Technician

Job id: 084445. Salary: £29,248 – £32,181 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance.

Posted: 13 February 2024. Closing date: 05 March 2024.

Business unit: Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine. Department: Randall Cell & Molecular Biophysics.

Contact details:Lisa Sanderson. [email protected]

Location: Guy’s Campus. Category: Professional & Support Services.

Job description

 The post holder will be part of a technical team providing high quality technical support within the School of Basic & Medical Biosciences and the Comprehensive Cancer Centre that is part of the School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences. They will use their technical and practical skills to carry out a range of laboratory tasks that are essential to ensure the smooth delivery of research in a busy environment.

A key element of the post is to lead on the provision of a glass washing service using glass washing machines and also to provide an efficient and timely autoclaving service to departments within the Schools, including sterilisation of research materials and the inactivation of Genetically Modified waste. They will manage their workload effectively to ensure a continuous service that supports the work of the researchers in laboratories based on the Guy’s campus.

They will also play an active role in the provision of consumable products to the researchers, placing internal orders and collecting products from the Guy’s campus store, replenishing stock room areas, dealing with deliveries, ensuring correct storage of temperature sensitive items and notifying recipients of their arrival.

The ideal candidate will be a dependable team player, able to work well as part of the wider technical team to deliver a comprehensive technical service. They will be expected to contribute to a number of technical objectives including but not limited to, health and safety compliance, good laboratory practice, maintenance of equipment and interactions with external stakeholders (engineers, delivery staff, maintenance and security personnel etc.)

The position is suitable for someone with experience of manual handling activities and operating autoclave/glass washing machinery. They will have a strong interest in a service provision role to the research staff and students in the School. 

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract.

This is a full-time post – 100% full time equivalent.

Key responsibilities

• Provide a range of technical support to established service standards, using accurate record keeping and data analysis skills, applying knowledge to new areas as required.
• Use technical or practical skills and a well-developed working knowledge of technical/ scientific practices and procedures.
• Engage in Continuing Professional Development and training initiatives, in line with the Technician Commitment and Research Concordat for a minimum of 10 days pro rata per year.
• Maintain service facilities ensuring efficient use of resources, installing, maintaining, and securing technical equipment systems and software and controlling associated stocks/store, equipment, and supplies.
• Work to an agreed work plan and day-to-day objectives set by the line manager(s)/ supervisor.
• Prioritise work, dealing with activities/ enquiries/ incidents as and when they arise, working independently without reference to a line manager or supervisor, using standard procedures and initiative.
• Resolve routine and complex problems that arise in the local service using established guidance to put in place mechanisms to minimise future problems.
• Use accurate record keeping and data analysis skills to interpret and evaluate routine data.
• Support less experienced colleagues in making day-to-day local operational decisions.
• Work with colleagues and network as agreed by the line manager(s).
• Form a network of contacts to provide support and share best practice.
• Build working relationships with School staff, students, and key partners, to coordinate activities in a timely and effective manner.
• Demonstrate and advise staff and students on techniques as appropriate.
• Communicate information in a clear and precise way, both orally and in writing.
• Contribute to ideas for improving current working methods and procedures.
• Implement local environmentally sustainable practices, following the King’s sustainability audit process, where appropriate.
• Collaborate with colleagues to share good practice and support wider sustainable initiatives and suggest new ideas where you see that improvements could be made.
• Understand the regulations and university policies governing the service, using safe working practices, and suggesting improvements to line manager(s) in order to reduce risks, including negative environmental impacts.
• Report accidents/ incidents to line manager(s)/ supervisor.
• Facilitate an inclusive culture and ethos working with academic, research and other professional services staff and colleagues external to King’s.
• Participate in cross-School/ Faculty/ university projects and initiatives for up to 10% FTE.

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

Minimum level 3 qualification, e.g. A levels, AS levels, International Baccalaureate diploma or other Level 3 qualification, plus work experience in a relevant technical/scientific post(s) OR Knowledge and skills gained through work experience in relevant technical or scientific posts.

Evidence of an active commitment to skills and knowledge development through vocational training and on-the-job experience.

Knowledge of a range of technical or practical skills and procedures and their impact on the environment.

Ability to apply learnt techniques to the work context.

Clear spoken and written communication skills, with competent computer use and strong interpersonal and influencing/behavioural skills.

Solutions-focused self-starter, with good prioritisation and organisational skills.

Flexible team-worker who is responsive to colleagues.

An understanding of Health & Safety regulations governing area of work, particularly relating to laboratory waste disposal and recycling.

Manual handling experience and/or training

Experience of working in a service providing role.

Desirable criteria 

Experience in a role involving the purchasing and the delivery of orders and  post to departments and/or reporting and facilitating maintenance/repair works.

Evidence of a commitment to professional development including professional registration, such as RSciTech and a willingness to learn new techniques.

Experience in supervising/advising less experienced colleagues, monitoring, and providing feedback on performance.

Able and willing to provide support beyond core hours as required.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

Selection process will be by Panel Interview.