Senior Research Technician - ARIA

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 a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

We are seeking a skilled and independent technician to support research on an exciting new project, part of an Advanced Research + Invention Agency-funded project, subject to contract negotiations. Based in the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering, you will contribute to the success of the research across multiple labs, joining a vibrant and established technical team within the School. The laboratories cover a wide range of processes, techniques and instrumentation, including protein processing and characterisation, inorganic materials synthesis and sintering, and sample preparation.

You will work with staff and students at all levels, preparing and implementing health and safety documentation and processes, provide training in the labs, and assist with sample preparation. You will also have responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of the labs, and contribute to the wider culture of safe and ethical working practices within the School.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Provide technical support to facilities as appropriate and in liaison with the Project Lead, ensuring all tasks are completed to a high standard.

• Provide specialist instrumentation support, including training, operation, running samples, demonstrating, and troubleshooting.

• Applied knowledge and understanding of at least one area of the research project: protein handling, ceramic synthesis, or similar.

• Record and analyse research data and present findings accurately.

• Plan and organise routine work, and be responsive to non-routine work

• Carry out training for staff and students to safely operate more complex and specialised equipment, for example handling cryogenic materials.

• Participation in regular reviews of Research team activity within the Technical Operations team to analyse instrument use records, and propose improvements to services.

• Knowledge of the local safety requirements including training records and maintaining competency.

• Follow standard operating procedures, relating to induction and training for all users and instruments and ensure records of these are kept.

• Understand, promote and apply relevant COSHH/risk assessments and departmental health and safety protocols ensuring procedures are followed at all times

• Actively contribute to a culture in the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering, where all staff and students are treated fairly, feel welcome, and can flourish professionally or academically.

• As a member of staff, you will be encouraged to make ethical decisions in your role, embedding the University sustainability strategy into your working activities wherever possible.

• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

• A good honours degree or Higher National Diploma (or equivalent experience) in a relevant scientific field.
  • Essential
  • Application
• Experience working within chemical laboratories.
  • Essential
  • Application
• Experience of providing an effective and efficient technical support service.
  • Essential
  • Application/Interview
• Experience of training staff and students at all levels, including troubleshooting and data analysis.
  • Essential
  • Application/Interview
• Detailed awareness of and full commitment to relevant Health & Safety regulations and processes. Responsibility for or extensive involvement in designated Health & Safety processes (e.g. risk assessments, CoSHH).
  • Essential
  • Application/Interview
• A high standard of communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to communicate to academic, research and technical staff at all levels within the organisation, report writing skills and experience of delivering presentations.
  • Essential
  • Application/Interview
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills with experience of responding efficiently and effectively to enquiries.
  • Essential
  • Application/Interview
• Ability to develop creative approaches to problem solving and to advise others, with an appreciation of longer-term implications.
  • Essential
  • Application/Interview
• Ability to assess and organise resources, and plan and progress work activities independently and in a timely manner with high quality output.
  • Essential
  • Application/Interview
• Technical Professional Registration or the willingness to work towards it.
  • Desirable
  • Application/Interview

Further Information

• Grade: 6
• Salary: £32,080 - £35,608 per annum
• Work arrangement: Full-time
• Duration: End date 29th Feb 2028, with the possibility to extend to 31th Aug 2029 subject to review)
• Line manager: Project Lead
• Direct reports: N/A
• Right to work in the UK: If you do not currently hold the right to work in the UK, you can find more information here to help determine your visa eligibility. Additional guidance is also available on the UK Visa & Immigration website.
• Our website: https://sheffield.ac.uk/cmbe
• For informal enquiries about this job contact Dr Rebecca Boston, Project Lead: on [e-mail] or on 0114 222 5496

Next steps in the recruitment process

The selection process will take place after the closing date. This will consist of an interview. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage two weeks after the closing date. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact [e-mail].

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).

What we offer

• A minimum of 38 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women's and Parent's networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes: Technical Career Route
• A range of generous family-friendly policies
  • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
  • access to menopause support in the workplace
  • paid time off and support for fertility treatment
  • and more

More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

We are a Disability Confident Leader (opens in a new window). If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

Closing Date :20/09/2026

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision ( www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision ) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.