FlexBio Lab Trainee Technician Edinburgh, Scotland
Job description
Salary: Grade 3, £19,578 - £20,761
Contract type: Fixed term, 1 year
Heriot-Watt University has established a reputation for world-class teaching and leading-edge, relevant research, which has made it one of the top UK universities for innovation, business and industry.
Heriot-Watt University has five campuses: three in the UK (Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Orkney), one in Dubai and one in Malaysia. The University offers a highly distinctive range of degree programmes in the specialist areas of science, engineering, design, business and languages. Heriot-Watt is also Scotland's most international university, boasting the largest international student cohort.
About our Team
The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) www.ibioic.com aims to accelerate the commercialisation of the industrial biotechnology sector in Scotland, the UK and worldwide. IBioIC's Bioprocessing Scale-Up Centre (FlexBio) based at Heriot Watt University (HWU), supports industry and academia the opportunity to execute scale-up studies using state of the art fermentation and downstream processing equipment.
Hosted within the Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering (IB3), FlexBio provides clients with the expertise and equipment to carry out semi-pilot scale fermentation and downstream processing. This includes microbial cultures up to a scale of 30 litres and various downstream processing techniques to separate cell and/or molecules within the fields of industrial biotechnology, bioeconomy/biomass processing, and enzyme/peptide/small molecule purification.
Many of our industry client work within the exciting areas of biotechnology such as marine, agriceuticals, biomass, carbon capture, biomaterials and food, all helping to deliver the national biotechnology plan and working towards ‘net-zero'. Learn more about what we do… https://www.ibioic.com/bioprocessing-scale-up-centres
Detailed Description
IBioIC are seeking to appoint a 1-year trainee scientist to support fermentation and downstream bioprocessing operations working on projects on behalf of IBioIC member companies. Due to its short-term nature this would ideally suit those looking to undertake a ‘sandwich year' during their degree. The successful candidate will join the IBioIC Scale-Up Team, working across FlexBio and to a limited extent RapidBio (hosted by University of Strathclyde, Glasgow), to assist with the delivery of technical projects in partnership with, or on behalf of, industry partners. They will be supervised by Senior Scientists at FlexBio and this will be their primary place of work. Overall line management will be under the Facilities & Operations Manager.
While based at a university, it should be noted that this is not an academic research position and application submissions should reflect the necessary skills needed to work as a process orientated scientist with industry on projects within a highly innovative, professional and collaborative environment.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
The post holder will be required to:
- Routine maintenance activities within the FlexBio lab facility. Including keeping lab areas tidy, stock taking and appropriate ordering of reagents and consumables via the university procurement system.
- Responsible for the day-to-day preparation of experimental material, for example reagents, media and equipment related to either area of upstream or downstream processing.
- Provide support for IBioIC scale-up facility senior scientists, scientists and managers.
- Execute project work for industry, in the fields of fermentation and downstream bioprocessing.
- Provide support for IBioIC scale-up facility senior scientists, scientists and managers.
- Be able to quickly adapt and transfer skills to new techniques, technology and innovations and work flexibly across laboratories and sites as required.
- Take responsibility for core equipment ensuring it is well maintained, clean-down and all users are appropriately trained.
- Ensure health & Safety processes (Process COSHH) and documentation (BMRs, SOPs) are followed at all times.
- Complete documentation for recording experimental results to a high standard
Education, Qualifications and Experience
Essential Criteria
- Current undergraduate student (in a biology, chemistry or bio/chemistry engineering field) wishing to undertake a placement year of 1-year duration, with predicted grades of 2:1 and higher
- HND / HNC, Highers or A-levels in biology or chemistry (or equivalent to SCQF Level 5 or similar ( Link ) .
- Experience of working in environments which require professionalism, dedication and good customer service.
- Good organisation and practical skills with an enthusiastic, reliable, ‘can-do' mindset
- Fluent in English to equivalent level of C2 of CEFR standard (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)
Desirable Criteria
- Experience of working within a similar environment as outlined above under “Key duties and responsibilities�
- Experience of microbiological techniques
- Able to evidence being proactive
- Experience of executing complex experimentation, which require planning, reporting and considerations of health of safety.
- Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment
- Evidence of performing practical tasks / hobbies with enthusiasm and care outside of work.
‘How to Apply'
Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on date 3r d March 2023.
Please must submit via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system (1) Cover letter describing your interest and suitability for the post; (2) CV
Informal enquiries may be made to Neil Renault at [email protected] (IBioIC Biofacilities & Operations Manager)
Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.
Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ .
We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.
Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.
