Job Description
The University
At Durham University we are proud of our people. A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting - Durham is a university like no other.
Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally. Whether you are at the very start, middle or end of your career, there is a role for you. We believe everyone has their own unique skills to offer.
We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be found here.
Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? - Information Page.
Working at Durham
A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: you will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits:
- 27 Days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year - a total of 39 days per year. The University closes between Christmas and New Year - please include or delete if not applicable.
- No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies.
- Lots of support for health and wellbeing including discounted membership for our state of the art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
- On site nursery is available plus access to holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
- Family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, which are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
- There is a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.
- The opportunity to take part in staff volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community.
- Discounts are available via our benefits portal including; money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, the cinema and days out at various attractions.
- We offer generous pension schemes.
Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here.
Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion
Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work.
As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University's Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It's important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.
We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.
The Role and Department
The role will involve working as part of an experienced technical team under the guidance of the Electrical and Electronic workshop manager, providing expert electrical and electronic support to a wide range of research and teaching projects within the Engineering Department at Durham. One day you could be working on wiring for a wind tunnel, the next you could be designing a system to support experimental mobile communications rigs, and the day after that, troubleshooting an experimental slope stability rig. Your "clients" could range from internationally renowned academic staff through to local school pupils as part of an outreach project. Your knowledge of electrical and electronic systems, initiative and teamworking skills will let you adapt to the wide-ranging challenges you might face but the regular 8-4 or 9-5 weekday hours will ensure you have time outside of work too. As a technical and predominantly workshop-based role, most of your time will be spent on-site in Durham, with only limited opportunities to work from home if tasks and workloads permit.
The Department of Engineering at Durham is consistently one of the very best UK Engineering Departments with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and the employability of our students. The strategic vision for the Department includes a growth plan over the next five years, with a significant enhancement of our research and teaching provision. It's an exciting time to join the Department and make your mark.
The Department of Engineering at Durham is consistently one of the very best UK Engineering Departments with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and the employability of our students. The strategic vision for the Department includes a growth plan over the next five years, with a significant enhancement of our research and teaching provision. It's an exciting time to join the Department and make your mark.
What you need to demonstrate when you apply/Person Specification
When you apply it is important that you let us know what skills/experience you have from a similar role and/or what skills/ experience you have which would make you right for this role. Further information about the role and responsibilities is at the end of this job description. Where a criteria has an asterisk* next to it, it may be given additional weighting when your application is considered.
Essential Criteria
1. Excellent spoken and written communications skills
2. Strong digital competence across a range of digital devices and apps including digital communication tools and Microsoft 365 applications
3. Five GCSE's at least Grade C or level four (or equivalent) including English Language and Mathematics or equivalent experience.
4. Qualified to Ordinary National Certificate level (or equivalent qualification / experience) in either a science subject or electrical and electronic engineering.
5. Experience of working in a team.
6. *Experience of reading and interpreting electrical and electronic circuit schematics and selecting suitable components
7. *Experience of troubleshooting electrical and electronic systems and of problem solving to resolve issues
8. Demonstrable ability to provide advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues.
9. Experience of monitoring own activities and others to ensure health and safety regulations linked to electricity and electronic equipment are adhered to.
10. Experience of managing time to meet deadlines
11. Industry or professional knowledge/recognition relevant to the role supported by relevant courses or certification.
12. *Proficiency in using soldering equipment, oscilloscopes, multimeters, signal generators, and other tools for construction, testing and diagnosis.
Desirable Criteria
1. Qualified to Higher National Certificate level (or equivalent qualification / experience) in electrical and electronic engineering.
2. Evidence of continuing professional development.
3. Ability to effectively network and exchange advice and information for development purposes.
4. Ability to participate in networks to share and discuss good practice and exchange information.
To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above. Where there are desirable criteria we would also urge you to provide any relevant evidence. Please don't forget to check if there is any weighted criteria (see above).
While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.
Submitting your application
We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points during the process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails
What you are required to submit:
• A CV
• A supporting statement which shows examples of how you meet all the criteria within the Person Specification. We strongly recommend formatting this as a table or in another easy-to-read format.
Contact details
If you would like to have a chat or ask any questions about the role, Steve Robertson (Senior Technical Manager, steven.robertson@durham.ac.uk ) or David Hudson (Electrical and Electronics workshop manager david.s.hudson@durham.ac.uk ) would be happy to speak to you.
Typical Role Requirements
These are included to give you a more general feel for the role, but we will be assessing your application against the essential and desirable criteria above.
Service Delivery
• Respond to queries and provide information/advice, while raising more specialist or complex queries with more experienced team members.
• Use your experience and problem-solving skills to investigate and resolve electrical and electronic issues relevant to your role and make recommendations based on your findings.
• Continually review what is required from people who you work with to make sure the best possible service is provided.
• Monitor and analyse the use of electrical and electronic equipment and resources to ensure efficiency and report your findings to senior colleagues.
• Show a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University's values.
Planning and Organising
• Plan and organise own workload to deliver the role.
• Organise and schedule assigned resources, activities and events.
• Monitor processes and activities to ensure team priorities are met.
Teaching and Learning Support
• Prepare safety documents and risk assessments for teaching, research and learning activities.
• Setup and prepare equipment and facilities for the delivery of teaching and research activities.
• Provide supervision for teaching and research activities, including students and staff.
• Construct and/or repair, electrical, electronic and digital equipment and tools under the supervision of more experienced colleagues.
• Apply sector and professional standards when delivering technical and experimental services to support teaching, outreach, research and learning activities.
• Ensure the smooth running of laboratories, workshops and experimental facilities
• Record, monitor and collate information, analyse patterns and trends as part of teaching and research activities.
• Use new and existing resources to deliver teaching, research and/or learning objectives.
• Use your knowledge and skills to build, adapt, construct and repair electrical and electronic test set-ups, experiments and laboratory equipment].
Teamwork
• Provide specialist support and advice to team members on electrical and electronic topics.
• Make changes to the services provided by your team in discussion with other team members.
• Identify opportunities and contribute to decisions on how to improve services being delivered by the team.
• Seek feedback from people on their requirements from your service and recommend improvements to senior colleagues.
Communications/Liaison
• Use your knowledge and expertise to provide advice and guidance to resolve problems and respond to a wide range of queries.
• Provide instruction and demonstrations to others.
• Keep accurate records of stock levels and liaise with colleagues to identify resource requirements, store and deliver resources.
• Create good working relationships with other team members and anyone else that you come across as part of your role to work together on joint activities.
• Liaise with academic staff, students and colleagues across the University to ensure that services are being delivered in a smooth and efficient way.
• Create good working relationships with internal and external partners and suppliers to work together on joint activities.
• Build relationships with contacts and contribute to internal and external networks to share good practice and exchange information.
• Any other reasonable duties.
Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Privacy Notices - Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.
When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.