Senior Mechanical Engineering Technician

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.

The Department and role purpose: 

The successful applicant will be a multiskilled mechanical technician, capable of working under their own initiative, who can advise on, and convert drawings and sketches to, fully functioning equipment. They will be conversant with setting up and using a wide range of tool room equipment and will probably have both CNC and welding experience. In addition, the applicant will be capable of working with bright and creative students, supervising their laboratory sessions and guiding them in the practicalities of their designs. This is an exciting opportunity for the right person to join a close-knit team which supports teaching and research at the highest levels.

The Department of Engineering is consistently one of the very best UK engineering departments with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability of our students.  The Department is ranked 4th in the Complete University Guide, 5th in the Guardian University Guide and 6th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022 in the UK for General Engineering.  Ranked in the top six in the UK for overall profile in REF 2021 (with 95% of publications rated as 4* and 3*), this dynamic Department is an excellent place to work.  The strategic vision for the Department includes a growth plan of over 50% over the next five years, with a significant enhancement of the research challenge portfolio and a drive to enrich our undergraduate, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research provision.  It is an exciting time to join this expanding Department and make your mark.

The Department holds an Athena SWAN Bronze Award, recognising our commitment to diversity in STEM academic and reflecting the supportive and positive environment within the Department.

Core responsibilities:

• Experienced engineering workshop/manufacturing technician, planning and co-ordinating of projects and work streams that have inter-related aspects.
• Specialist mechanical engineering workshop support, including use of full range of workshop machine tools (lathes, milling machines, drills etc.) including problem solving and query handling.
• Designing and constructing equipment and resources to a high degree of accuracy from technical drawings or verbal explanations.
• To use machine tools, hand tools, computers and computer-controlled machines to produce components. To use IT skills to transfer information between computers and computer-controlled machines, e.g. from CAD systems to CNC machines.
• To supervise undergraduates and post graduate students, both within the workshop environment and within laboratories.
• Plan and organise own workload with or without involvement with project work streams.
• Working with colleagues and students proactively and reactively to deliver excellent technical support.
• Involved in the purchase and return of goods and services.
• Relationship building, network participation internally and externally to build and update knowledge and skills.
• Implement and monitor protocols, procedures, processes and regulations (e.g. Health and Safety protocols).
• Monitor and report incidents.
• Take responsibility for day-to-day decision making within own area of responsibility for operational aspects of service delivery, translating external requirements into practical application and advice.
• Implement and monitor recognised procedures to ensure compliance and meet University values of inclusion, diversity and participation.
• Contribute to business meetings, working groups and committees to help shape service delivery and stakeholder expectations.

Role responsibilities:

• Set up and operate safely a range of tool room equipment including lathes (manual and CNC), milling machines (manual and CNC), drills, grinders, shapers, welding equipment (MIG Arc and TIG), saws, spark erosion machines and other workshop equipment, producing components to close tolerance specifications.
• Construct, test, repair and calibrate tools, resources, equipment, components and instrumentation for a full range of workshop equipment (lathes, milling machines, drills etc.).
• Troubleshoot, modify and maintain existing equipment.
• Understand and develop hydraulic and pneumatic assemblies.
• Weld to a satisfactory standard using existing facilities (gas, stick, MIG and TIG).
• Be capable of programming, setting up and operating CNC equipment.
• Communicate and collaborate with staff and students, advising on the suitability of a design.
• Read and interpret engineering drawings and sketches. Identify missing information on incomplete drawings or impractical designs (from students or other clients) and work with the 'customer' to develop a working solution. Operate and demonstrate lab experiments to students.
• Supervise student and academic staff practical work where necessary.
• Deliver projects that demonstrate a high standard of accuracy, complexity, originality and excellence.
• Provide support to team members to share technical knowledge and expertise.
• Liaise and network with specialist professionals to exchange knowledge and ideas internally and externally to the organisation.
• Take responsibility for carrying out more specialist health and safety risk assessments and incident resolution.
• Any other reasonable duties.

Specific role requirements 

Note that this is a practically focussed, “hands-on” position, so the scope for hybrid working or working from home is limited, and a reasonable degree of manual handling may be involved.

Working Arrangements

At Durham we recognise that our staff and students are our greatest asset, and we want to support the health and wellbeing of all.  Hybrid working supports this ethos and provides many benefits to our colleagues, including empowering people, where their role allows, to work in a manner which is more suitable for them, whilst encouraging our commitment to environmental sustainability.

Depending on the needs of the business and the job role, Durham University is piloting hybrid working for all Professional Services colleagues in the academic year 2021/2022, which may include the opportunity to work both on and off campus and to flex working hours.  If appointed to the post, your line-manager will discuss the specific arrangements with you.  Any hybrid arrangements are non-contractual and may change within the pilot and when the pilot ends.

Reward and Benefits

To support the delivery of the University's People Strategy to attract, retain and reward the very best, we offer a fantastic range of rewards and benefits to our staff, including:

• 27 days annual leave, plus 4 customary days and 8 bank holidays (pro-rata for part time) and the option to purchase additional leave;
• Automatic enrolment into a pension scheme;
• Corporate and local discounts;
• Wellbeing resources and discounted health benefits;
• Health discounts on sports and activities at Maiden Castle Health and Activity Centre;
• Reward and Recognition Schemes;
• Personal and career development;
• And SO much more, with further information available here

Recruiting to this post

In order to be considered for interview, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification.  In some cases, the recruiting panel may also consider the desirable criteria, so we recommend you evidence all criteria in your application.  

Please note that some criteria will only be considered at interview stage.

How to apply 

We prefer to receive applications online.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement https://www.dur.ac.uk/ig/dp/privacy/pnjobapplicants/ which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

Information if you have a disability

The University welcomes applications from disabled people. We are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

If you are unable to complete your application via our recruitment system, please get in touch with us on [email protected] .

What you are required to submit 

Please ensure that you submit all documentation listed above or your application cannot proceed to the next stage.

Contact details 

For further information regarding this post, please contact;

Mr Colin Wintrip ([email protected] ; Mechanical Workshop Manager) or Dr Steve Robertson ([email protected] ; Senior Technical Operations Manager).

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email.  Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to [email protected]

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system.  Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails.

At Durham University, our aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work.  We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

As a University we foster a collegiate community of extraordinary people aligned to the University’s values .  Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do.  At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive, and in doing so, recruit the world’s best candidates from all backgrounds and identities. It’s important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

Person specification - skills, knowledge, qualifications, and experience required

Essential Criteria:

Desirable Criteria:

Realising Your Potential Approach 

The Realising Your Potential Approach clarifies the behaviours expected to be demonstrated by all staff across Professional Services in the University regardless of their role. Along with the core responsibilities, role responsibilities and the person specification, the Realising Your Potential Approach behavioural indicators are used to inform the recruitment and selection process. Further information on the Realising Your Potential Approach is available here.

Realising Your Potential Attributes 

WORKING TOGETHER - Working co-operatively with others in order to achieve objectives. Applying a wide range of interpersonal skills.

FINDING SOLUTIONS - Taking a holistic view and working enthusiastically and with creativity to analyse problems and develop innovative and workable solutions. Identifying opportunities for innovation.

PROVIDING EXCELLENT STUDENT SERVICES AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT - Providing the best quality service to all our students, customers and stakeholders. Building genuine and long-term relationships through everyday interactions in order to drive up service standards and to enhance their experience.

Durham University

OUR CHARACTERISTICS: We are a globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, in a unique and historic setting.    

OUR VALUES: We are inspiring, challenging, innovative, responsible and enabling.

Durham University is one of the world's top universities with strengths across the Arts and Humanities, Business, Sciences and Social Sciences. We are home to some of the most talented scholars and researchers from around the world who are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives. 

The University sits in a beautiful historic city where it shares ownership of a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Durham Cathedral, the greatest Romanesque building in Western Europe. A collegiate University, Durham recruits outstanding students from across the world and offers an unmatched wider student experience.

Durham University seeks to promote and maintain an inclusive and supportive environment for work and study that assists all members of our University community to reach their full potential. Diversity brings strength and we welcome applications from across the international, national and regional communities that we work with and serve.

It is expected that all staff within the University:

• Contribute to our learning culture by engaging in mentoring, training and coaching.
• Positively contribute to fostering a collegial environment; as well as demonstrating commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Have due regard to Health and Safety requirements appropriate to grade and role.

This post is aligned to the Technical, Research and Teaching Services Job Family

Family key attributes

Roles in this family provide creative and analytical input to facilitate the delivery of world-class teaching, learning and research activities.

Overall family purpose

• Support stakeholders to ensure the delivery of research, teaching and scholarly activities.
• Align and tailor services to meet strategic and operational research, teaching and learning objectives.
• Prepare and set-up equipment, apparatus and resources to ensure the successful delivery of scheduled academic activities.
• Monitor, manage and maintain teaching, learning or research facilities, workshops, laboratories and experimental environments to ensure compliance with internal and external regulations.
• Contribute guidance, advice and/or professional expertise to increase intellectual and creative capacity for world-class teaching and research outputs.
• Actively participate with peers and specialists internally and externally to expand knowledge and practice.
• Design and construct equipment, environments, tools, techniques and methodologies to meet research and learning objectives.
• Adapt and develop equipment, techniques and methodologies to meet research and learning outputs and timescales.
• Engage and network with internal and external specialists and experts to facilitate knowledge exchange and enhance research, teaching and learning activities.
• Work collaboratively and network across the University with staff in other families to ensure a smooth, timely and high-quality delivery of service.

Link to key strategic plan

• An economically sustainable approach to delivering technical and experimental support services across the University;
• Support and facilitate world-leading research across all academic departments;
• Support and facilitate research that has a positive impact on global, national and regional challenges and which benefits culture, society, health, the economy and the physical environment;
• Support and facilitate a rewarding research environment and an exceptional research-led learning experience;
• Support and facilitate programmes that offer intellectual challenge, cohesiveness and a strong sense of progression;
• A stakeholder-focused orientation, offering satisfying careers to all staff;
• Ensure that an increasingly diverse workforce is treated equally, fairly and with respect, and that all staff are demonstrably valued and actively engaged.