Leading Technician (Biological Sciences Teaching Laboratories)

University of Bristol; West of England; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Bristol is seeking a Grade G Level 1 Leading Teaching Laboratory Technician to join the School of Biological Sciences’ Teaching Laboratory team. Based in the Life Sciences Building, you will support undergraduate practical classes across biological disciplines and deputise for the Laboratory Manager when needed.

Large, busy teaching laboratories host daily sessions; you will coordinate activities, ensure safe operations, and contribute to outreach and second-year field courses.

Qualifications

• Experience in a teaching laboratory or higher education environment would be advantageous but is not essential.
• A strong background in biological sciences and enthusiasm for supporting practical teaching.

Responsibilities

• Preparing and supporting undergraduate practical classes
• Troubleshooting during laboratory sessions to ensure high-quality delivery
• Assisting in the organisation and delivery of second-year field courses
• Supporting the preparation and operation of undergraduate practical examinations
• Contributing to Outreach and Widening Participation programmes during vacation periods
• Undertaking laboratory maintenance, equipment servicing, and experimental testing outside teaching blocks

Skills

Communication skills

Organisation

Teamwork

Job description

The role

The School of Biological Sciences is seeking to appoint a Grade G Level 1 Leading Teaching Laboratory Technician to join our dedicated Teaching Laboratory team.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in delivering high-quality practical teaching to undergraduate students across a broad range of biological disciplines. The post offers significant responsibility within a large, dynamic laboratory environment and provides the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the student experience.

What will you be doing?

Based in the Life Sciences Building, you will become one of the team of five teaching laboratory technicians committed to providing outstanding support to students and academic colleagues within the Biological Sciences teaching laboratories.

The laboratories are large, busy and collaborative spaces, hosting practical classes daily during term time. Class sizes range from 50 to 180 students, with an average of approximately 125 per session. Practical sessions span the breadth of research within the School, from molecular biology through to ecology.

In addition to working collaboratively within the team, this role carries deputising responsibility for the Laboratory Manager. You will assist with the day-to-day organisation of laboratory operations, including task allocation and coordination of activities within the team, and ensuring the smooth and safe running of teaching sessions.

Key responsibilities include:

• Preparing and supporting undergraduate practical classes
• Troubleshooting during laboratory sessions to ensure high-quality delivery
• Assisting in the organisation and delivery of second-year field courses
• Supporting the preparation and operation of undergraduate practical examinations (held twice annually)
• Contributing to Outreach and Widening Participation programmes during vacation periods.
• Undertaking laboratory maintenance, equipment servicing, and experimental testing outside of teaching blocks

This is a varied and hands-on role requiring both technical expertise and strong organisational capability.

Start Date

January 2027

You should apply if

You are a proactive, adaptable and collaborative individual who thrives in a busy teaching environment.

You will demonstrate

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• A positive, solution-focused ("can-do") approach
• The ability to build effective working relationships quickly
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
• Confidence in coordinating and prioritising tasks within a team setting

Experience in a teaching laboratory or higher education environment would be advantageous but is not essential. A strong background in biological sciences and a genuine enthusiasm for supporting practical teaching are highly desirable.

If you enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, take pride in enabling excellent student experiences, and bring both professionalism and good humour to your work, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Additional information

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Sue Holwell at [e-mail]

Contract type

Open-ended

Work pattern

Full-time

Grade

G

Salary

£32,722 - £36,320 per annum

School/Unit

School of Biological Sciences

Closing date/time

This advert will close at 23:59 UK time on Tuesday 17 November 2026

Interviews

Interviews will be held on Monday 7th December 2026

Our strategy and mission

We recently launched our strategy to 2030 tying together our mission, vision and values.

Available documents

• SUPP113906_Leading_Technician_Job_Description.pdf