Working at Scantox – Austria

As an animal caretaker you must be in good physical shape. The animal caretakers are responsible for the care, feeding and cleaning of the animal houses and cages. They also perform dosing animals in the various studies, as well as collecting and handling samples and data from the animals (electronic data collection). The work is centered around live animals, so naturally there is a very high focus on animal welfare, care for quality and responsibility, as we work in accordance with GLP (Good Laboratory Practice).

Animal caretakers at Scantox are typically trained animal caretakers, farmers, veterinary nurses or laboratory technicians and they work in the Technical Operations team.

A Preclinical Research Assistant/Associate performs laboratory work to test the efficacy and safety of new drugs or therapies before they are used on humans. Tasks include designing and conducting experiments in preclinical models, isolating cells, extracting RNA, preparing for next-generation sequencing (NGS) and evaluating data. The aim is to develop and validate promising biotherapeutic approaches so that they can later be brought into clinical development.

The Scantox laboratory animal veterinarians perform hands-on veterinary work, and they are in contact with many professional groups within the company. Typical tasks include clinical observations, assessment, examination and treatment of laboratory animals, as well as operations. Veterinarians advise veterinary collaborators internally, e.g. our animal caretakers, laboratory technicians, pharmacists or biologists. Animal welfare is a high priority in Scantox and is continuously assessed by the veterinarians. Test methods and models are continuously developed and validated.

Study directors at Scantox are responsible for the various preclinical studies, and they are in direct contact with the clients (typically from the pharmaceutical industry) who commissioned the study. The study directors advise clients on the regulatory requirements and on choice of study design. They prepare study protocols for the study based on client wishes and regulatory requirements. Internally they collaborate with many professional groups, including animal caretakers, laboratory staff and Preclinical Research Assistants, on the operational implementation of the study and generation of all data. This requires an immense overview both internally and externally. When the study has been completed, data is processed and a final report including results and conclusion is prepared.

To become a study director you must have a background as M.Sc. with a scientific background e.g. biologist, pharmacist or veterinarian and come with experience in preclinical studies.

At Scantox there are a number of different types of laboratories, e.g. bioanalysis laboratories, laboratories for histopathology and laboratories for preparation of test items.

In the Bioanalysis Laboratories (HPLC, LC MS/MS) the team is responsible for developing and validating bioanalysis methods for the studies. In the histopathology laboratories, histological incisions for the Preclinical Research Assistants, including trimming, embedding, cutting, special staining and immunohistochemical staining and quality checks. The team here also perform autopsies on the animals. The team in the preparation laboratory works closely with the study directors to ensure correct and timely preparation of formulations used in the studies.

Our Laboratory Technicians have all completed an Associate’s Degree as a minimum, and they have acquired highly specialized competencies within their special task fields. Everyone in the Scantox facility works according to GLP.

The main tasks of quality assurance (QA) are to ensure the quality of products and services, develop and implement quality standards, carry out tests and analyses, and document and monitor processes.