Senior Technician - Design and Build/Instrumentation and Control
Join to apply for the Senior Technician - Design and Build/Instrumentation and Control role at The University of Sheffield.
Reporting to the Technical Specialist (Electronics/Electrical Control), you will provide comprehensive technical service for staff, students and external customers across the School, supporting research and teaching activities.
Overview
You will advise, guide and support a broad range of technical projects, working in laboratories and workshops to install, interface and refine specialist electronics, IT, or control systems, incorporating them into custom rigs, instruments or machinery. Working across electronics/electrical and mechanical workshop functions, you will deliver solutions to research challenges.
Provide training and demonstrations on operation of technical equipment and safe working practices, ensuring maintenance of operational documentation and regulatory compliance.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
* Day‑to‑day supervisory responsibility for junior technical staff, operations, and facilities in Electrical and Electronics workshop, ensuring efficient technical service.
* Design, develop and refine specialist control and instrumentation solutions supporting equipment installation or manufacture.
* Review and revise working methods regularly to ensure regulatory compliance.
* Plan allocated work projects, define objectives with team members and stakeholders, outline tasks, and determine required skills and resources.
* Maintain workshop physical infrastructure, oversee plant, machinery, equipment and specialist facilities maintenance, and manage repairs, modifications and servicing.
* Provide high‑level advice, guidance and training to staff and students on technical issues, experimental design, construction, test set up and interpretation of test results.
* Collaborate with the Faculty of Engineering to ensure future Technical Training Programme meets technical support requirements.
* Maintain a culture of customer service excellence, professionalism, collaboration and common purpose.
* Assist in the development of procedures, policies and strategies relating to technical service matters, and take responsibility for Health and Safety compliance.
* Manage laboratory or workshop budget, monitor spend, report over/underspend, requisition purchases via SAP, maintain stock control to meet operational needs.
* Any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post.
Person Specification
Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and are respected. Even if your past experience does not match perfectly with this role’s criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please reference the application criteria in your application statement when you apply.
Criteria
Essential (assessed at Application/interview)
* Good honours degree in Electronics/IT subject area (or equivalent experience).
* Experience of design and delivery of custom technical solutions around instrument interfacing, programming and build of custom electronics supporting research and teaching.
* Experience of managing technical projects, staff and resources in a complex environment.
* Comprehensive knowledge of Health and Safety regulations.
* Experience of working in a Higher Education technical role.
* Experience of reviewing performance and progress, motivating high performance.
* Excellent communication skills, written and verbal, engaging staff at all levels.
* Excellent customer service skills, responding efficiently to telephone, email and enquiries.
* Ability to assess, plan and progress work activities effectively.
* Ability to manage a broad workload with competing deadlines and deliver to agreed timescales.
* Experience of developing and maintaining a network of contacts across own work area/department/organisation.
Desirable (assessed at Application/interview)
* Technical Professional Registration or willingness to work towards it.
* Excellent people‑management skills with a history of leading technical staff to meet deadlines.
* Commitment to professional development through training, events, etc.
* Machining and manufacturing experience (CNC, manual lathes, pillar drills, hand tools).
* CAD trained.
* Interviews assessable for developing network of contacts.
Salary and Working Arrangements
Grade: 6
Salary: £32,080 – £36,636 per annum, potential to progress to £39,906 per annum.
Work arrangement: Full‑time.
Duration: Open‑ended.
Line manager: Technical Specialist – Electronics and Electrical Control.
Direct reports: G4 Support Technician.
Further Information
For informal enquiries: Andrew Crawford, School Technical Manager, andrew.crawford@sheffield.ac.uk or 0114 222 5500.
Next Steps in Recruitment: Selection process begins 2 weeks after closing date, consisting of interview and test. We will inform candidates of progression promptly. For support or adjustments, contact cmbe‑staffing‑contracts@sheffield.ac.uk.
We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria, you will be invited to the next stage.
What We Offer
* Minimum 38 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro‑rata) with purchase option.
* Flexible working, including hybrid for some roles.
* Generous pension scheme.
* Wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out, travel.
* Staff networks for social interaction, peer support and personal development.
* Recognition awards for outstanding performance.
* Commitment to development, learning and mentoring via Technical Career Route.
* Family‑friendly policies: paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies, support for menopause, fertility treatment, and more.
More details on our benefits page: https://sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits.
We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence, committed to building a diverse community that values all abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living.
#J-18808-Ljbffr