Birkenhead School, awarded the Sunday Times Independent Secondary School of the Year in the North West for 2025, was founded in 1860. It is an HMC independent day school providing education for boys and girls drawn from the whole of the Wirral, Liverpool and as far afield as Chester and North Wales. Situated in the leafy suburb of Oxton, the School enjoys excellent facilities. The main campus has a village green atmosphere, with classrooms and laboratories looking out over the cricket square.
A key feature of the School is its strength of community, which runs through the student, staff and parental bodies. The School is embedded within the wider Wirral community, and has strong links with local businesses and charities. T he School aims to inspire students both inside and outside the classroom, knowing each individual and providing them with outstanding opportunities to find their niche.
Birkenhead School recruits on attitude as much as the quality of an individuals qualifications on paper, an approach that has played a considerable role in the winning of the Sunday Times award in short, staff go above and beyond.
The Role and Responsibilities
The Laboratory Technicians role is within a thriving and well-resourced department, with three technicians running 10 labs. The department has a national reputation for co-curricular activities which, on occasion, involves working outside the normal hours. The post holder will plan laboratory resources, including equipment and materials to ensure that lessons run smoothly and in line with the School and teaching curriculum, and will contribute to Departmental planning to ensure the effective teaching of practical lessons.
Provision of Practical Requirements
Preparation, setting up, checking, issuing and clearing away materials and apparatus in a timely manner.
Monitoring the condition of equipment and materials. Repairing/replacing when appropriate.
Disposal of residue, including hazardous waste, in accordance with good laboratory practice, ACE/CLEAPSS advice and the Scientific Safety handbook.
Maintenance of Facilities and Resources
Storage of apparatus and chemicals in accordance with safety requirements
Keeping of appropriate records of scientific equipment and materials
Maintenance of the Physics Departments audio/visual equipment
Maintain central store of equipment manuals, keys, tools, materials etc.
Maintenance of general equipment in other science areas
Responsibility for storage and documentation of radioactive materials
Organisation of the resources rooms, including a reasonable level of tidiness, ensuring it is safe to walk through at all times.
Requesting/arranging maintenance work to be carried out on the laboratories and other practical areas.
Technical Advice and Assistance
Provide advice to teachers and pupils about available resources
Provide technical advice regarding the operation and application of equipment including IT and A level practical work
Assisting in practical activities if requested
Provide resources and support for Junior Science Club
Perform selected laboratory demonstrations to classes if requested
Prepare spreadsheets and input data for students performance if required
Safety and Security
Use safe working practices
Provide advice to teachers based upon training, knowledge and experience
Keep up to date with safety information provided
Ensure that the departments technical service operates within departmental, school and statutory health requirements using ASE/CLEAPSS advice (including risk assessments). Advise Head of Department on areas of non-compliance
The full list of responsibilities can be found on the Information for Candidates, available on the School website under Employment Opportunities.
This is a full-time, term time position (36 weeks). A degree of flexibility is required to allow for occasional activities involving working outside the normal hours. We will value and support your contribution to School life and in return provide you with excellent rewards;
Working with fantastic young students
Working as part of a committed team
Term time is 34 weeks
Discount on School Fees for permanent members of staff
Free use of the fully equipped on-site gym
Access to the Employee Assistance Programme
Support for your continuous professional development
Lunch provided during term time
Electric Car charging points on site
A letter of application indicating skills and experience, together with a completed application form, including the names and addresses of at least two referees, should be sent for the attention of the Bursar via Cheryl Wallace, Personnel Manager.
Candidates are welcome to contact the Head of Physics, Mr Reuben Mathew with any questions relating to the role.
To meet our safeguarding obligations, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check is undertaken as part of the recruitment process for all new staff. As Birkenhead School is an educational provider, it is permitted to ask whether an applicant has any convictions, cautions, reprimands or final warnings which would not be filtered in line with current guidance, as defined by The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020). It is a criminal offence for an individual who is barred from working with children to apply for a role which is classed as regulated activity. The closing date for applications: 9.00am Monday 21st July2025
We reserve the right to close this vacancy and complete the recruitment process when we are in receipt of sufficient applications. Should you wish to apply for this post you are advised to complete and submit your application form as soon as possible.
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