Senior Microsplastics Research Technician - School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences - 95740 - Band 500

Position Details

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £23,699 to £25,458, with potential progression once in post to £29,471

Band 500

Full Time/FTC for 12 months

Closing date: 30th September 2021

Our offer to you 

People are at the heart of what we are and do. 

The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university.  We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success. 

We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential.  With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University. 

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate.  We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work. 

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working.  In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries. 

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site.  On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens. 

Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham   

Job context
The School of Geography Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham is a leading centre for the study of microplastics in freshwater environments.  Our overall aim is to generate more mechanistic understanding of the fate and transport of microplastics in freshwaters, translating environmental science to support decision making. Within this project, the research technician will provide support for research in microplastics monitoring, including collecting samples from the field, extraction and identification of microplastics from samples within the laboratory, and synthesis/analysis of existing data.
Role Summary
As part of a NERC Global Partnerships Seedcorn Fund and an EU grant this technical support post will be responsible for undertaking sampling, extraction and analysis of microplastics from the UK and internationally.  The post-holder will also be responsible for the organisation of existing datasets and communicating with a range of other UK and international project partners involved on the project. 

You will provide technical support for research activities as required, utilising your technical skills and a wide range of techniques.   You will also be expected to ensure your working area is safe and support others in following health and safety instructions. You may need to operate out of normal working hours to accommodate research activity.  In order to flexibly use resource you may be given the opportunity to work in different areas of the department or wider University. 

Main Duties

Support research within microplastics

• Preparing and collecting water and/or sediment samples from rivers (training will be provided)

• Carrying out extraction and identification of microplastics from sediment and water samples collected by the post holder as well as those that may have been collected by project partners (training will be provided)

• Developing and maintaining an archive of large datasets

• Perform data quality control checks and ensure the quality and validity of data on the basis of expert knowledge proposing solutions to quality issues.  The post holder will need to have the specialist ability to spot erroneous data values which would go otherwise go unnoticed by automatic algorithms.

• Provide data to staff and external organisations involved in the project using an understanding of their requirements to provide appropriate data in a format suitable for their use.

• Reporting at multiple levels, as required e.g. by individual, research group, School, scientific area, funding body, research outputs etc.

• You will be responsible for assisting in managing the experimental and laboratories.

• You will use your in-depth knowledge of methods and procedures to advise on techniques and experimental procedures being used by researchers and/or students.  This will involve communicating with colleagues at a range of levels and inexperienced students.

• You will need to be able to diagnose and resolve problems and suggest solutions in regard to techniques and experiments.

• Carry out specialist technical and experimental procedures which will need you to use your judgment to assess the correct technique to use, and to consider how these may be improved, referring to your manager for approval on any proposed changes.

• You will need to maintain accurate records of all techniques and experimental procedures you carry out, and for any other research activities you may be involved in including results.

• Ensure compliance with legislation relevant to the area of research/activity.

• Comply with and promote the operating procedures for the area, including the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures regulation.

• You may contribute to internal and external audit procedures and to regulatory inspections.

Health and Safety duties

•  Proactive support for health and safety within the laboratory.  This may include being required to look after a communal area as part of your duties.  Comply with all current rules and ensure all required assessments are in place, approved and up to date.

•  Fully understand the safety aspects of equipment operation and be able to demonstrate/train staff (at all levels) on the correct usage of the equipment.

•  Ensuring that regular maintenance processes are carried out and that appropriate records are maintained. 

•  Reporting any breaches or non-compliance with H&S procedures to the relevant manager(s).

•  Upholding the correct waste disposal stream as governed by College and local policy for laboratory.

•  Upholding the correct waste disposal stream as governed by College and local policy for the laboratory.

•  Postholders may be asked to undergo training as a First Aider.

General Administration and Organisation

• Ensuring all records are accurate and kept up to date.

• Proactively maintain stocks of consumables, and when required generate purchase order requisitions using University systems.

• Receipt and correct storage of consumables/equipment and chemical reagents.

• Ensuring that the facilities are maintained in a clean, functional and safe condition, reporting any problems through the appropriate channels.

• Ensuring that PAT testing, calibration of equipment and locally and centrally held equipment inventories are up to date and maintained. 

• Adopt a proactive attitude to assisting with and implementing carbon reduction and energy saving measures. 

• Maintain a technical support based teaching laboratory website (how to guides for the preparation of materials, practical setup guides), and keeping these up to date as and when session requirements or protocols change or maintaining relevant research lab databases/records.

Person Specification

•  Extensive relevant workplace experience, equivalent professional qualification or degree in an appropriate subject.

•  GCSE level 2 (A*- C) or equivalent level 2 qualification in mathematics and English. 

•  In-depth practical knowledge of relevant technical and scientific methods. 

•  Extensive experience of similar laboratory based work, together with familiarity with a wide range of laboratory equipment.

•  Positive service attitude and shows courtesy in dealing with others.

•  Ability to organise and manage own work load and demonstrate flexibility in terms of work practices/requirements.

•  Ability to work under minimal supervision but function as part of a team. 

•  Knowledge of current legislation relevant to the role.

•  Knowledge of current H&S policies and ability to uphold same.

•  Proficiency in commonly used software packages.

•  Understands the importance of  equality and diversity in the workplace

•  Ability to identify and respond to equality and diversity issues in line with relevant policies and procedures

Valuing excellence, sustaining investment

We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working