IT Support Technician - MLC 1618

View Vacancy -- IT Support Technician - MLC 1618
Open Date
14/07/2021, 10:30
Close Date
08/08/2021, 23:55
Research Institute  
MRC Harwell Institute
Research Institute / Unit Information  
MRC Harwell Institute is an international biological research centre at the forefront of the use of mammalian models to study genetics and human diseases. Located on the Harwell Campus, just south of Oxford, it is nestled amongst a vibrant community of leading science organisations. We aim to advance medicine through cutting-edge research into the genetic basis of disease. Our research programmes span an entire lifetime, from embryonic development to diseases of ageing. There are over 300 staff at the Institute made up of research scientists, technicians, animal carers, and business support personnel.
UK Research and Innovation is a new entity that brings together nine partners to create an independent organisation with a strong voice for research and innovation, more information can be found at www.ukri.org
Band  
MRC - 5
Location  
Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire
Salary  
£25,798 - £31,362 per annum (depending on experience)
Contract Type  
Fixed Term
Job Type  
Technical & Scientific Professionals
Full Time / Part Time  
Full Time
Contract Length  
Fixed term for 12 months
Job Description  

Overall purpose:  

The MRC Harwell Institute is seeking an IT Support Technician to join the IT Services Team within the BioComputing Group.   

As part of the team, you will provide our end users with technical support and troubleshooting services across a wide range of computer hardware and software systems. You will be vital to the organisation in facilitating the scientific, technical and administrative work undertaken within the Institute.

The successful candidate will be capable of taking ownership of individual requests, pursuing them to completion.  

We require an excellent team player with a proactive attitude, who is enthusiastic and has an aptitude for learning.

This is an exciting opportunity to gain experience across a broad range of skills and domains in a collaborative and friendly environment. We provide training and one to one shadowing as required.

The site is a networked environment comprised of over 700 computers, (predominantly Windows but with a significant number of Mac’s). 

System Engineers work closely with IT Support technicians, in an environment with over 150 physical and virtual servers, (Windows, Linux and VMWare).

A purpose-built data centre is at the heart of our infrastructure, with a fully meshed network and over a petabyte of disk storage in a tiered system.

We support a hybrid Microsoft Office 365 environment, utilise an endpoint systems management application and continue to improve our processes with the use of PowerShell.

This post is an excellent opportunity to progress your career and gain a wealth of skills, experience and knowledge.

Main duties / key responsibilities:

• Provide frontline IT technical support, either remotely or at the physical location
• Take ownership of tasks generated through the helpdesk system, pursuing them to completion
• Install, diagnose, repair, maintain, and upgrade hardware and software systems
• Maintain optimal workstation performance across site via proactive strategies
• Follow and contribute to standard processes and local team policies
• Undertake auditing of software and hardware
• Create new user accounts and archive old user accounts in accordance with local policy
• Specify, procure, configure and deploy new computers and devices
• Undertake general troubleshooting and investigative work
• Provide user training and support of basic computer and application use
• Contribute ideas for streamlining and improving team processes 

Working relationships:  

• Provide support to scientific, technical and administrative users across site
• Work closely with the Systems Engineering team
• Collaborate with other BioComputing staff across a large department
• Report to the Head of Infrastructural IT

Equality & Diversity:

The MRC values the diverse skills and experience of its employees and is committed to achieving equality of treatment for all. Our objectives are that all individuals shall have equal opportunities for employment and advancement on the basis of their skills, aptitudes and abilities. The MRC is committed to the engagement and retention of the best possible talent and to creating an environment that encourages excellence in scientific research through good equalities and diversity leadership and management.

Corporate/Local responsibilities & requirements:

The job holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to the MRC’s: 

• Code of Conduct
• Equality and Diversity policy
• Health and Safety policy
• Data Protection and Security policy

Job descriptions should be reviewed on a regular basis and at the annual appraisal. Any changes should be made and agreed between the post holder and their manager. 

The above lists are not exhaustive and the job holder is required to undertake such duties as may reasonably be requested within the scope of the post. All employees are required to act professionally, co-operatively and flexibly in line with the requirements of the post and the MRC.

Person Specification  

Education / Qualifications / Training required:

Essential:

• Degree/HND or equivalent in a relevant subject, or demonstrable significant IT support technician work experience.

Desirable:

• ITIL Qualified
• Windows 10 MCSA 

Previous work experience required:

Desirable:

• Experience supporting Windows OS and Mac OSX
• Experience supporting MS O365
• Experience setting up new workstations, laptops, tablets and phones 

Knowledge and experience:

Essential:

• A good understanding of Microsoft applications
• Strong Knowledge of Windows OS

Desirable:

• Understanding of MS Office 365 support and administration
• Windows server knowledge
• Active directory knowledge
• Macintosh OS knowledge 

Personal skills/behaviours/qualities:

Essential:

• Excellent communication and organisation skills
• Enthusiasm and capability to learn
• A proactive, self-motivating attitude to project delivery
• An ability to work both collaboratively and independently
• An ability to create concise and effective documentation
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team 

Desirable:

• Excellent customer service skills
• Ability to prioritise tasks accordingly

Further Information  

The BioComputing Department includes two groups, one which supports all IT Infrastructure and internal systems development at MRC Harwell (Infrastructural IT) and a second which focuses upon scientific research (BioComputing).

The Infrastructural IT group is comprised of both the IT Services team (7 posts) and the Information Management Software Development team (5 posts).

MRC Harwell, based in Oxfordshire, is a major international research centre at the forefront of studies in mouse genetics and functional genomics. We are investigating a wide variety of disease models in mice, in order to enhance our understanding of the molecular and genetic basis of disease.

The end users are biological and bioinformatics research staff and administrative, technical and engineering support staff within the MRC Harwell. The research generates large volumes of complex data that is supported by the Infrastructural IT Team. 

Choosing to come to work at the MRC means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined pension scheme and excellent holiday entitlement to access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme, as well as the chance to put the MRC on your CV in the future. 

More information about MRC Harwell can be found at http://www.har.mrc.ac.uk/

The MRC is a great place to work and progress your career, be it in scientific research or the support functions.The MRC is a unique working environment where our researchers are rewarded by world class innovation and collaboration opportunities that the MRC name brings. The MRC is an excellent place to develop yourself further and a range of training & development opportunities will be available to you, including professional registration with the Science Council.
Choosing to come to work at the MRC (part of UKRI) means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme and excellent holiday entitlement to access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme, as well as the chance to put the MRC and UKRI on your CV in the future.
Our success is dependent upon our ability to embrace diversity and draw on the skills, understanding and experience of all our people. We welcome applications from all sections of the community irrespective of gender, race, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability or age. As "Disability Confident" employers, we guarantee to interview all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.
UKRI supports research in areas that include animal health, agriculture and food security, and bioscience for health which includes research on animals, genetic modification and stem cell research. Whilst you may not have direct involvement in this type of research, you should consider whether this conflicts with your personal values or beliefs.
We will conduct a full and comprehensive pre-employment check as an essential part of the recruitment process on all individuals that are offered a position with UKRI. This will include a security check and an extreme organisations affiliation check.