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Unit Specialist– Pet Welfare & Science Support

Company: Mars

Location: Waltham, Leicestershire

Salary: £30,200 -£31,400

Closing Date: 4 September 2026

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Job Description:

📍 Waltham on the Wolds
💷 £30,200 -£31,400 inclusive of rota allowance
🎁 + Company performance bonus & Exceptional Benefits

 9.5 hours per day on rotation working over 7 days (average of 37.5 hours per week)

🌟 Role Purpose

As a Unit Specialist, you will play a key role in delivering exceptional welfare standards while enabling high-quality pet science and research delivery. You will operate as part of a specialist multidisciplinary team supporting welfare, behavioural, veterinary, and scientific outcomes.

⭐ What’s in it for you?

  • Private healthcare + equal parental leave
  • Generous pension (up to 9% contribution)
  • Life assurance (4x salary)
  • Gym membership & wellbeing support
  • Annual leave starting at 24 days, rising to 32 with service
  • Career Opportunities, the role offers development into specialist, technical, or science-support career pathways within pet welfare, behaviour and research environments.

🧬 Key Responsibilities

  • Welfare & Environment Delivery: Deliver and maintain gold-standard welfare, enrichment, and husbandry.
  • Behaviour & Training Support: Support behavioural assessments, recreation and individual development plans.
  • Health & Welfare Monitoring: Monitor health, behaviour, and wellbeing.
  • Scientific Programme Support: Deliver accurate behavioural observations, data capture, and sample support for research studies.

✅ What We’re Looking For

  • Professional animal handling experience
  • Strong understanding of welfare and behaviour principles
  • High attention to detail and data accuracy with a focus on quality
  • Interest in scientific or technical environments
  • Full UK driving licence
  • Comfortable working outdoors in all weathers

🌍 What You Can Expect from Mars

  • Work alongside 130,000+ Associates worldwide guided by our Five Principles
  • Be part of a purpose-driven company shaping “the world we want tomorrow”
  • Access world-class training & development from day one
  • Join a company with an industry-leading salary and benefits package

About Mars:

Mars is a family-owned business with more than $35 billion in global sales. We produce some of the world’s best-loved brands: M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, BEN’S ORIGINAL® and COCOAVIA®. Alongside our consumer brands, we proudly take care of half of the world’s pets through our nutrition, health and services businesses such as Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, AniCura, VCA™ and Pet Partners™. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our 130,000 Associates into taking action every day towards creating the world we want tomorrow.

Please mention Jobs With Animals when applying for this role.

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