Shared Research Facilities - Mass Spectrometry Technical Lead

Job Purpose 

A recognised expert who will lead the mass spectrometry specialist unit that is focused on metabolomics, lipidomics and proteomics analyses. The post-holder with have responsibility for the planning, management and operation of this significant technical service ensuring appropriate use of staff and resources to ensure its efficient organisation and sustainable development. The post-holder will have a key role to play in encouraging widespread, equitable and appropriate use of the unit and ensuring that it becomes and remains cost-effective.

The post-holder will to be a highly skilled research technologist with extensive experience in mass spectrometry and associated data analysis pipelines and will act as a research and information resource within and external to, the unit to provide specialist expertise and appropriate guidance to users, together with advice relating to experimental design and training. The post-holder will collaborate with academic and research staff (including industry) and be responsible for the development of innovative methodologies that will be key features of the role as will the input to various taught courses including provision of research projects for undergraduate and postgraduate students as required. The post-holder will also take a lead role in advising on the future planning vision for the unit including an equipment strategy.

Main Duties    

Strategic and Scientific Leadership

•  Provide specialist expertise and knowledge in the fields covered by the unit and act as the main point of contact for the users and clients of the unit.

•   Make a leading contribution to shaping of research plans and ensure the unit is equipped to deliver a high-quality cutting-edge service to users.

•  Develop and introduce new innovative methods that will improve and extend the services of the unit.

•  Maintain an up-to-date and thorough knowledge of the literature and developments in the fields covered by the unit.

•  Attend meetings, conferences, workshops, seminars, and symposia in the fields covered by the unit and present results whenever possible.

•  Ensure that the unit produces reliable, high-quality data for its clients and publishing results whenever possible.

•  Lead and take responsibility for new proposals for equipment acquisitions.

•  Develop standard operating procedures for all equipment within the mass spectrometry unit.

•  Direct training of unit staff in sample handling, sample preparation and use of mass spectrometer platforms to the point at which they can run experiments for Principal Investigators on a costed basis.

Business Management

•  Work with University staff, external academics, and commercial clients to obtain funding for equipment usage, service provision, and staff time.

•  Work with the Head of Facilities, Facilities Advisory Board and the College and University to obtain funding for new equipment purchases.

•  Ensure that the College and external users are kept informed of the existence and potential uses of the equipment and services in the unit and where possible, identify new research and business opportunities.

•   Ensure that the clients and users of the unit are provided with sound, specialist advice on scientific and technical issues in fields covered by the unit.

•   Ensure that client inquiries about services and equipment are answered and that quotes for work are supplied promptly.

•   Ensure that client inquiries about services and equipment are answered and that quotes for work are supplied promptly.

•   Ensure that agreed project outputs are provided and results are communicated to clients in the agreed time frames.

•  Manage commercial projects.

•  Ensure that monthly invoices for equipment usage and services are supplied to the College Finance Office.

•  Meet regularly with the Head of Facilities and Finance Business Partner to discuss the unit budget, charge rates, and relationship with the wider MVLS Shared Research Facilities.

•  Monitor and control expenditure.

Operational Management

•  Assume overall and final responsibility for the operational management of the unit.

•  Provide line management of personnel.

•  Manage, motivate, and assign duties to personnel. Ensure they work well both individually and as a team, set standards for their work, and ensure their development and training needs are assessed and, where possible, met.

•  Assist the personnel with client inquiries, scientific discussions, costing of work, instrument training, monitoring instrument usage, setting equitable guidelines for access, scientific and technical approaches and problems, data interpretation, and reporting of results to clients.

•  Ensure the unit functions safely, efficiently, and effectively within the principles of the quality management system and appropriate health and safety regulations.

•  Ensure that the instrumentation in the unit is kept in good working order and is fit for purpose

•  Ensure the efficient and equitable use of the equipment, and that usage is monitored and recorded.

•  Ensure that appropriate training, guidance, and trouble-shooting support are provided to users of the equipment and services in the unit.

•  Contribute to the development of a mass spectrometry unit website as part of the MVLS Shared Research Facilities website.

Formal Teaching and Training      

•   Contribute to postgraduate courses and provide other teaching inputs to programmes as agreed.

•    Provide other formal teaching inputs to postgraduate programmes as agreed with the College.

•    Develop and deliver short training courses for both internal and external delegates to enhance the reputation of the unit and generate revenue.

•   The post holder will also provide supervision for students (undergraduate, Masters and PhD) and research staff and external workers using the laboratory along with any specific project workers based in the laboratory.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The post holder will be a highly specialised technologist that will be operating in a rapidly developing and technology-driven research environment with strong links with many groups with research groups. They will be expected to develop and implement innovative analytical workflows in collaboration with colleagues within and external to the College.

Qualifications

Essential

A1 Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework Level 9,10 or 11 (Ordinary/Honours Degree, Post Graduate Qualification), or equivalent, including being professionally qualified in a relevant subject area, with a broad range of professional experience in a management role(s).

Desirable

B1 PhD (Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework Level 12) in a relevant subject area.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

C1 Significant breadth and depth of specialist technical knowledge of mass spectrometry with practical expertise in metabolomics, lipidomics or proteomics in biological, biomedical or clinical fields.

C2 Proven analytical and technical/scientific problem-solving capability gained over a substantial period of working at progressively higher levels of technical complexity and influence.

C3 Substantial supervisory/management experience and financial experience to manage budgets.

C4 Ability to provide guidance and mentoring for technicians and users of the unit and strategic direction for the unit.

C5 Ability to communicate and train effectively at all levels (professorial to junior technician) and in both one-to-one and more formal presentations.

C6 Ability to communicate ideas and proposals in a range of different situations (e.g. grant proposals, SOPs and training notes) to a varied range of stakeholders with differing levels of understanding.

C7 Ability to evaluate experimental data and equipment performance and redirect strategies to overcome issues.

C8 Excellent organisation and project management skills; ability to carry a project from conception to completion.

C9 Highly motivated, ability to use initiative and quick to learn new techniques.

C10 Ability to work under pressure and to deadlines while maintaining defined standards.

C11 Well-developed understanding of health and safety regulations and procedures.

Desirable

D1 Familiarity with Waters and Thermo mass spectrometers and associated operating systems.

Experience

Essential 

E1 Experience of negotiating and influencing.

E2 Experience of teaching in a technical environment.

E3 Direct experience and track record of undertaking key lab experiments.

E4 Willingness to work flexibly to meet the work demands.

BACKGROUND

The College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences (MVLS) at the University of Glasgow (https://www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvls/) has the mission of transforming lives by tackling the major health and life sciences challenges of our times, locally and globally. It delivers internationally leading research and outstanding education to future world-changing students. The College has a proven track record of innovation and has established a range of centrally-managed technology-focused facilities in order to deliver expertise and cutting-edge equipment to underpin its research.

As part of these developments there is a dedicated mass spectrometry unit focussed on metabolomics, lipidomics and proteomics pipelines. The unit is located in newly refurbished laboratories in the heart of the Gilmorehill Campus in the West End of Glasgow and has recently received substantial investment for new instrumentation, which will complement existing LC-MS and GC-MS platforms. Within the unit there are experienced staff who are highly skilled in the development and application of novel mass spectrometric methods to problems of biological, biomedical and clinical relevance. There is also considerable data processing support from local data analysts as well close interactions with genomics researchers, enabling extensive multi-omic approaches.

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 8, £48,350 - £56,021 per annum.

This post is full time (35 hours per week) and open ended.

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:

1 A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.

2 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.

3 A flexible approach to working.

4 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.