Technician

Job Purpose

The post holder will be required to provide in-depth technical expertise in parasitology and entomology to support academic staff and students in the School of BOHVM, based in the Joseph Black Building, Gilmorehill Campus.

This appointment will involve work associated with Anopheles mosquito rearing and malaria parasite research. The successful candidate will provide advice on the creation, set up and best operation of research work, apparatus and equipment associated with our insectary, and will contribute towards the delivery of research objectives. Day to day work will include maintaining several colonies of Anopheles mosquitoes and providing technical support for malaria parasite tissue culture. In addition, the postholder will undertake a range of technical support activities including general laboratory housekeeping in line with requirements of the insectary and associated biological research laboratory environment.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1.     To provide in-depth technical support to academic and student lab users within the field of parasitology and entomology, in respect of our Anopheles – Malaria parasite facility. Contribute to the overall smooth and efficient running of the insectary to ensure an excellent experience for users.

2.     Carry out a range of support activities including the use of specialist equipment, procedures, protocols, and techniques related to parasitology and entomology. Maintain Anopheles mosquito colonies including management of the insects (this may include weekend/holiday work for the maintenance of colonies), maintenance of insectary equipment and facilities, and engaging with estates maintenance. Training of students and staff in insect work as required. Stocking/reordering of consumables. Contribute to the creation and development of new technical resources and/or ways of working as directed by relevant senior staff. Identify, propose, and implement technical solutions to a range of practical problems.

3.     Support running of the biohazard Cat 3 facility, including safety maintenance of equipment, management of MSC fumigation and servicing, processing of human blood samples and serum as part of parasite research work, relevant waste disposal.

4.     Manage general tasks for the facility, including basic maintenance of general laboratory equipment and facilities, diagnose faults and troubleshoot day-to-day problems, carrying out appropriate maintenance and supervising external maintenance as required. Management of entry fobs and locker keys for Cat 3 facility, maintenance of microscopes, general cleanliness, managing lab coat washing. Develop, create, and test new equipment, procedures, protocols, models and/or techniques.

5.     In liaison with the PIs (Principal Investigators),  advise, implement, and evaluate improvements to existing protocols as required.

6.     Collect, analyse and interpret data using standard procedures and ensure that accurate research records are kept and any databases are updated accordingly.

7.     Supervise junior staff where appropriate, and instruct, train, and provide guidance to research staff and students in mosquito rearing and parasite culture techniques, operation of equipment and apparatus, as directed by the supervisors or PIs.

8.     Contribute to the well organized functioning of the laboratory in maintaining the stock levels and purchasing consumables and supplies, within budget, and in consultation with other members of the group.

9.     In consultation with relevant senior staff, ensure the safe and efficient functioning of the technical workspace and facilities. This includes, but is not limited to, supporting the completion of risk assessments and COSHH assessments, ensuring that all Health and Safety paperwork is completed timeously and recorded accurately, and implementing and adhering to all applicable health and safety policies, as determined by the university and the Health and Safety Executive.

10. Collaborate with colleagues and participate in team meetings/discussions and School research group activities.

11. Be aware and comply with Equality and Diversity polices of the University of Glasgow

The above duties are not exhaustive and the postholder will be required to undertake any other relevant duties as required by the line manager which are commensurate with the grade of the post.

Please note that as part of your application you must address and demonstrate how you meet EACH of the essential/desirable criteria below. If you do not address each criterion, then you will not be shortlisted for interview. 

Please use the Criteria Template attached at the bottom of this page to show you meet the essential criteria and upload to the Application Portal with a copy of your CV and cover letter. Applications which do not address the essential criteria as requested will not be progressed.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential:

A1 Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 7 (Advanced Higher / Scottish vocational Qualification level 3, Higher National Certificate) or equivalent, and experience of personal development in a similar role.

A2 Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this post having acquired the necessary knowledge and skills in a similar role in the field of Parasitology/Entomology.

A3. Up to date knowledge of relevant laboratory Health and Safety legislation/policies.

Desirable:

B1 HNC/HND or equivalent in relevant scientific discipline.

B2. Practical knowledge of mosquito and/or malaria parasite life cycles.

B3. Knowledge of Equality and Diversity policy

Skills

Essential:

C1. Expertise in maintaining colonies of invertebrates such as mosquitoes in an insectary.

C2. Numeracy, literacy and IT skills including familiarity with Microsoft Office programmes.

C3. A high level of accuracy and demonstrable attention to detail.

C4. Excellent organisational and time management skills and an ability to prioritise workload to meet competing demands.

C5. Demonstrable analytical and problem-solving abilities, with use of initiative and judgement to resolve problems independently.

C6. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with proven ability to interact with colleagues with tact and diplomacy.

C7. Ability to work individually and as part of a team.

C8. Up-to-date knowledge of relevant laboratory Health and Safety practices and of relevant laboratory health and safety legislation and other University policies and procedures.

Desirable:

D1. Expertise in handling and processing biological samples (e.g. blood, serum) and aseptic techniques.

D2. Expertise in parasite tissue culture and knowledge of regulatory requirements for working with ACDP category 2 and category 3 pathogens.

D3. Expertise and ability to train students and new staff in basic laboratory techniques.

Experience

Essential:

E1. Relevant work experience within a similar insectary environment of high humidity and temperature, including evidence of previous professional development.

E2. Experience of understanding and interpreting the technical requirements of staff and students working in a parasitology/entomology environment.

E3. Experience of accurately following prescribed SOPs.

E4. Experience of prioritising work for different groups with conflicting priorities.

Desirable:

F1. Experience of processing and handling human blood samples.

F2. Experience of working with others within a laboratory setting.

Additional Information 

Our School is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. As we are a merging of two Athena Swan Silver award winning bodies (the School of Veterinary Medicine and the Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine) we aim to achieve an Athena Swan award for the School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine

The award demonstrates our commitment to best practice in recruiting and supporting the career development and progression of female scientists, addressing gender inequalities in higher education.  The Athena SWAN Charter recognises commitment to advancing gender equality in Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and Medicine (STEMM) employment in academia. https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/bohvm/athenaswan/

The College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences was re-shaped to create 8 new Schools that bring staff together around thematic strengths, across the strategic pillars of education, research and innovation.  More information on the College re-shape can be accessed here: MVLS 2025 with further plans mapped out in our MVLS 2033 strategy.  The new College shape took effect from August 2022 and this post will be based in the School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine.

http://www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvls/mvls2025/

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 5, £25,138 - £29,605 per annum.

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

Normal working hours are from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, with some weekend work.

New entrants to the University will be required to serve a probationary period of 6 months.

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.