Position Details
College of Social Sciences
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £25,506 to £27,399, with potential progression once in post to £31,718
Band 500
Part Time (50% FTE), Fixed Term contract up to June 2026
Closing date: 17th May 2023
Our offer to you
People are at the heart of what we are and do.
The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.
We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.
We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.
Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.
The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum, and botanical gardens.
Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham
Background
The School of Education has a long-standing reputation as a centre of excellence for teaching and research in a wide range of areas of educational practice and policy. It is an international leader in education, delivering a wide range of both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The School’s mission is ‘Making a Difference in Education’.
The School has recently established a suite of psychology laboratories to enable students on accredited programmes (such as the BSc Psychology in Education programme, accredited by the British Psychological Society) to undertake practical research during their studies. As the psychology laboratory technician, part of your role will be to provide localised support for the laboratories and associated equipment. This will include technical support for and maintenance of specialised equipment and software, as well as supporting other practical research work undertaken by staff and students.
An important part of your role will be to support students by delivering subject-specific technical input. Students on accredited undergraduate programmes undertake practical work in each year of study, and a research project for their dissertation in Year 3.
Your role will include supporting students and staff to use specialist equipment and software for data collection and analyses (e.g., audio-visual equipment, eye trackers, observation and video recording systems, psychophysiological response measures, PsychoPy, OpenSesame, Eprime, MATLAB, R project for statistical computing, SPSS, NVivo). Typical tasks will include, for example, software programming; experimental script workshops; set-up and co-ordination of specialist experimental equipment, the purchase, maintenance and management of specialist equipment and the psychology test collection, and associated budgets. In addition, you will have oversight of health and safety risk assessments in laboratory areas, and a good understanding of research ethics.
Localised support may also include teaching, learning and research development (e.g., to help with the application of new and existing technology to enhance the student experience and students’ development of research skills, to provide support to staff within the department, including project management). If involved in teaching and learning activities you may need to operate in University teaching hours (9-7pm) to accommodate classes.
Role summary
You will provide technical expertise, support and guidance in support of teaching. You may supervise a number of technical staff but even where you do not directly supervise staff you will still be expected to act as a role model and coach others as appropriate.
You will need a significant understanding of the requirements to deliver undergraduate classes, an in-depth understanding of all main subject areas, the ability to respond quickly and positively to changes in protocols, and troubleshoot problems, and optimise protocols to ensure a positive student experience.
In order to flexibly use resource you may be offered the opportunity to work in different areas of the department or wider university.
Main duties
- You will discuss the programme of work with your manager and other technical staff in the area to ensure the programme of work, session protocols and outcomes are clear.
- You will plan, based on the available timetabling information, the most efficient/effective means to turnaround classes.
- You will research, design, trial & modify practical protocols for class teaching.
- Support the Education Support Manager where required and deputise for them in their absence.
- Keeping the Education Support Manager informed as to changes to protocols/sessions, content of any discussions with academic session leads and other matters relating to the teaching laboratories.
- Initiate discussion with the Education Support Manager on any issues that may compromise the core function of the laboratories or for information that is related to the core functions of the teaching laboratories.
- Instruct and provide high level technical support for students in the correct and safe handling of laboratory and fieldwork equipment including preparation of data collection methods and analysis techniques.
- Preparation of a diverse range of materials used during practical sessions, to be able to calculate and prepare a wide range of laboratory equipment and provide a consistent results delivery service.
- Prepare and support open days, Applicant Visitor Day events, Continuous Professional Development and other external requirements within the laboratories or other areas as and when required.
- Oversee that the laboratories are suitably prepared for practicals and the setup/takedown of equipment/materials used during sessions.
- Check practical layouts prior to classes and ensure that all requirements are in place.
- Be familiar with the use of a broad spectrum of laboratory equipment and specialised equipment.
- Demonstrate equipment use, high level techniques and procedures to staff and students.
- Trouble-shoot and respond to problems, which may occur during practical sessions, using your in-depth knowledge and your ability to diagnose/resolve problems and suggest solutions.
- If in a supervisory position, you will supervise the day to day activities of a number of other technical staff.
- You will provide support and guidance, and work closely with your staff in relation to working requirements, working environment, staff wellbeing, identifying any training requirements as appropriate.
- Even if you are not in a supervisory position you will still be expected to act as a role model and coach staff in the locality.
Health and Safety duties
- Proactive support for health and safety within the laboratory. This may include being required to look after a communal area as part of your duties. Comply with all current rules and ensure all required assessments are in place, approved and up to date.
- Fully understand the safety aspects of equipment operation and be able to demonstrate/train staff (at all levels) on the correct usage of the equipment.
- Ensuring that regular maintenance processes are carried out and that appropriate records are maintained.
- Reporting any breaches or non-compliance with H&S procedures to the relevant manager(s).
- Upholding the correct waste disposal stream as governed by College and local policy for the laboratory.
- Post holder may be asked to undergo training as a First Aider.
General Administration and Organisation
- Ensuring all records are accurate and kept up to date.
- Proactively maintain stocks of consumables/equipment, and when required generate purchase order requisitions using University systems.
- Receipt and correct storage of consumables/equipment.
- Ensuring that the facilities are maintained in a clean, functional and safe condition, reporting any problems through the appropriate channels.
- Ensuring that PAT testing, calibration of equipment and locally and centrally held equipment inventories are up to date and maintained.
- Adopt a proactive attitude to assisting with and implementing carbon reduction and energy saving measures.
- Maintain a technical support based teaching laboratory website (how to guides for the preparation of materials, practical setup guides), and keeping these up to date as and when session requirements or protocols change or maintaining relevant research lab databases/records.
Other Duties
- In collaboration with the relevant manager the post holder will take an active role in the training and mentoring process for junior or newly appointed staff.
- Supports equality and values diversity, moderates own behaviour to avoid unfair discriminatory impact or bias on others.
- Any other duties as may reasonably be required.
Person Specification
Essential
- Extensive relevant workplace experience, equivalent professional qualification or degree in an appropriate subject.
- GCSE level 2 (A*- C/4-9) or equivalent level 2 qualification in mathematics and English.
- In-depth practical knowledge of relevant technical and scientific methods.
- Extensive experience of similar laboratory based work, together with familiarity with a wide range of laboratory equipment.
- Positive service attitude and shows courtesy in dealing with others.
- Ability to organise and manage own work load and demonstrate flexibility in terms of work practices/requirements.
- Ability to work under minimal supervision but function as part of a team.
- Knowledge of current legislation relevant to the role.
- Knowledge of current H&S policies and ability to uphold same.
- Proficiency in commonly used software and programming packages.
- Understands the importance of equality and diversity in the workplace
- Ability to identify and respond to equality and diversity issues in line with relevant policies and procedures
Desirable
- Prior experience setting up studies to measure button press and keyboard responses (e.g., in PsychoPy, e-prime)
- Prior experience setting up studies to measure eye movements
Dimensions
You will provide specialist expertise in your area and provide advice and support to a range of customers. You may supervise staff; even where you do not have supervisory responsibilities you will be expected to act as a role model for other staff. You may be involved in budget monitoring.
Planning and organising
You will be required to work independently on daily, weekly and monthly tasks but also on projects with medium-longer-term horizons without daily supervision. You will ensure that you have the resources required, which will require planning ahead and procurement of goods.
Problem solving and decision making
You will be able to research, modify and adapt protocols after consulting relevant manager, and prepare for teaching experiments. You will be able to uphold Health and Safety procedures. You will need to be confident in identifying problems, breaking them down and implementing solutions. Although you will work under the direction of more senior staff you will be able to carry out your work with a large amount of autonomy.
Internal and external relationships
This role will be advising and supporting staff and/or students, and with external contacts such as company representatives.
Informal enquires to Emily Barrett, email: E.R.Barrett@bham.ac.uk
View our staff values and behaviours here
Valuing excellence, sustaining investment
We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working .