CAREERS

Please contact us and send your CV through if you are interested in career opportunities.

 

JOB DESCRIPTION: RAM SHED TECHNICIAN

Location:           East Lothian, EH35 5NG

Department:     Ram Shed

Reporting to:    Ram Shed Co-ordinator

MAIN PURPOSE

The position will involve being responsible for the care and husbandry of client’s rams and ewes on centre. Ensuring animals under our care are maintained to the highest health and husbandry standards. Assisting with daily semen collections and assessment, donor ewe synchronisation programmes and on occasion, assisting vets and technicians with artificial insemination and embryo transfer on centre. A passion and knowledge of the sheep industry and pedigree livestock would be advantageous.

MAIN DUTIES

– Booking in/out of rams, liaising with clients regarding the collection process

– Being responsible for the care and husbandry of client’s rams and ewes on centre

– Making sure the health of the on-centre teaser rams and ewes are maintained to a high standard. Ensuring annual vaccinations, Blood tests (MV Scheme and Exports) and general husbandry.

– Donor ewe synchronisation programming

– Shed preparation and upkeep

– Ordering feed, hay and shavings for the shed

– Ensuring movement licences, MV document and ram admittance forms are completed, sent and updated to the required authorities or spread sheets

– Answering client calls and administration as per required by the role

– Ram semen collections

– Semen freezing

– Semen batching and invoicing

– Assistance in maintenance of semen tanks

– On centre AI and ET technician assistance

– Assisting vets with export ram/ewe health inspections

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Key Skills  

  • High standard of animal welfare and cleanliness
  • Livestock handling
  • Focus on bio security
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Good organisational skills
  • Good interpersonal skills to be able to get along with others, both internal and external to the organisation
  • Ability to prioritise and multi-task in the face of many responsibilities/duties
  • Basic knowledge of computer applications
  • Accurate attention to detail
  • Team player
  • Good time management

Qualifications and Experience

Working as part of a small team you would be required to have good interpersonal skills and must be able to work alone and within a team. A qualification in agriculture or animal science is not essential but may be helpful. Good communication and customer service is also required alongside basic computer literacy.

Hours of work

The normal hours of work are 36.5hrs per week, based around usual office hours of 8.30am – 5pm Monday – Thursday and 8.30am – 4pm on a Friday. Weekend hours as part of a rota. Work can be seasonal and additional hours may be required in the high season which can be taken as days off in lieu in the low season. The option for payment of overtime will be in line with contract terms.

Travel

The successful candidate should hold a full, clean driving license. There may be, on occasion, some off-site work when assisting on farm, and accommodation will be paid for along with reasonable expenses submitted in line with the expenses policy.

Remuneration

This is a full-time, salaried position for which the salary will be dependent on experience. The remuneration package includes 33 days leave (including bank holidays), death in service benefit and a 4% pension contribution which will increase dependant on length of service.

To apply, please send a covering letter and CV to geraint@abreeds.co.uk

Closing date: 28th May 2025