"Technical Specialist"

Technical Specialist

University of Exeter - Technical Strategy and Operations

Location:	Exeter
Salary:	The starting salary will be from £33,482 on Grade E, depending on qualifications and experience.
Hours:	Full Time
Contract Type:	Fixed-Term/Contract

Placed On: 23rd January 2026
Closes: 15th February 2026
Job Ref: R07520

This new full time post is available immediately on a fixed term basis until 31 March 2027.

This position could be an opportunity for an internal secondment, with approval from your current line manager.

Summary of the role

A Technical Specialist is required to work alongside Dr Alan Puttock and colleagues within the Geography department on a range of hydrological monitoring projects seeking to understand whether natural flood management or other nature-based solution and landscape restoration interventions have the potential to provide hydrological resilience.

The candidate will help monitor and quantify the impact of Natural Flood Management (NFM) Interventions in Devon as part of the Devon Resilience Impact Project (DRIP) alongside other similar projects across Southwest England. The role will involve an extensive fieldwork component to maintain and collect data from existing hydrological monitoring sites and undertake drone surveys to capture the structure of sites. The role will also involve a desktop component managing, quality controlling and processing hydrological and geospatial data collected during fieldwork. Whilst fieldwork and data analysis experience is essential, training will be provided for example to undertake drone surveys of study sites.

These research projects affords a unique opportunity to work with, and learn from, an experienced team utilising cutting edge methods to quantify hydrological functioning of NFM interventions at the site and catchment scale. The post holder will collect, process and analyse high quality hydrological monitoring data that meets the needs of project partners, including the Environment Agency and Devon County Council.

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.

Organisational context:

The Research Services Division is a key enabler to the delivery of the University’s Strategy 2030, the Research and Impact Strategy, successful REF performances, and meeting research income targets.

This role is within the Technical Strategy & Operations part of the Division. We are research and teaching technical staff across the entirety of the University of Exeter. We work in specialist areas across the University and beyond, undertaking and supporting research and teaching and promoting compliance and best practice, in the labs, studios, workshops, and field.

The service is comprised of a team of talented individuals who support our teaching and research, and in training the next generation of top scientists. Our technical roles, which include experimental officers, laboratory technicians and research technicians, all focus on different aspects of science and humanities - from mechanical/electrical engineering, medicine and health, life sciences, social sciences, film, drama & communications, physics, geology and geography, and so much more.

This post supports the Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy

The Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy is a vibrant interdisciplinary community, dedicated to delivering world-class education and research that breaks new boundaries and has a positive impact on the world. We work across fundamental sciences, engineering and business to deliver on the University’s Strategy 2030 to create a sustainable, healthy and socially just future.

Further information

Please contact Alan Puttock (a.k.puttock@exeter.ac.uk)

We welcome applications from candidates interested in working part-time hours or job-sharing arrangements.

This role may be subject to additional background screening.