Science and Technology Facilities Council
Salary: £16,608 per annum rising incrementally to £22,129 in the fourth year
Hours: Full time
Contract Type: Fixed Term
Location: Science and Technology Facilities Council, Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington
At the Hartree Centre, we help UK businesses use digital technologies to outperform their global competitors. We help to grow the UK economy, create skilled jobs and train people to excel in them. Most of all, we help to keep the UK at the forefront of industrial innovation enhancing the transition from design to product.
The Hartree Centre is part of The Science and Technology Facilities Council, a world-leading multi-disciplinary science organisation where curiosity, blue-skies thinking meets practical, application-led science and engineering. Our goal is to deliver economic, societal, scientific and international benefits to the UK and its people – and more broadly to the world. Our incredible diversity of research, technology and engineering projects truly fire the imagination and lead to real-world solutions which shape societies and transform lives.
The Hartree Centre provides collaborative research, innovation and development services that accelerate the application of high performance computing (HPC), data analytics and artificial intelligence technologies. By working with us, businesses and research partners can gain a competitive advantage that enables them to produce better outcomes, products and services more quickly and cheaply than through conventional research and development.
We are recruiting an IT Service and Customer Service Management Apprentice to be based within the Hartree Centre’s Customer Service group. This is the primary contact point for potential and existing customers and is the gateway to the full range of Hartree Centre services.
We have a technically exciting computing environment, encompassing a wide range of hardware and software, but our staff are key to our success and we value them highly. Benefits of working for us include:
- Our state-of-the-art Sci-Tech Daresbury campus is lively and dynamic, co-locating a number of exiting high-tech SMEs and multi-disciplinary collaborations.
- Located in a picturesque semi-rural location with easy access to canal-side and woodland walking.
- An excellent benefit pension scheme with employer contributions of up to 26%.
- 30 days’ annual leave plus 10.5 public and privilege days.
- High profile collaborations with organisations such as Rolls-Royce, EDF Energy, Dyson, Jaguar Landrover, Bentley, BAR, Unilever, and Schlumberger.
About an Apprenticeship at STFC
With training and support from experts in their fields, you’ll be enthusiastic about developing your knowledge, skills and behaviours, working towards completing your apprenticeship, gaining appropriate qualifications whilst making a real difference in your role.
If working with innovative technologies on world-leading research isn’t enough, you will develop both professionally and as a critical member of the team in an environment you won’t find anywhere else.
Our dedicated Apprenticeship Team will support you every step of the way, helping you make the most of your opportunities and to achieve the goals you already have – and those you have yet to discover!
We provide an opportunity to really pursue your interests and passion. You’ll have access to additional core skills development, access to a community of apprentices across the site, annual Apprentice awards evenings, a number of active sport and social groups across campus, and potential opportunities for overseas placements.
STFC offers a benefits package crafted to provide an excellent work/life balance including 30 days’ annual leave, an outstanding index linked pension scheme, 10.5 public and privilege days, Christmas closure and flexible working hours.
For a list of our full benefits, please visit here.
About the role and a summary of key duties & responsibilities
The IT and Customer Service Management Apprentice is required to assist with and triage incoming customer support tickets; direct them to the appropriate staff or respond directly; and to ensure that tickets are resolved quickly and effectively; and administer and develop our existing ServiceNow application, improving the way the Hartree Centre interacts with customers through automated workflows and KPI reporting, which in turn allows us to fulfil our customer support commitments.
Responsible for assisting with multi-cluster triage across High Performance, Quantum, and ExaScale Computing you will also be responsible for the development of the Hartree Centres ServiceNow instance.
You will develop key skills to bolster support of the Hartree Centre’s computing technologies and ServiceNow application.
Duties and responsibilities will include:
- Act as the public face of the Hartree Centre customer service group. Route queries to the appropriate staff and ensure they are resolved within SLA targets.
- Deliver professional, customer-focused, first line support to users of Hartree Centre services.
- Assist in the continued development of ServiceNow, the Hartree Centre’s IT and Customer Service Management application, aligning to ITIL methodology.
- Ensuring excellent customer service and quality delivery
- Working collaboratively, prioritising tasks according to importance and urgency
- Listen, interpret, understand and respond to clients’ and all stakeholders’ needs.
- Maintain and develop user documentation.
- Assist in the process of continuous improvement to constantly improve the user support service.
Working alongside your programme of work at the Hartree Centre, you’ll undertake a Level 6 Digital and Technology Solutions Professional Degree Apprenticeship with Northeastern University London. Here you will study the following:
Year 1:
- Business Fundamentals
- Mathematical Structures & Methods
- Intensive Foundations of Computer Science & Programming I
- Data Management Systems
- Database Design & Management I
- Intensive Foundations of Computer Science & Programming II
- Organisational Behaviour
- Digital Fluency in the AI-enabled Enterprise
Year 2:
- IT Project Management
- Database Design & Management II
- Data Analytics
- Cybersecurity
- IT Service Management
- Visual Communication of Information
- Data Visualisation
- Network and Platform Technologies
Year 3:
- Consulting Fundamentals and Frameworks
- Customer Lifecycle Management
- Advanced IT Service Management
- Business & Change Management
- Synoptic Project
In your final year, you will complete your work-based Synoptic Project before undertaking your End Point Assessment. The End Point Assessment will include a presentation between the university and STFC, covering the work-based project, your approach, outcome and the skills, knowledge and behaviours demonstrated. This will be assessed as part of the overall project assessment.
You will be supported in developing a portfolio of work-based projects to build and demonstrate the required skills, behaviours and knowledge required for this apprenticeship.
The qualifications you will achieve are:
- BSc (Hons) in Digital & Technology Solutions
- Level 6 Digital & Technology Solutions Professional
- Certified Systems Administration (CSA)
- Micro-Certification Credentials (ServiceNow)
- Certified Implementation Specialist (CIS-ITSM)
Course delivery will be through a mix of live online sessions and self-directed study, with one 2-week block each year onsite at Northeastern University’s central London campus. Travel & Accommodation expenses will be provided for this.
Person specification (Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills and any special requirements)
In order to apply for the role, we are looking for the following:
Essential:
- Achieved or predicted to achieve 5 GCSE passes at Grade C/4 or above including Maths, English and a STEM subject by September 2023 (or equivalent qualifications)
- 3 A Levels – minimum B,B,B or above or equivalent i.e. BTEC Extended Diploma – Grades DMM
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office products – particularly Word, Excel and Outlook
- Understanding of IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
- Knowledge and Understanding of IT and Customer Service Management.
- Strong and demonstrable interest in technology and science; particularly computing
- Clear and professional written and oral communication skills
- Logical approach to problem solving
Desirable:
- Demonstrable understanding of High Performance Computing technologies.
- Demonstrable understanding of Data Analytics technologies and software.
- Demonstrable understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies.
Personal qualities:
- Confident with strong attention to detail and able to prioritise tasks effectively (S&I)
- Bright with lots of initiative.
- Proactive and is willing and keen to learn new skills.
- Excellent attention to detail and a natural problem solver.
- Ability to travel occasionally and flexible approach to working hours (I)
What could you achieve with the world-leading facilities and experts of one of Europe’s largest research organisations by your side? Join us and discover what’s possible.
About The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
As one of Europe’s largest research organisations, we ask the biggest questions in the universe to find answers that change the world around us. We seek understanding. We’re proud of the impact we make. And we’re committed to helping build a globally competitive, knowledge-based UK economy. Being part of all this means contributing to work that pushes boundaries and creates possibilities. You’ll work with, and learn from, true experts. Whatever your role, you’ll be free to question, and encouraged to share ideas. And, in a positive and supportive culture, you’ll discover just what a difference you can make when you’re equipped and inspired to excel.
We’re a place where curious minds thrive. Not bound by profit, we explore ideas that others don’t, ask questions that others won’t, and discover answers that others are not equipped to find. And, alongside Mars landings and black holes, we also explore diverse, international projects in everything from science and engineering to computing and technology. Whether it’s at the cutting edge or behind the scenes, our work is intellectually challenging. It’s very often ground-breaking. And it’s endlessly, irresistibly fascinating.
For more information about STFC please visit https://stfc.ukri.org/
You can also visit our careers site https://www.stfccareers.co.uk/
About UK Research Innovation (UKRI)
UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.
Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.
More information can be found at www.ukri.org.
Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.
How we support EDI in the workforce
At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’.
Disability Confident Employer
As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
How to apply
Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.
UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.