Laboratories Technician- Materials and Structures London, England
Job description
About us
UCL Engineering Sciences comprises ten academic departments that undertake researchand teaching across a wide range of disciplines. Our scientists and engineers take discoveries from fundamentals to practice, producing innovative technological solutions to challenging problems. It is a dynamic and growing Faculty, with a strong vision and desire to use our talents to ‘Change the world’.
For more information see www.ucl.ac.uk/engineering.
Many essential technologies originated from studies and work at UCL, including the rapid production of vaccines, fibre-optic communications (for which a share of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded) and the internet infrastructure. The complexity of today’s societies means that engineers deal with a huge range of challenges, ideas, and techniques.
The Faculty is uniquely international. Our students and staff are drawn from Europe, the Americas, Africa, India, China, the Middle and Far East, and Australasia – as are our academic and business partners.
Our teaching programmes are focused on subjects that have the biggest impact on the world around us, and their content is led by the best international research.
Our research is formally organised within and across academic departments. The Faculty’s work also transcends the boundaries between academic subjects and departments, with members of the Faculty working particularly closely with several institutes and centres, both physicaland virtual, within the Faculty and UCL more generally.
UCL Mechanical Engineering has been pioneering the development of engineering education, having taught the core discipline for over 170 years. UCL was home to the UK’s first ever Professor ofthe Mechanical Principles of Engineering, Eaton Hodgkinson, in 1847. It was also where Sir Alexander Blackie William Kennedy introduced organized laboratory practicals in university education training; a world-leading educational innovation at the time. Today our students are taught core engineering disciplines and supervised in individual and group research projects by academics that are recognised research world-leaders in their fields. In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) 96% of the department’s research submitted in UoA12 was judged “world leading” or “internationally excellent”.
At UCL Mechanical Engineering, we develop and apply core competencies to produce world-class research into a wider range of engineering challenges than most would imagine. Amongst many other avenues we are:
- Leading research into low carbon shipping
- Designing the greenest engines and novel sustainable fuels
- Studying the flow of red blood cells in channels thinner than a human hair
- Using ‘lighter than air’ building materials to develop the solar power stations of the future.
- Developing the most advanced brain models for dementia
- Designing propulsion systems for advanced multihull ships
Further information is available at https://mecheng.ucl.ac.uk/
About the role
UCL Mechanical Engineering has recently established a new Imaging Suite and a Advanced Materials Characterisation facility. The Imaging Suite features two scanning electron microscopes, microCT, atomic force microscope, 3D optical microscope etc. which will be the main focus of the postholder along side assisting in facility management and monitoring activities in the Advanced Materials Characterisation. These facilities are based in UCL Mechanical Engineering in Bloombury campus. Going forward we also envision acquisition of a number of other advanced characterisation equipment both in Bloombury and UCL EAST campus which the posthoder will have access to and will be able to influence the operations of these facitlities.
The facility includes two SEMs: A ZEISS Gemini 360 system equipped with EBSD and EDX, in-lens and back scatter and NanoVP detectors, and a ZEISS EVO 10 system. It also includes a Nikon micro CT ((XT H 225 ST Reflection + Transmission dual target system with MRA, and motorised FID). We also have a comprehensive set of in situ loading with different mechanical loadcell etc.
The position will be based in the Materials and Structures Laboratories and will support and develop these labs, including the electron microscopes, x-ray and optical imaging, static and dynamic mechanical testing equipment in them. The individual will work closely with the Academic Staff, Researchers and Students from the Materials, Structures and Manufacturing Group.
The role holder will be responsible for organising, maintaining and developing the facilities. The individual will supervise and support the activities that students and researchers undertake.
For more detail concerning the duties and responsibilities of this position, please refer to the attached job description.
About you
We are keen to receive applications from applicants with excellent people skills, and the ability to work harmoniously with a broad spectrum of colleagues and students, with a willingness to learn and continuously develop their knowledge and techniques and are able to deliver their work in a timely manner. The successful post-holder should be able to demonstrate the following essential skills and attributes:
- A relevant analytical science degree or considerable experience in an engineering background.
- Experience of working in a laboratory environment with working knowledge of workplace Health and Safety regulations and procedures and their practical implementation.
- Practical experience of working with hazardous chemicals, specialist gases, apparatus and instruments
- Experience with Information systems (e.g. database) and IT skills
- Experience of contributing innovative ideas in order to solve technical problems usually bespoke one-off components and assemblies.
- Flexibility to work with a large variety of personnel including scientists, technical staff and students
- The flexibility to occasionally work late, when specimens arrive for example (to be compensated on subsequent days)
Additional desirable skills and attributes include:
- Theoretical and/or practical expertise in material characterisation and static and/or dynamic mechanical testing
- Theoretical and/or practical expertise in imaging techniques such as micro computed tomography (microCT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Light Microscopy
- Theoretical and/or practical expertise in chemical analytical techniques FTIR, DSC, DMA, MS, GC etc.
- Previous experience running atomic force microscopy and/or nanoindentation system
- Advanced level of knowledge of using 3D CAD software (i.e. Fusion 360)
FURTHER DETAILS
Applicants are strongly encouraged to include a portfolio of previous work experiences, any publications, pictures of samples/kits they have worked on. We also also welcome learning about any additional skills and experiences that are outside of skills sort for this position but you think will be relevant for our Department
- Salary: £39,508 - £47,355
- The advert will close on 27 March at 23:59 GMT, however we may close applications early if we receive a high volume of applications. Early application submission is recommended.
- A job description and person specification can be accessed at the bottom of this page.
- If you have any queries about the role, please contact Taneta Darko at [email protected].
What we offer
As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:
- 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
- Additional 5 days’ annual leave purchase scheme
- Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
- Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
- Immigration loan
- Relocation scheme for certain posts
- On-Site nursery
- On-site gym
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
- Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
- Discounted medical insurance
Visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/rewards-and-benefits to find out more.
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.
We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce.
These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.
The Department is a proud holder of a Bronze Athena Swan Award in recognition of our support in ensuring women are adequately represented in science, engineering and technology (SET).
