Project Officer (Ecosystems)

Unit :  Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
Salary :  £37,099 to £44,263
Location :  Milton Keynes
Please quote reference :  21544
Fixed term contract – 2 years, Full Time post
Closing Date :  17 April, 2024 - 12:00

Interview date: 24th / 25th April 2024

Job share and flexible working patterns will be considered.

Change your career, change lives

The Open University is the UK’s largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education.

The Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is The Open University’s (OU) largest research faculty, helping to cement its position as one of the UK’s top research institutions. Our researchers enjoy state-of-the-art facilities to support their subject interests, including specialist laboratories and world-leading analytical facilities. Our vibrant research community are active at the frontiers of knowledge in several areas of STEM. Through collaboration with a wide range of partners we drive innovation, shape policy and practice, and change lives for the better throughout the UK and around the world.

The role 

The Open University is recruiting a project officer to be part of a team responsible for the management of our Earth, Environment and Ecosystems laboratories.

The postholder will work on the chemical analyses of soil, biodegradable materials, rocks, water, and brines for environmental research. They will be expected to carry out preparation and analysis on a variety of challenging samples using ICP-OES, elemental analysers and other instruments, as well as various other analyses on environmental materials.  

Skills and experience

You should have a degree or equivalent in a scientific subject (preferably environmental, soil, geological or biological sciences) and significant relevant laboratory experience with evidence of professional training in laboratory procedures, ideally in environmental research. Training in specific techniques will be provided where necessary. You should be familiar with Health and Safety regulations, including CoSHH, and be able to demonstrate strong communication and organisational skills, and the ability to work as part of a team.

More information can be provided via a link to the Job Description.

If you would like to discuss the application or recruitment process before making an application, please contact Lauren Denton at Resourcing Hub on 01908 655544 or [email protected] quoting the reference VRF 21544.

What you get in return

We have a strong commitment to providing training and development in and beyond your current role. This includes thorough induction into the organisation and regular reviews of your training and development needs.

We also offer a great range of benefits that support our employees and their families for the long term. Staff Benefits include an attractive pension proposition and 30 days holiday per annum pro rata, plus Bank Holidays and Christmas closure days.

How to apply

Unless otherwise stated in the advert, all applications are completed online via the instructions on The OU Job’s page. Applications submitted via 3rd party websites will not be received.

Access details for disabled applicants are available from the Resourcing Hub, telephone: 01908 655544, quoting the vacancy reference above.

To apply for this role please submit the following as one document;

• CV
• Personal statement, up to 1,000 words, you should set out in your statement why you’re interested in this role and provide examples of where your skills and experience meet the required competencies for this role as detailed in the job and person specification.

Please save your document with the following file name as appropriate to the vacancy you are applying for: reference, surname, forename.

You will need to have your documents ready ahead of submitting the electronic application. Please click on the APPLY NOW button below to be redirected to our application page.

APPLY NOW

You will receive updates regarding your application from [email protected] . Please ensure this email address is added to your list of trusted senders so it does not go to your junk folder.

You can view your application communications on the Candidate portal .

Find out more about us and our mission by watching this short video (you will be taken to YouTube by clicking this link).

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential.  We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength.  We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.

Job related information : 

Attachment	Size

Attachment	Size
Job-description.docx	132.14 KB

• Terms and Conditions - Academic Related Staff  (PDF)

• Terms and Conditions - Academic Related Staff  (Word document)

Posting Date :  20 March, 2024 - 09:45