Chief Technician
WORLD CHANGERS TOGETHER
Job purpose
Reporting to the Head of Professional Services (HoPS), the post holder will be responsible for leading the management of technical services within the School of Molecular Biosciences and overseeing all technical aspects of a diverse research/teaching service or activities. Provide strategic and functional senior technical leadership to PIs, research staff, technicians and students, assuming an active role in various committees and working groups across the School, College and Organisation as required.
Main duties & responsibilities
- Lead and manage a team of technical staff with varying degrees of specialism and experience, recruiting, assigning and reviewing work; ensuring that performance objectives and deadlines are relevant and completed timeously and managing poor performance as required
- Management of the professional/administrative support team within the School to ensure effective delivery of the school’s priorities and ensure KPI target delivery
- Identify practical and soft skill training needs within the technical team and work towards a programme of staff development and skill retention. Ensure that team members have networking opportunities in the College and wider University community.
- Take a leading role in relevant committees and working groups within the College and School including but not limited to School Executive Group, School Health and Safety Committee and College Chief Technician Meeting.
- Assume the role of Health and Safety Coordinator for the School, liaising with University safety professionals at SEPS (Safety and Environmental Protection Services), Chair of School H&S Committee and Head of School, conducting inspections and audits, preparing reports on findings, updating relevant groups on best practice and supporting research groups with relevant documentation.
- Take a leading role in the active management of all the building and fabric related issues, liaising with Estates and overseeing routine maintenance and repairs. Use specialist knowledge to ensure repairs comply with H&S requirements. With Head of Professional Services, interact with estates for more complex jobs and deal with external contractors as required.
- Manage and oversee all School equipment; overseeing repairs and replacement of equipment including proposing investment and replacement cycles. Ensure laboratory equipment is compliant with H&S requirements and is maintained in a timely and cost-effective manner. Oversee the planning of routine servicing of essential School equipment.
- Provide expert technical guidance and advice to HoPS on laboratory and office space within School and complete the annual space audit, as well as overseeing planning of space for new research groups.
- Lead on Technical Professional Services representation at Athena SWAN SAT, contributing to allocated working group(s), application renewals and creation and analysis of surveys and downstream data.
- Represent Head of Professional Services as required in respect of technical matters
- Actively participate in the security and safety of our buildings in liaison with the University Security staff, this includes being one of the ‘call out’ contacts for any out of hours building issues.
- Undertake continual professional development and engage in networking events across the organisation
- Work collaboratively with others, including within the wider College/School/Group and University where relevant with external contacts, to enhance the delivery of the service/research/teaching aims, promote the technical community and support the broader strategic aims of the University, including for the Technician Commitment https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/technicians/ and other UK-wide initiatives.
- Undertake any other reasonable duties as required by Head of Service/School.
- Contribute to the enhancement of the University’s international profile in line with the University’s Strategic Plan, World Changers Together and contribute to outreach activities.
Knowledge and qualifications
Essential
- Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9 \[Ordinary Degree, Scottish Vocational Qualification Level 4\] or equivalent, \[including professional accreditation with relevant formal training\], and experience of personal development in a similar role
- Ability to demonstrate the necessary competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary professional knowledge and management experience in a similar or a number of different roles
- Up to date knowledge of Health and Safety Legislation
Desirable
- Recognised Health and Safety qualification(s)
- Degree is relevant scientific discipline
- Training in leadership and management
- Recognised IOSH Managing Safely qualification in safety management
Skills
Essential
- Excellent team working and proven people management skills
- Ability to plan and prioritise a technical service to meet long term strategic objectives, whilst delivering a day-to-day service.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, particularly influencing, negotiation and diplomacy
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to understand, conceptualise and interpret complex technical requirements of a scientific community and ability to adapt own style to meet the needs of others.
- Demonstrable technical skills in a relevant discipline of life science
- Significant IT skills including proficient of bespoke or specialist software packages
- Significant analytical and problem-solving capability including a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail
Desirable
- A working knowledge of University policies and procedures
Experience
Essential
- Significant relevant work experience within a similar research environment
- Previous experience of technical leadership or laboratory management in a research group
- Significant in depth technical knowledge
- An understanding of the operational needs in a complex research environment
World-Changing Campus
We have delivered one of the most significant expansions of a UK university city campus for over a century.
Over the last decade, the University of Glasgow has invested in its estate to expand its world-class campus and facilities.
An area covering 14 acres of land next to our magnificent Gilmorehill campus has been redeveloped to build a mix of modern research, teaching and public spaces.
Our new buildings will mean the University remains a centre for world-changing research, as well as a vibrant community hub and centre for public engagement.
The development will transform our teaching, learning and research spaces. It will allow us to bring together the best minds of today and tomorrow within world-class interdisciplinary research spaces that offer flexibility and stimulate collaboration, and modern study spaces that will combine study and social learning space with technology enabled teaching.
- The Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre (ARC) is changing the way research is conducted at Glasgow. The ARC is the creative and collaborative heart of research at the University of Glasgow, bridging the boundaries between research, cross-subject collaboration and true societal impact . The ARC brings more than 500 world-leading researchers from a range of disciplines together in a building specifically designed to break down organisational structure and facilitate collaboration and interdisciplinary work.
- The James McCune Smith Learning Hub is an inspirational and diverse learning space. The flagship building was the first to be completed as part of our campus development, and provides a creative environment, combining flexible study and social learning space with multi-styled and technology-enabled teaching. It can accommodate more than 2,500 students, and includes a lecture theatre with capacity for 500 students. State-of-the-art teaching facilities, with flexible study spaces and interactive teaching for students, help to create a more immersive learning experience.
Find out more
Living in Glasgow
A UNESCO City of Music, a vibrant arts and culture scene, a food-lover’s delight, and a shopper’s paradise. Just some of the highlights of the ‘friendliest city in the world’. As well as that accolade by the Rough Guides poll, Glasgow has also been named a must visit destination by publications including the New York Times, The Guardian, and Wanderlust.
Music
The city hosts an average of 130 music events a week catering for every taste; from rock to rap, and classical to country. Glasgow also has a world class club scene playing host to some of the world’s top DJs.
Shopping
Outside of London’s West End, Glasgow is frequently voted the best place for shopping in the UK. A must-visit destination for any shop-a-holic, it houses high street chains, international designers, and independent retailers. The West End, home to the University of Glasgow, is bustling with vintage fashion, vinyl stores, and second-hand bookshops.
Arts and Culture
Glasgow’s arts scene has gone from strength to strength, and is the base for five internationally renowned performing arts companies including the National Theatre of Scotland and Scottish Ballet. The city has several world-class museums, which are free to the public, and the city’s architecture is a work of art in itself.
Food and drink
You can be in Glasgow and taste the world with its many diverse restaurants, cafes, and bars. And if you’ve yet to sample the delights of haggis and whisky, Glasgow is the place to be.
The City and Beyond
Glasgow has all the opportunities and excitement of a big city but its compact size means you can quickly travel from one vibrant district to the next. You could be relaxing in one of its many parks, before shopping in the quirky West End, and then dancing until the wee small hours in the Merchant City.
And when you fancy getting out of the city you can reach the stunning Loch Lomond in just 30 minutes, climb one of our many breath-taking Munros, play golf at one of Scotland’s many world-class courses, visit one of our ancient castles, or go further North and search for Nessie! Scotland has also just been named the world’s most beautiful country by Rough Guides.
Relocating to Glasgow
Choosing to relocate to Glasgow is a big decision. There are numerous things to be considered, such as the costs of moving, the cost of living, and where exactly to relocate to. We have created two guides to aide you in the decision making process.
Find out more on relocating to Glasgow at the below link:
WORLD CHANGERS TOGETHER
WORLD CHANGING GLASGOW 2025
Our outstanding disciplinary breadth and expertise has enabled us to make world-changing advances in fields as diverse as medicine, physics, linguistics, public policy and global development.
The key to our success is our talented staff and students pushing back at the boundaries of knowledge and understanding together.
Our World Changers Together strategy recognises the fundamental importance of a culture of open cooperation: not just as colleagues and mentors or students and teachers, but as a community of discovery that reaches beyond its walls and draws inspiration and strength from its connections and partnerships worldwide: excellence that's part of something bigger. The strategy is articulated across three themes:
COMMUNITY
- People centred, globally engaged
CONNECTIVITY
- Collaboratively minded, digitally enhanced
CHALLENGES
- Solution focused, impact oriented
Find out more
How to apply
Full details of the role and how to apply can be found by visiting our website:
The closing date for applications is Thursday 28th November 2024.
Terms & Conditions
Salary will be Grade 7, £40,247 - £45,163 per annum.
This post is full time and open ended. Relocation assistance will be provided where appropriate.
Informal enquiries may be directed to Nikki White, Nikki.White@glasgow.ac.uk
As part of Team UofG you will be a member of a world changing, inclusive community, which values ambition, excellence, integrity and curiosity.
As a valued member of our team, you can expect:
A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.
An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension - pensions handbook https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/, benefits and discount packages.
A flexible approach to working.
A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/.
We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/.
We endorse the principles of Athena Swan https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/ and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.
We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/ for more information.
It is the University of Glasgow’s mission to foster an inclusive climate, which ensures equality in our working, learning, research and teaching environment. We strongly endorse the principles of Athena SWAN, including a supportive and flexible working environment, with commitment from all levels of the organisation in promoting gender equity.
Our values
The future holds innumerable challenges for our sector, our society, and our world. We will have to adapt and change what we do and what we offer if we are to navigate these successfully. Our strategy and approach may evolve as the landscape changes, but our values will remain constant: a fixed point of certainty in uncertain times.
We have identified our values in consultation and partnership with our staff and student community. Living and upholding these values will ensure that we remain true to the spirit of our community and ourselves:
Ambition and Excellence
- We strive for excellence through our work
- We defend academic freedom globally
- We recognise and celebrate shared success
- We have an unrelenting focus on development
Curiosity and Discovery
- We innovate and solve problems together
- We lead by influence and example
- We engage with lifelong learning and personal development
- We learn from our mistakes
Integrity and Truth
- We uphold honesty, integrity and fairness
- We share our work widely and generously
- We do the right thing, not the easy thing - or we don’t do it
- We take responsibility
An Inclusive Community
- We are one Glasgow team, and we care for and respect one another
- We advocate for diversity and believe in variety as a vital part of a healthy university
- We champion education as an engine for social progress
- We practise and advance sustainability