Senior Facilities Officer

UK Biobank; Manchester; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

USS Pension Scheme

26 days leave

30 days leave with service

Birthday leave

Hybrid & Flexible working

Healthcare Cash Plan

On-site gym

Free parking

Job summary

UK Biobank is seeking a Senior Facilities Officer to join our Estates and Facilities team at Manchester Science Park. You will maintain plant, emergency and security systems, monitor critical sample storage temperatures, and support site safety while enabling world-leading biomedical research.

Based at Manchester with occasional travel to other UK Biobank locations, the role offers hands-on responsibility, out-of-hours cover, and a collaborative, safety-focused environment.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting complex facilities infrastructure and services.
• Aptitude for using laboratory equipment and software.
• Experience working to recognised quality systems and health and safety regulations.
• Ability to work effectively within a team with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Assisting in the maintenance of plant, emergency and security systems, including fault diagnosis and first-line repairs.
• Daily checks of key systems, including sample storage temperatures, ensuring faults do not compromise sample integrity.
• Acting as a point of contact for alarm activations, providing out-of-hours fire marshal and critical system support.
• Managing and maintaining permit-to-work and signing-in systems, ensuring contractors and visitors follow health and safety guidelines.
• Supporting day-to-day assessment and maintenance of onsite health and safety in line with management requirements.

Skills

Facilities infrastructure

Lab equipment aptitude

Health & safety compliance

Team collaboration

Travel availability

Job description

Help keep the facilities and critical systems behind world-leading health research running safely and effectively.

UK Biobank is a large-scale biomedical research resource following the health of half a million volunteers. It enables discoveries that improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease.

We're looking for a Senior Facilities Officer to join our Estates and Facilities team, supporting the infrastructure, buildings and critical systems at our new, state-of-the-art facility at Manchester Science Park. You'll play an important role in keeping our facilities running safely and efficiently, helping support the world-leading health research that UK Biobank enables.

Working within a small, collaborative team, you'll play an important role in maintaining our facilities and ensuring critical systems continue to operate safely and reliably.

No two days will be quite the same. You'll work across a range of facilities and technical systems, from diagnosing faults and carrying out first-line repairs to monitoring critical sample storage systems and supporting site safety.

You'll also have the opportunity to work across UK Biobank's locations throughout the UK, helping maintain the facilities and infrastructure that support our research activities.

This is a varied, hands-on role where you'll have real responsibility, work closely with colleagues and help protect the systems that underpin one of the world's most important biomedical research resources.

You will be responsible for:

• Assisting in the maintenance of plant, emergency and security systems, including fault diagnosis and first-line repairs.
• Undertaking daily checks of key systems, including sample storage temperatures, ensuring faults do not compromise sample integrity.
• Acting as a point of contact for alarm activations, providing out-of-hours fire marshal and critical system support.
• Assisting in managing and maintaining permit-to-work and signing-in systems, ensuring contractors and visitors follow company health and safety guidelines.
• Supporting the day-to-day assessment and maintenance of onsite health and safety in line with management requirements, business objectives and current legislation.

Is this 'you'?

To be successful, you will have:

• Experience supporting complex facilities infrastructure and services.
• Demonstrable aptitude for using laboratory equipment and software.
• Experience working to recognised quality systems and strict health and safety regulations.
• The ability to work effectively within a team and complete agreed tasks with minimal supervision.
• A collaborative approach to working with colleagues across the wider organisation.
• Willingness and ability to travel to UK Biobank clinic locations throughout the UK.

This role is based at Manchester Science Park, Greenheys, with working hours of 10:30am–6:30pm.

You'll also need to travel to other UK Biobank locations, including Newcastle, Bristol, Stockport and Reading, as required.

The role includes out-of-hours support for alarm activations and critical systems.

We actively welcome applications from people with disabilities, long-term health conditions, neurodivergent candidates, and those with diverse thinking styles. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and in the workplace so that everyone can perform at their best. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, please get in touch with Tommy Wilson at [e-mail] so we can support you.

Your Wellbeing Matters to Us

Our wellbeing score on Indeed is rated at 77% (high), reflecting how people experience working here day-to-day. Colleagues often highlight a strong sense of purpose, supportive team culture, and the opportunity to grow.

We’re proud to offer a benefits package that supports your health, financial security, and development.

14.5% employer contribution to the USS Pension Scheme

26 days' annual leave, plus bank holidays, increasing to 30 days with service

Option to buy up to 5 additional days' leave

A paid day off for your birthday

Enhanced family leave

Hybrid & Flexible working available

Healthcare Cash Plan and wellbeing support

Free on-site gym, subsidised lunch and free parking

The job advert closing date may change, so early applications are encouraged.