Head of Technical Operations and Safety

Imperial College London - Department of Chemical Engineering

Placed On: 9th March 2026
Closes: 6th April 2026
Job Ref: ENG03834

About the role

Are you excited by the challenge of shaping world-class technical services in a leading Chemical Engineering department? As our new Head of Technical Operations and Safety (HoTO&S), you will lead and inspire an outstanding multidisciplinary team of more than 20 technical professionals who underpin our teaching and research.

You will be responsible for a diverse group of technical professionals, including mechanical and electronics workshop technicians, analytical technicians, research support technicians, building services personnel and computing officers. In this pivotal role, you will lead, manage and develop the team, contribute to strategic departmental planning, coordinate refurbishment and building projects, and serve as Head of Safety — ensuring that our facilities remain safe, innovative and fit for the future.

What you would be doing

You will provide leadership for professional and technical staff, ensuring that high-quality, technical services are delivered consistently across the Department. You will set direction for all technical and departmental support functions, aligning their work with the University’s strategy and the Department’s priorities. A key part of your role will be to foster an inclusive, collaborative and high‑performance culture in which staff are supported to develop, service performance is well managed, and the team can thrive.

You will play a central role in shaping and managing the Department’s technical infrastructure and facilities. Drawing on your technical expertise, you will contribute to strategic planning around buildings, laboratories, workshops and shared facilities, and maintain a digital, centralised record of refurbishment and building projects. You will advise senior colleagues on technical infrastructure, capital investment and space utilisation; lead or support bids for equipment and infrastructure funding; and manage allocated budgets to ensure cost-effective, value‑for‑money services.

You will provide professional leadership on health, safety and environmental management. You will oversee safety inspections and incident responses, maintain safety records and key testing regimes, support robust risk assessment processes and chemical storage, and work with the University safety and facilities teams to ensure compliance and promote a proactive, positive safety culture.

What we are looking for

We are seeking an experienced leader with a strong grounding in Chemical Engineering or a related discipline, together with a solid health and safety background.

You will also bring substantial experience of leading people and delivering complex operational projects, including:

• Leading and developing multidisciplinary teams
• Managing complex projects, budgets and facilities development
• Experience of research infrastructure and external collaboration (e.g. with contractors, suppliers or central services) in support of experimental and/or computational work (desirable)
• Experience implementing or managing cost recovery systems or internal recharging models

We are looking for someone who combines strong leadership with excellent organisational and problem‑solving skills.

Please see the Job Description for full list of responsibilities.

Further information

This is a full-time, open ended post (on site only)

Interviews will be held in person on 13th May 2026

If you require any further details about the role, please contact Leah Grey, Administration & Staffing Manager - leah.grey@imperial.ac.uk