JOB DESCRIPTION
Position Details
College of Life and Environmental Sciences
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £28,397 to £30,210, with potential progression once in post to £33,938
Grade 5
Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to December 2026
Closing date: 1st January 2024
Kindly be advised that, owing to specific business requirements, we currently have a single available position. However, we are open to considering applications for alternative grades. Prior to submitting your application, we encourage you to review the related vacancies (3706 and 3708) to ascertain alignment with your preferences.
Background
An enthusiastic, innovative and self-motivated person is sought for the position of Senior Research Technician to work on an exciting new research project funded jointly by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.K. Natural Environment Research Council (entitled “Warming’s silver lining? Thermal compensation at multiple levels of organization may promote ecosystem stability in response to drought”). This three-year project aims to understand how the gradual warming caused by climate change will affect how freshwater ecosystems, specifically rivers and streams, respond to extreme climate events, particularly periods of low flow and hydrological drought. The project has two main components: 1. experimental work in Iceland, where streams of contrasting temperature arising because of geothermal activity are used as surrogates of climate warming, and 2. replicated flume experiments in Birmingham U.K., where state-of-the-art facilities are located.
The post holder will establish and maintain warming experiments in our outdoor artificial stream facility – the Ecolaboratory (link) – located on the University of Birmingham Campus. The first phase of the work will involve establishing the physical structure of the stream habitat (substrate, flow conditions and thermal regime) and biological communities (plants and invertebrates) in the Ecolaboratory flumes, with visits to local rivers and streams. They will also set-up, calibrate and maintain environmental sensors, and manage the data collected. A second phase will involve 1. applying and maintaining experimental manipulations of flow regimes and water temperature to a high standard to ensure the effectiveness of experimental research in the flumes, and 2. collecting and processing biological and water samples. They will support a wider team of researchers from the UK and US, and will take part in field sampling campaigns in Iceland periodically.
Role Summary
You will need an in-depth understanding of the research questions, techniques and experimental protocols. You will be able to use your in-depth knowledge to advise on procedures, diagnose and resolve problems, and proactively suggest solutions to issues which arise. You may need to operate out of normal working hours to accommodate experimental procedures.
In order to flexibly use resource you may be offered the opportunity to work in different areas of the department or wider university.
Main Duties
- You will be responsible for assisting in managing the outdoor experimental Ecolaboratory facility and laboratory, under the leadership of the facility Director.
- Devise and undertake flume-based laboratory experiments at the Ecolaboratory.
- Ensure the Ecolaboratory facility runs efficiently and resolve operational issues that arise swiftly to protect experiments, in liaison with University staff.
- Organise and manage data in standard formats (spreadsheets) for future analysis.
- Collect and process samples for physicochemical and biological characterisation using environmental analytical techniques.
- Ensure quality control and assurance of all laboratory procedures and analytical instruments and maintain rigorous accuracy and precision checks to ensure quality data generation.
- Undertake field work in urban and rural environments, in the UK and Overseas, to collect biological material.
- You will use your in-depth knowledge of methods and procedures to advise on techniques and experimental procedures being used by researchers and/or students. This will involve communicating with colleagues at a range of levels and inexperienced students.
- You will need to be able to diagnose and resolve problems and suggest solutions in regard to techniques and experiments.
- Carry out specialist technical and experimental procedures which will need you to use your judgment to assess the correct technique to use, and to consider how these may be improved, referring to your manager for approval on any proposed changes.
- You will need to maintain accurate records of all techniques and experimental procedures you carry out, and for any other research activities you may be involved in including results.
- Ensure compliance with legislation relevant to the area of research/activity.
- Comply with and promote the operating procedures for the area, including the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures regulation.
- You may contribute to internal and external audit procedures and to regulatory inspections.
Health and Safety duties
- Proactive support for health and safety within the laboratory. This may include being required to look after a communal area as part of your duties. Comply with all current rules and ensure all required assessments are in place, approved and up to date.
- Fully understand the safety aspects of equipment operation and be able to demonstrate/train staff (at all levels) on the correct usage of the equipment.
- Ensuring that regular maintenance processes are carried out and that appropriate records are maintained.
- Reporting any breaches or non-compliance with H&S procedures to the relevant manager(s).
- Upholding the correct waste disposal stream as governed by College and local policy for laboratory.
- Upholding the correct waste disposal stream as governed by College and local policy for the laboratory.
- Postholders may be asked to undergo training as a First Aider.
General Administration and Organisation
- Ensuring all records are accurate and kept up to date.
- Proactively maintain stocks of consumables, and when required generate purchase order requisitions using University systems.
- Receipt and correct storage of consumables/equipment and chemical reagents.
- Ensuring that the facilities are maintained in a clean, functional and safe condition, reporting any problems through the appropriate channels.
- Ensuring that PAT testing, calibration of equipment and locally and centrally held equipment inventories are up to date and maintained.
- Adopt a proactive attitude to assisting with and implementing carbon reduction and energy saving measures.
- Maintain a technical support based teaching laboratory website (how to guides for the preparation of materials, practical setup guides), and keeping these up to date as and when session requirements or protocols change or maintaining relevant research lab databases/records.
Other Duties
- In collaboration with the relevant manager the post holder will take an active role in the training and mentoring process for junior or newly appointed staff.
- Supports equality and values diversity, moderates own behaviour to avoid unfair discriminatory impact or bias on others.
- Any other duties as may reasonably be required.
Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience
- Extensive relevant workplace experience, equivalent professional qualification or degree in the Environmental Sciences or Engineering or equivalent experience.
- Experience working with environmental sensors and dataloggers is desirable.
- Experience in field-based environmental monitoring is essential and experience running outdoor/mesocosm experiments is desirable.
- Knowledge of freshwater ecology is desirable.
- UK driving licence is essential, as you will be required to travel to different sites which are not accessible by public transport
- In-depth practical knowledge of relevant technical and scientific methods.
- Extensive experience of similar laboratory based work, together with familiarity with a wide range of laboratory equipment.
- Positive service attitude and shows courtesy in dealing with others.
- Ability to organise and manage own work load and demonstrate flexibility in terms of work practices/requirements.
- Ability to work under minimal supervision but function as part of a team.
- Knowledge of current legislation relevant to the role.
- Knowledge of current H&S policies and ability to uphold same.
- Proficiency in commonly used software packages.
- Understands the importance of equality and diversity in the workplace
- Ability to identify and respond to equality and diversity issues in line with relevant policies and procedures
Dimensions
You will provide specialist expertise in your area and provide advice and support to a range of customers. You may supervise staff; even where you do not have supervisory responsibilities you will be expected to act as a role model for other staff. You may be involved in budget monitoring.
Planning and organising
You will be required to work independently on daily, weekly and monthly tasks but also on projects with medium-longer-term horizons without daily supervision. You will ensure that you have the resources required, which will require planning ahead and procurement of goods.
Problem solving and decision making
You will be able to research, modify and adapt protocols after consulting relevant manager, and prepare for research experiments. You will be able to uphold Health and Safety procedures. You will need to be confident in identifying problems, breaking them down and implementing solutions. Although you will work under the direction of more senior staff you will be able to carry out your work with a large amount of autonomy.
Internal and external relationships
This role will be advising and supporting research staff and/or students, and with external contacts such as company representatives.
Informal enquiries to Mark Ledger, email: m.e.ledger@bham.ac.uk
We believe there is no such thing as a ‘typical’ member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.
