Assistant Technical Specialist (Characterisation)

Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range £31,396 to £33,966 with potential progression once in post to £38,205. Grade: 6

The Characterisation Facility in the School of Metallurgy and Materials plays a vital role in the delivery of cutting-edge practical research and high quality undergraduate and postgraduate teaching by providing staff and students with access and training on a range of equipment from materialographic preparation to advanced physical and thermal characterisation techniques. The facility in the equipment includes XRD, XRF, Particle Size Analysers, STA, DSC, TMA, heat treatment furnaces, hardness testing and universal testing machines.

The Assistant Technical Specialist (Characterisation) will support these activities; being responsible for managing the day to day running and maintenance of equipment within the Characterisation Facility, as well as line managing and setting work for other technical staff in the facility. 

You will provide technical expertise, support, and guidance in research and teaching activities within the Characterisation Facility laboratories in the School of Metallurgy and Materials. You will lead on the installation, operation, maintenance, and management of characterisation equipment including materialography, and physical and thermal characterisation equipment. 

As the main point of contact within the Characterisation Facility, you will need to demonstrate excellent customer service skills, maintaining a positive and proactive attitude when communicating with facility users.

Main Responsibilities

• You will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operation of all Characterisation Facility laboratories.
• Line management of technical staff in the facility, including conducting one-to-one meetings, annual PDR reviews, and supporting the training and development of your team.
• You will maintain high standards of Health & Safety in the facility laboratories.
• You will use your in-depth knowledge of methods and procedures to advise on techniques and experimental procedures being used by researchers and students. This will involve providing training for, and communicating with colleagues and students at a range of experience levels.
• You will need to be able to diagnose and resolve problems, and suggest solutions in regards to techniques and experiments. Provide specific support and advice, often challenging and reinterpreting requests.

Person Specification

• Extensive experience of similar laboratory-based work, together with familiarity with a wide range of laboratory equipment, equivalent professional qualification, or degree in a relevant STEM field.
• Proven specialist knowledge of characterisation techniques, methods, and procedures gained through either extensive experience and/or formal qualifications.
• Ability to diagnose and resolve problems, and suggest solutions in the Characterisation Facility, whilst having regard to the local and wider interests.
• Experience of training individuals to use specialist equipment.
• Experience of working in a customer facing role, with a demonstrable experience of customer service principles.
• Ability to test and implement new approaches, services or systems.
• Ability to analyse problems and summarise key points to others, including non-specialist staff.
• Proactively anticipates and identifies problems/ weaknesses within own area based on own experience.
• Demonstrable ability to plan ahead, work to deadlines involving time management and strong organisational skills.

Informal enquiries can be made to Tom Hutchinson (t.hutchinson@bham.ac.uk)

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the 'Apply' button above.

Valuing excellence, sustaining investment
We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.

Closes: 20^th October 2024 

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