Research Technician: Plant Biology & Coastal Adaptation

Diversity Dashboard; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Sheffield is seeking a Technician: Research to join the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology cluster in the School of Biosciences. You will manage marram grass plants for an ARIA-funded project, performing stress tests, recording data, and helping with crosses and analyses.

You will contribute to an interdisciplinary team, applying plant biology expertise, meticulous record-keeping, and strong organisational skills to advance climate-resilient coastal dune research.

Qualifications

• Experience equivalent to Level 3 (BTEC/A Level) in Biology, horticulture or related field.
• Knowledge of plant biology and ability to grow large cohorts of plants.
• Experience collecting phenotypic or experimental measurements.
• Ability to follow detailed experimental protocols and work to a plan.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills.
• Ability to work both independently and in a multidisciplinary team.
• Proven problem-solving skills to address technical issues.
• Ability to train others in molecular techniques.

Responsibilities

• Germinate, grow and maintain marram grass for experimental work.
• Conduct stress response experiments.
• Phenotype plants for several traits.
• Carry out controlled crosses between marram grass and relatives.
• Maintain accurate and tidy research records.
• Prioritise workload to meet project deadlines.
• Provide regular project progress updates.
• Attend safety and training courses as required.
• Assist in preparing posters, papers, and grant documents.
• Adapt and transfer skills to new experimental approaches.
• Encourage ethical decisions and sustainability in activities.

Skills

Plant biology

Experimental design

Phenotype measurements

Teamwork

Problem solving

Record keeping

Molecular techniques

Education

Level 3 biology/horticulture

Job description

The University of Sheffield is seeking a Technician: Research to join the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology cluster in the School of Biosciences. You will manage marram grass plants for an ARIA-funded project, performing stress tests, recording data, and helping with crosses and analyses.

You will contribute to an interdisciplinary team, applying plant biology expertise, meticulous record-keeping, and strong organisational skills to advance climate-resilient coastal dune research.