student research projects, and research and innovation activities. As a technician, you would provide demonstrations, training and support for users of the laboratories and have an important role in day-to-day management of the facilities, including preparing materials and equipment to be used by students. A main focus of this role will be support for the School of Biosciences and Chemistry, but you will also support other laboratory areas such as Food and Nutrition and Chemical Engineering.
Laboratory and chemical safety knowledge is essential. You will also need to have in-depth practical experience and knowledge of chemical / biochemical analysis instrumentation and techniques, with proficiency gained from your hands-on experience with calibration, maintenance tasks, method development and troubleshooting. Examples of relevant techniques include HPLC, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, FPLC, Raman spectrometry, ICP, NMR, FTIR, and spectrophotometric/plate reader assays.
A strong background in analytical chemistry, with knowledge and experience of a wide range of the techniques listed above, would be an advantage. However, it is more important to have the aptitude and enthusiasm to learn new techniques and to train and support our students to use them. You will be expected to work flexibly and have, or develop, skills to allow you to support the team’s delivery across a range of disciplines. You will be highly motivated and meticulous in your work, with a professional work ethic, and ability to work both independently and collaboratively across team boundaries sharing knowledge and skills to ensure customer-focussed results.
The team
Technical Operations, Resources and Services (TORS) provides unified technical support across Sheffield Hallam University. The service supports face-to-face teaching and all practical activities to a high standard, supported by having a highly skilled technical services team.
The RIKE team works closely with other teams to provide an agile and responsive service that delivers highly skilled support with customer service at the heart of it. The main duties of the laboratory-based members of the RIKE team include; preparation of materials for under- and post-graduate practical classes; troubleshooting practical issues as they arise; demonstrating instrumentation and techniques; support for project students and researchers; developing future practical classes in collaboration with academic colleagues; and maintenance of the site's infrastructure and logistical arrangements such as: laboratory housekeeping, management of chemical inventories and waste, equipment maintenance and health and safety-related support.
