Laboratory Research Technician United Kingdom
Job description
Full-time, permanent position. 36.5 hours per week.
The University of Warwick is seeking to appoint a Laboratory Research Technician based in the Department of Psychology.
The key purpose of this role is to support the laboratory-based and on-line research activities of our undergraduate and postgraduate students. Where appropriate and capacity allows, the post holder will also contribute to and support academics in non-teaching-based research activities.
This post represents an excellent opportunity for an enthusiastic and self-motivated individual who will engage with our students and be the first point of contact for them in regards their required research. Experience of undertaking research in the field of Psychology is essential, as is the ability to manage resources and time. A competence in research relevant programming is required, as is the ability to learn third-party software packages and to operate specialist facilities.
We will consider applications for employment on a part-time or other flexible working basis, even where a position is advertised as full-time, unless there are operational or other objective reasons why it is not possible to do so.
To find out more about the role, please contact: Linda Wilson ([email protected]).
Interview date: July/ August 2023, TBC.
Job Description
Our undergraduates conduct a research project in all three years of their degree. Our PGT students conduct a substantial research project along with lab placements for some courses. The Laboratory Research Technician’s primary role is to support this student research which may take place in the department’s multiple PC based testing cubicles and group-testing labs as well as specialist facilities e.g., Driving Simulator, Sleep Lab, Physiological Lab, VR Lab and Baby Lab or on-line using 3rd party systems (e.g., Qualtrics and Pavlovia, custom experimental programs and programming languages, and associated participant recruitment systems (e.g., SONA, MTurk, Prolific).
Key aspects of the role will be the management and supervision of the research space and equipment; the management of the financial aspects of student research; advising students on the collection and processing their research data; the support of third-party research software, applications and systems; assisting with student research programming tasks; undertaking all of the above with awareness of Health and Safety concerns and processes.
Although the primary focus is the support of teaching and student research, where appropriate and capacity allows, contributions and support for non-student research within the Department might also be required depending on department priorities and strategic needs.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Support Psychology Undergraduate and Postgraduate research.
- Manage and supervise laboratory space.
- Provide support for students on research design and analysis and provide clear, accurate and timely information and guidance to enquiries from students and staff about research procedures.
- Assist specialist laboratory owners with student projects.
- Contribute to laboratory instruction and laboratory demonstration as appropriate.
- General support for third party research software, applications, and systems (e.g., EPrime, PsychPy, Pavlovia, Qualtrics).
- Development and support of bespoke systems using modern programming languages (e.g., Python).
- Assist in student research programming tasks.
- Liaison and networking with internal and external partners to ensure continued development of available resources.
- Be responsible for the loan of laboratory equipment to students.
- Be involved in the ethics process for student researchers and ensure all risk assessments associated with the research are adhered to.
- Ensure safeguarding in relation to participants and researchers.
- Set up and maintain ad hoc equipment as required for research.
- Ongoing maintenance and development of laboratory space including sourcing and installation of improved hardware and software.
- Ensure maintenance of equipment is carried out and provide advice regarding procurement as necessary.
- Continual research and sourcing of appropriate and innovative resources such as software, hardware, systems, tests, books and journals.
Financial Responsibilities
- Assist Finance Officer in the purchase of participant payment vouchers / online credits.
- Monitor participant payments and ensure students declare usage and return unspent vouchers / credit.
- Be responsible for Departmental purchasing cards.
Other
- Contribute to the development and implementation of relevant plans, policies and procedures relating to the post and its activities.
- Creating and maintaining documentation to enable new or cover staff to carry out responsibilities.
- Undertake training as required to maintain knowledge and understanding of systems and procedures.
- Maintain knowledge and understanding of information security protocols / GDPR and apply to all tasks.
- Maintain knowledge of Health and Safety protocols and apply to all tasks.
- Any other duties that the IT Manager or appropriate academic colleague may reasonably request to support the general administration of the Department.
- Where capacity allows, provide support for non-teaching-based research activities.
For further information about the University of Warwick, please read our University Further Particulars.
For further information about the department, please visit the departmental website.
Warwick is committed to building an organisation of mutual respect and dignity, promoting a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive working and learning environment. We recognise that everyone is different in a variety of visible and non-visible ways, and that those differences are to be recognised, respected, and valued. Where possible, we go beyond legislation to provide a place where everyone can thrive, supporting all staff to achieve their full potential. We aspire to remove economic, social and cultural barriers that may otherwise prevent people from succeeding.
We therefore welcome and encourage applications from all communities regardless of culture, background, age, disability, sex/gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion/belief, or sexual or romantic orientation. To find out more about our social inclusion work at Warwick visit our webpages here.
The University of Warwick holds an Athena SWAN Silver award; a national initiative to promote gender equality for all staff and students. Further information about the work of the University in relation to Athena SWAN can be found at the following link: Athena Swan (warwick.ac.uk)
The University of Warwick is one of the six founder institutions of the EUTOPIA European University alliance, whose aim is to become by 2025 an open, multicultural, confederated operation of connected campuses.
Right to work in the UK
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Benefits and Rewards
Please refer to this link for a full list of our employee benefits here at Warwick here.
