Melville Laboratory Coordinator (Secondment Opportunity)

This role provides crucial day to day Melville laboratory management and servicing of an established, inter-disciplinary research unit within the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, comprising of three research groups occupying a purpose built suite of rooms of approximately 450m² split over two floors and consisting of 60-70 personnel; typically about 2 senior visiting research staff, 10-15 post-doctoral researchers, 40-50 doctoral students, 5 Erasmus or other visiting under graduate students and 4 final year undergraduate project students.

Duties include providing front-line technical management and support to the Melville Laboratories undertaking local responsibility for good laboratory practice and safety matters. The role holder will interact with students and staff proactively to accommodate daily needs in the laboratory and prioritise fixing of any malfunctioning items in the laboratory; supervise the use and maintain the laboratory instrumentation and will initiate, approve and monitor progress of all Melville purchases and delivery of laboratory consumables, equipment, repairs and servicing; be responsible for maintaining and updating laboratory records and documentation.

The successful candidate will have well developed interpersonal skills, be flexible, have the ability to work on their own initiative as well as part of a team and be able to prioritise own work and work under pressure. They will be qualified to BTEC/HND level or equivalent in Chemistry or related subject, and have an in-depth knowledge and experience of laboratory work and procedures. Experience of working in a higher education / research environment is essential, as is inventory and ordering/receiving experience.

Maternity Cover: The funds for this post are available from 30/10/2025 until 29/10/2026 or the return of the post holder whichever is the earlier. However, the role holder has indicated they intend to return on 21st August 2026 in some capacity.

Applications are welcome from internal candidates who would like to apply for the role on the basis of a secondment from their current role in the University.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

For queries relating to the position or the application process, please contact Emma Graham on (email: ejg49@cam.ac.uk).

Please quote reference MA46851 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The Department holds an Athena SWAN silver award for women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.