Technical Specialist (Research) – Optics & Photonics

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Technical Specialist (Research) – Optics & Photonics

£32, - £37, p.a. pro rata

Full-time, permanent

About the Role

You will transfer practical knowledge to the Advanced Optics and Photonics (AOP) lab users, including demonstrating equipment and techniques and providing support, supervision and guidance to use equipment. Actively keep up to date with relevant discipline knowledge, trends and technology, and apply this to practices.

You will assist in some research projects within the AOP group to support the achievement of project objectives, e.g. third-stream income generation projects. The duties include but are not limited to, preparing experimental setups, calibrating equipment or facilities, and assisting with data collection. Your contributions may be recognised in the acknowledgements section of publications, as appropriate.

You will ensure that staff and students comply with the appropriate health and safety regulations for using various kinds of high-power lasers and chemical substances. This duty includes the induction of new staff, undertaking risk assessments, keeping them up-to-date, and implementing necessary safety measures.

You will be responsible for purchasing/requisitioning stock of new equipment and consumables for the AOP labs and monitoring expenditures against a defined budget, including anticipation of future requirements.

Please include responses to the following questions as part of your supporting statement, under the 'Previous Experience' section:

Do you have experience supporting research activities and contributing to the successful delivery of research projects? Please provide details. Are you proficient in operating high-power lasers and managing the safe storage, handling, and use of hazardous chemical substances? Describe your relevant experience. Do you have experience supporting the organisation of conferences, workshops, public engagement events, and developing research partnerships? If so, please provide examples. Can you describe your experience with managing and backing up research data effectively? How do you ensure professional communication while fostering respectful, ethical, and effective relationships with staff and students? Do you have experience in the procurement process of purchasing/requisitioning stock of new equipment and consumables and monitoring expenditures against a defined budget?

For more details, please take a look at the role profile. We'll still consider applications even if you don't meet every single one of the requirements, so don't be put off if you don't match them perfectly.