Overview
You will provide technical support for teaching activities as required, utilising your technical skills and a wide range of techniques. You will also be expected to ensure your working area is safe and support others in following health and safety instructions. You may need to operate out of normal working hours to accommodate classes. In order to flexibly use resource, you may be given the opportunity to work in different areas of the department or wider University.
Responsibilities
Main Duties
* Contribute to planning the most efficient/effective means to turnaround the daily classes
* Setting up and clearing away equipment, consumables and reagents, ensuring laboratories are suitably prepared for practicals
* Testing, maintaining and calibrating a wide range of precision instrumentation
* Monitoring and replenishing consumables, including preparing orders and collecting items from stores
* Diagnosing and resolving the majority of in-class problems, including with equipment
* Demonstrating the use of a wide range of relevant equipment and techniques during classes
* Testing and, where appropriate, modifying protocols in conjunction with manager
* Liaising with relevant managers with regard to requirements and accurately instruct other staff
* Preparing the laboratories for other events such as open days. You may be asked to participate in demonstrations on open days
Health and Safety
* Uphold compliance with all University and local Health & Safety policies, including risk assessments and manual handling, reporting any breaches or non-compliance to the relevant manager
* Manage the safe handling and disposal of all materials used in practical classes or research laboratories, including hazardous materials
* Assist or prepare risk assessments and keep these up to date if required
* Maintain all records as appropriate
* Carry out regular maintenance processes as appropriate
Administrative Duties
* Maintain stocks of consumables and, if necessary, create purchase order requisitions
* Receipt and correct storage of consumables and chemical reagents
* Ensure that the facilities are maintained in a clean, functional and safe condition, reporting any problems
* Report any problems with equipment or services which cannot be resolved to the line manager as appropriate
* Adopt a proactive attitude to assisting with and implementing carbon reduction and energy saving measures where practicable
* Supports equality and values diversity, moderates own behaviour to avoid unfair discriminatory impact or bias on others
* Very good organisational and administrative skills, able to record information accurately using online systems and databases
* A flexible and proactive attitude is essential
* Very good communication and interpersonal skills, able to persuasively influence compliance from principal investigators to students
* Work will require some evenings and weekends; activities may require occasional extended periods away from Birmingham, including overseas travel
* A willingness to be qualified as a first aider is desirable
* NVQ, BTEC/ONC at level three or equivalent and specific relevant experience would be advantageous
* GCSE level 2 (A-C) or equivalent in mathematics and English
* Practical experience of battery-operated vehicles and working knowledge of Good Laboratory Practice is advantageous
* Experience of working in a laboratory-based teaching or research environment; or the ability to participate in practical classes
* Ability to organise and manage your own workload after consultation with manager
* Proactive approach to Health and Safety matters, with strong communication skills to interact with a range of people
* Ability to be flexible to meet deadlines
* Fully familiar with safe handling and storage of laboratory materials
* Good IT skills; familiarity with Windows and/or Apple Macintosh is advantageous
* Understands the importance of equality and diversity in the workplace and can identify and respond to related issues
Dimensions and Planning
You will have no direct line management responsibility (other than occasional instructions to other staff) and no budget to manage. You will schedule and organise your own work within the priorities and requirements for the area. You will deliver a level of service to colleagues/customers/students as agreed, carrying out daily teaching support as required. You will apply knowledge and experience to resolve issues with equipment or experiments for student classes.
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