technical instructor London, England
Job description
Are you a scientist with a passion for design, innovation and the arts?
Do you have experience working within a Laboratory environment?
This is your opportunity to help run our student-facing Bio Materials Lab at the Royal College of Art.
What are we looking for?
An adaptable and highly motivated person to provide technical instruction, support, advice and demonstrations in experimental student research, investigating the application of bio-materials, bio-plastics and mycelium in design, textiles and the creative arts.
The ideal candidate will be experienced in supporting laboratory activities within a higher education, research or commercial environment and have a passion for material science. They will have a keen ability to problem solve and an ambition to support emerging activities. Candidates will have:
- Knowledge of laboratory processes, techniques and skills, including bio-materials based research, biosafety level one lab techniques and equipment.
- Experience in supporting the management and auditing of laboratory inventories including equipment, consumables and waste management.
- Knowledge of Health and Safety issues and Risk Assessment procedures for a laboratory environment.
- Excellent organisational, time management and planning skills with the ability to prioritise as appropriate.
What will the job involve?
Experimental work and problem solving on a daily basis.
Working closely with Masters students to support their independent research projects.
Inducting new users into the space and running small group workshops.
Ensuring the highest levels of Health & Safety are monitored and maintained.
Assisting in the researching, purchasing and installation of new equipment.
Supporting the design of workflows and safety protocols.
Supporting the ordering of consumables and undertaking maintenance of equipment.
Peer-to-peer learning with other technical specialists and academic staff.
Further Information
The Royal College of Art is the UK’s only entirely postgraduate institution of art and design, dedicated to teaching, research and knowledge exchange with industry. The RCA has been ranked the number one university-level institution for art and design, internationally, for the ninth consecutive year according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2023.
The College has built a new Rausing Research and Innovation building at Battersea South which houses a range of experimentation and workshop facilities, which includes a specialist Laboratory for bio-material processes. This lab will explore novel materials and processes for design, integrating design with materials science and biotechnology. Led by the Materials Science Research Centre, which houses the £5.4m UKRI Textiles Circularity Centre (TCC), the lab will transform bio-based waste into sustainable, circular materials, generating new research methods, outputs and collaborations. This post will have to opportunity to connect with some of the activity happening within this space through peer-to-peer learning and hosting Research Centre staff within the student-facing lab at Kensington.
Please see Information Pack for further details.
This role will close for applications at 11.59pm on 31st July 2023
