Senior Laboratory Technician (Daphnia Facility) – School of Biosciences – 104841 – Grade 5

Job title:

Senior Laboratory Technician (Daphnia Facility) – School of Biosciences – 104841 – Grade 5

Company

University of Birmingham

Job description

Job Description:Position DetailsSchool of BiosciencesLocation: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UKFull time starting salary is normally in the range £28,397 to £30,210, with potential progression once in post to £33,938Grade: 5Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to September 2029Closing date: 25th November 2024Our offer to youPeople are at the heart of what we are and do.The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.Find out more about theRole SummaryThe post-holder will provide technical support to maintain a functioning laboratory environment for research in the Daphnia Facility. The Technician will work closely with the Facility Manager and other lab users, including students, to support the research and teaching projects undertaken in the facility. In addition to performing key technical tasks, including but not limited to animal stock culture maintenance, algal feed production, and medium preparation, the post-holder will also be required to perform various tasks that support the functionality and development of the Daphnia Facility, including training and induction of new staff and students. The impact of this role is to enhance the University’s research power and to support teaching by providing students (BSc/MRes/PhD) with a distinctive high-quality experience, in line with the University’s 2030 Strategy.To ensure adequate support for Daphnia Facility users, the post-holder will be expected to follow core working hours of 9am – 3pm. Additional contracted hours can be agreed outside of these core hours at the discretion of the post-holder.Main DutiesThe post-holder would be expected to carry out the following duties with minimal supervision:

• Animal husbandry of both experimental and natural strains of Daphnia
• Maintain algal cultures of suitable quality for experimental and Daphnia culture requirements
• Develop Standard Operating Procedures for Daphnia husbandry and experimentation, and perform laboratory tasks in accordance with these procedures
• Accurate record-keeping of various types of data (e.g. Daphnia and algal health records, growth medium chemistry, equipment logs, chemical inventories) on Microsoft Office programs and LIMS/ELN software
• Maintain a clean and functional laboratory environment for research and teaching activities:

• Management of space and equipment. This will include general upkeep of the laboratory areas, sterilisation of glassware, overseeing health and safety, and equipment calibration
• Management of reagents and other consumables. This will include administrative (stock-taking, ordering, collection, and receipt of consumables) and technical duties (preparation of reagents, correct and safe storage of consumables and materials)
• Demonstrate technical competence in the use of basic instrumentation and laboratory equipment (e.g. pH meter, optical microscope, spectrophotometer, centrifuge)
• Forward planning and effective time management supporting recurring tasks, e.g. equipment servicing and repairs, water chemical testing, culture maintenance, etc.
• Maintain a safe laboratory environment for research:

• Understand and follow risk assessments, including COSHH
• Manage and control laboratory waste, assist laboratory users with safe disposal of waste according to the University’s policies and procedures
• Understand and follow procedures for the correct handling and disposal of hazardous substances
• Work safely through understanding and compliance with:

• The University’s safety policy and procedures for: general workplace health and safety; laboratory health and safety; fire and electrical safety; manual handling
• Laboratory health and safety legal, regulatory, and ethical requirements
• Risk assessment and control, including COSHH and appropriate use of personal protective equipment
• Engage with Estates and other campus services to support the Daphnia Facility as necessary
• Coordinate internal and external requests for shipping and receiving Daphnia
• Offer guidance to users of the Daphnia Facility, as required
• Personal responsibilities:

• Time management – set own deadlines and priorities for dealing with day-to-day workload
• Proactive reporting to Facility Manager regarding progress and problems
• Effective communication with all team members via emails, Slack, MS Teams, and Zoom
• Assess problems and implement changes within area of expertise
• To actively engage in the Personal Development Process

The post-holder would be expected to carry out the following duties with moderate supervision:

• Support experiments and generate protocols for research that contributes to Daphnia Facility objectives, e.g. optimisation of equipment, testing new protocols/assays
• Modify and suggest new approaches for routine laboratory tasks and experiments, as appropriate
• Offer induction and training for users of the Daphnia Facility, as required
• Investigation into and procurement of new equipment for the Daphnia Facility
• Contribute at a level appropriate with the grade, to internal and external audit procedures, and to regulatory inspections

The post-holder would be expected to carry out the following duties under direct supervision:

• Assess problems outside of area of expertise
• Assist with developing long-term objectives and priorities for the Daphnia Facility

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• BSc degree in Biology, Biochemistry, or similar degree; or extensive relevant workplace experience
• Proven laboratory experience working with Daphnia or any other aquatic species/small invertebrates
• Competent animal husbandry and animal handling skills, including the ability to assess sex, developmental stage, and health condition of Daphnia (after on-the-job training during probation period)
• Good working knowledge of technical and scientific methods used in animal biology; some working knowledge of technical methods used in algal culture
• Knowledge of current relevant H&S policies
• Proficiency in commonly used software packages (e.g. Microsoft Office), and ability to maintain accurate electronic records of inventories and data
• Ability to organise, manage own workload, and demonstrate flexibility in terms of work practices and requirements
• Ability to work independently but also function as part of a team
• Courtesy in working with others
• Understands the importance of equality and diversity in the workplace

Informal enquiries to Luisa Orsini, email:View our staff values and behavioursWe 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. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone .

Expected salary

£28397 – 30210 per year

Location

United Kingdom

Job date

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 07:41:28 GMT

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