Senior Lab Technician – Research & Instrumentation

Diversity Dashboard; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave

Pension scheme

Flexible working

Wellbeing and development

Staff discounts

Job summary

The University of Sheffield is seeking a skilled and independent technician to support research on an Advanced Research + Invention Agency-funded project within the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering. You will contribute to multiple labs, training staff, maintaining labs, and ensuring safe, ethical practices.

Key duties include providing instrumentation support, data analysis, and helping with sample preparation while upholding health and safety standards across the team.

Qualifications

• A good honours degree or Higher National Diploma (or equivalent experience) in a relevant scientific field.
• Experience working within chemical laboratories.
• Experience of providing an effective and efficient technical support service.
• Experience of training staff and students at all levels, including troubleshooting and data analysis.
• Detailed awareness of and full commitment to Health & Safety regulations and processes (risk assessments, CoSHH).
• High standard of communication skills, both written and verbal, with ability to report and present to academic/research staff.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills with efficient enquiry handling.
• Ability to develop creative problem-solving approaches and consider long-term implications.
• Ability to assess and organise resources and progress work independently with high-quality output.
• Technical Professional Registration or willingness to work towards it.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical support to facilities in liaison with the Project Lead.
• Provide specialist instrumentation support, including training and troubleshooting.
• Apply knowledge in areas such as protein handling or ceramic synthesis.
• Record and analyse research data and present findings.
• Plan and organise routine work and respond to non-routine tasks.
• Train staff and students to safely operate complex equipment (e.g., cryogenic materials).
• Participate in reviews of Research team activity to analyse instrument use and improvements.
• Maintain knowledge of local safety requirements and training records.
• Follow SOPs for induction and training and keep records.
• Promote COSHH/risk assessments and health & safety protocols.

Skills

Communication skills

Health & safety awareness

Laboratory experience

Training staff

Problem solving

Independent work

COSHH knowledge

Education

Honours degree or HND in a relevant scientific field

Tools

Laboratory equipment

Cryogenic handling

Job description

The University of Sheffield is seeking a skilled and independent technician to support research on an Advanced Research + Invention Agency-funded project within the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering. You will contribute to multiple labs, training staff, maintaining labs, and ensuring safe, ethical practices.

Key duties include providing instrumentation support, data analysis, and helping with sample preparation while upholding health and safety standards across the team.