Working at Scantox – Denmark

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 laboratories. 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.

Pathologists at Scantox work with post-study microscopic evaluation and interpretation of tissue. They prepare comprehensive descriptions /reports and interpretations of the microscopic findings in the study, as well as participate in necropsy supervision. They may also participate in necropsies and gross-pathological interpretation, sample collection, and fixation. The pathologists have close collaboration with study directors and laboratory staff. They take on a consultancy role within pathology-related issues, provide scientific expertise for designs and guide staff in the histopathology laboratory. The pathologists provide support to new customers.

The pathologists are professional veterinarians (DVM degree).

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 and for surgical operations it is the veterinarian who sets the participating team. 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 pathologists, 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  pathologists, 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.

Procurement handles all procurement and supplier negotiations for the company – from coffee beans to highly specialized hospital equipment and pretty much everything in-between. This department will manage shipments to clients worldwide. This includes preparation and handling of all shipping documents, as well as final monitoring to check that the goods have reached the destination safely and on time. As an employee in the Scantox purchasing/shipping department great skills are required for precision, structure, overview and quality, and you must have good and concise communication skills in both Danish and English. The staff in this department is in close dialogue with technical and academic staff both internally and externally.