Technician

Reference
1107606

Branch
University of Salford

Start date
10/02/2026

Duration
3 Months

Hours and days
36.25hrs Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm

Dress code
Not Applicable

Rate of pay
£14.87

Holiday rate
£1.79

Role

The role of Assistant Technician (Biological and Chemical Sciences) has arisen in the University’s School of Science, Engineering and Environment (SSEE). SSEE is a large multi-disciplinary School comprising around 400 staff, including around 50 highly skilled technicians and approximately 4500 students studying on a range of taught and research programmes at BSc, BEng, MEng, MSc, MPhil and PhD level. SSEE embraces subjects as diverse as Zoology, Parasitology, Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, Geography, Biomedical Science, Architecture and Construction Management, in a range of locations on the Peel Park campus.

The role of Assistant Technician (Chemical and Biological Sciences) is key to ensuring that students within SSEE receive an excellent student experience across degree programmes encompassing chemical and biological sciences. Working as part of a collaborative technical team, the post-holder will provide hands-on, routine technical support across teaching laboratories and research spaces supporting chemical and biological science disciplines. This includes assisting with the preparation of materials, the organisation and basic maintenance of laboratories, equipment and consumables, and supporting students and staff during laboratory activities. Throughout all activities, the post-holder will uphold high standards of health, safety and sustainability, while developing practical laboratory skills and experience in a higher education environment.

The role is operational and physically active, involving regular movement between laboratories, prolonged periods working on their feet, and routine manual handling associated with laboratory consumables, equipment, waste and materials. A core aspect of the role includes laboratory waste processing, cleaning and laboratory housekeeping, ensuring that equipment, glassware and workspaces are maintained to required standards.

 

The role may also include supporting teaching sessions that involve live animals, animal-derived materials, and preserved or deceased animal specimens (for example fish and small mammals). This may include assisting with the setup and preparation of these materials, as well as clearing and cleaning laboratories following sessions. The post-holder must be comfortable handling these materials in a respectful and professional manner, in line with established ethical, health and safety and teaching practices.

 

Duties and responsibilities

• Specialist space assistance - Identifies specialist space tasks. Able to use initiative to complete tasks, with guidance and support from senior colleagues where necessary. Reports to senior staff when complete to ensure standard of work.
• Equipment maintenance – Follows agreed procedures to maintain equipment. Gathers information to enable durability of equipment.   
• Quality assurance (equipment & facilities) - Contributes to the collection of evidence and the conduct of equipment and facility audits or review of activities, processes, or services. Examines records for evidence that appropriate testing and other quality control activities have taken place and completes compliance with organisational directives, standards and procedures. Identifies non-compliances, non-conformances and abnormal occurrences. 
• Safety and incident management - Follows provided health and safety information. Assists in compliance of health and safety data. Notifies health and safety issues. Following agreed procedures, identifies, registers and categorises incidents. Gathers information to enable incident resolution and promptly allocates incidents as appropriate. 
• Customer assistance – Responds to common requests for service by providing information to enable fulfilment. Promptly allocates unresolved calls as appropriate. Maintains records, informs users about the process and advises relevant persons of actions taken. 
• Sourcing / procuring – Provided with suppliers to source quotations in accordance with university policy. Completes and monitors purchase under guidance. 
• Perform any other duties appropriate to the grade as may be required by the Dean of School/Director of HANS/ Technician management team etc.
• Where appropriate line manager and/or mentor colleagues of a lower grade.
• Promote equality and diversity for students and staff and sustain an inclusive study and work environment in accordance with University policy.
• To engage in the Technicians Commitment at the university https://www.salford.ac.uk/technicians-commitment

This role detail is a guide to the work you will initially be required to undertake.  It may be changed from time to time to meet changing circumstances.  It does not form part of your Contract of Employment.

 

Skills and experience

Qualifications:

• Hold a relevant qualification and / or equivalent professional experience

• Experience of working in laboratories or similar environment
• Experience in dealing with internal and external customers
• Experience of procurement processes
• Experience of health and safety in the workplace
• Experience problem solving and trouble shooting

• A knowledge of health and safety procedures and its application to a laboratory environment
• How to operate and maintain laboratory equipment and procedures
• Experience of relevant laboratory skills and techniques within a chemical or biological sciences environment

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• A respectful approach and experience of working as part of a successful team
• Ability to act alone with precision to prioritise workload

Location
University of Salford

Additional information
Application deadline: 30th January 2026. Interviews will take place on the 6th of February. Please note that we may close this advert before the 30th of January.

Apply for job