  • Confidence to have honest conversations and make fair, balanced decisions
  • Calm, consistent and resilient leadership, especially under pressure
  • A genuine passion for developing people — not just managing tasks
  • Strong communication skills, integrity and self‑awareness

Desirable but not essential:

  • Experience in laboratory animal care, technical production or regulated environments
  • (Full training will be provided.)

Why Join Us?

  • People‑focused leadership role with real impact
  • Full technical training and ongoing support
  • Stable, weekday‑focused working hours
  • Opportunity to contribute to world‑class scientific research

Posted: May 1st, 2026