Assistant Chemistry Technician Birmingham, England
Job description
King Edward’s School is seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and motivated individual to the position of Assistant Chemistry Technician from 1st September 2023. This is a great opportunity to join a strong, very supportive and friendly department in an exceptional school.
The role is 37 hours per week, term time plus up to 10 days in holiday periods, working 8.15am to 4.15pm Monday to Thursday and 8.15am to 3.45pm Friday, with a 30-minute unpaid lunch break each day.
The salary is £21,028 - £23,116 FTE depending on experience (actual salary £17,285 - £19,001 per annum based on working term time plus 10 days), and other benefits include enrolment into a Defined Contribution pension scheme, 60% discount on school fees at King Edward’s School and King Edward VI High School for Girls (subject to admissions criteria), free lunches in term time and use of the onsite gym and swimming pool.
Science at King Edward’s School
King Edward’s has a long tradition of scientific excellence, having educated Nobel laureates such as Maurice Wilkins and Sir John Vane. Science remains at the heart of the academic life of the school today.
As all Sixth Former’s at King Edward’s study for the IB Diploma Programme, all students will, almost uniquely in the country, study at least one science subject throughout their time at school. Many elect to take two science subjects at IB. Biology, Chemistry and Physics are taken by the vast majority of pupils at IGCSE, and DT is one of the most popular option choices at GCSE.
Many pupils continue to study science subjects at university, with high numbers successfully applying for Engineering and Medicine, as well as Natural Sciences, Biomedical Sciences and other related subjects.
There is a strong spirit of collaboration in the experimental science faculty, which comprises Biology, Chemistry, Design Technology, Environmental Systems and Societies, Physics and Sport Science.
The Chemistry Department
The Chemistry Department has the use of six well-equipped laboratories, four of which are exclusively used by the department. Two full-time, well-qualified Chemistry technicians cater for all practical needs. There is a project lab for enrichment work and a suite of computers in the department’s IT room.
At all levels our aim is to provide a curriculum which strives for mastery and is deeply enriched and enhanced by practical work, with pupils conducting experiments for themselves wherever possible, rather than watching demonstrations. In the Shell year (Year 7) all boys follow our in-house combined science course, but from the Remove year (Year 8) onwards the three sciences are taught separately. At the end of Year 9, pupils have the option of continuing with the three separate sciences or two sciences and a further non-science GCSE. The vast majority of boys select three separate sciences. All sciences follow the Edexcel IGCSE specifications. The mean percentage of boys attaining a grade 9 at IGCSE over the last 3 years in Chemistry is 50%, with 90% of grades being 9-7. Chemistry is an immensely popular subject at IB, with approximately half the cohort selecting Higher Level Chemistry over the last three years. There are usually five Higher Level sets and one set at Standard Level. Since the inception of the current syllabus in 2016, in a typical year 36-44% of the cohort achieves the top IB grade of Level 7 (equivalent to an A* at A level).
Beyond the classroom, pupils regularly compete in local and national competitions and engage in enrichment activities. Year 7-9 pupils participate in the Salters’ Festival of Chemistry and the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Top of the Bench competitions and Year 10 and 11 compete in the West Midlands Chemistry Quiz. The more ambitious of these also join Year 12 and 13 in entering the Cambridge Lower Sixth Challenge and the RSC Chemistry Olympiad, in which we regularly achieve gold awards. We also take the pupils over to the University of Birmingham in Autumn and Spring terms to attend lectures.
Job Description
The Assistant Chemistry Technician will report to the Head of Chemistry.
Main duties include but are not restricted to:
§ Carry out duties as directed by a Technician
§ Provide technical support to teachers and pupils including guidance on safety matters or potential problems with equipment
§ Carry out the provision of a teacher's lesson requirements within the department including: delivering equipment, including written risk assessments and hazard notices when necessary, to a room; assembling apparatus, including audio-visual and ICT equipment; collecting, having checked quantities, cleaning and returning equipment and material to storage
§ Help with the preparation for Open Mornings and Evenings and Outreach visits
§ Carry out stock taking duties
§ Obtain materials by local purchase
§ Prepare chemical solutions
§ Store chemicals and equipment
§ Carry out the safe disposal of chemical material
§ Carry out the construction, modification, maintenance and repair of departmental equipment
§ Trial practical activities and help with the production of the associated risk assessments
§ Report any damage to laboratory furniture and the fabric of the building, problems concerning blocked sinks, power sockets gas taps etc. to the Head of Department and/or a Technician
§ Carry out general laboratory cleaning of bench surfaces and laboratory sinks
§ Keep up to date with Health and Safety requirements
§ Check that a risk assessment has been carried out for any technical activities and, if one is not available, liaise with the Head of Department to ensure one is present before the activity takes place.
§ If instructed to do so by a Technician, check that the specified laboratories and rooms are safe to use, that there are no gas escapes, floods, etc and that there is no evidence of unlawful intrusion
§ If instructed to do so by a Technician, check that, in the specified laboratories and rooms there is: no escaping gas, no running water, all electrical apparatus are switched off unless required to be left on in which case a clear notice should be in evidence, all windows are closed, no hazardous substances or apparatus are left out, all lights are switched off and the doors are locked
§ Carry out photocopying and other reprographic tasks; store, collect, check and repair textbooks; and mount displays of materials, visual aids and pupils' work
§ Carry out other duties as may reasonably be requested from time to time by a Technician or a member of the teaching staff.
§ All technical staff are expected to work in any department at times when this becomes necessary; for example, when someone is absent or when the work load is unequal
§ Any problems that arise are to be discussed with the appropriate Head of Department and then, if necessary, with the Head of Experimental Sciences
§ The Technical Staff are expected to adopt safe working practices as required by the current Health and Safety regulations and the KES Science Department Health and Safety documents
§ All Technical Staff are expected to lock preparation rooms, store rooms, lecture rooms and laboratories when appropriate
§ The role is physically demanding and requires a moderate amount of walking, lifting and carrying to set up equipment to demonstrate experiments
Full job description and person specification available on our website: https://kes.org.uk/about-us/vacancies/assistant-chemistry-technician-2/
How to Apply
Please download an application form from our website https://kes.org.uk/about-us/vacancies/ and return the completed form, with a covering letter, to [email protected] by 9am Thursday 22nd June 2023.
Job Type: Full-time
Salary: £17,285.00-£19,001.00 per year
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Canteen
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Enhanced paternity leave
- Free fitness classes
- Free flu jabs
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site gym
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 22/06/2023
Expected start date: 01/09/2023
