Technical Manager (INTERIORS Facility)

University of York; York and North Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of York's Department of Environment and Geography seeks a Technical Manager to operate and oversee the INTERIORS facility, a cutting-edge indoor air quality research suite. This role involves calibrating instruments, measuring a range of indoor pollutants, and supporting experiments for students, researchers and industrial users.

The successful candidate will work with staff across disciplines and with WACL, contributing to high-quality data and a collaborative,

Qualifications

• A first degree in physics, environmental science or chemistry is required or desirable
• Experience installing and operating air pollution measurement equipment
• Experience in working in a laboratory with health and safety awareness
• Ability to plan and prioritise own work
• Attention to detail and commitment to high-quality work
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work both in a team and independently

Responsibilities

• Maintain and operate equipment in the INTERIORS facility, including regular calibrations
• Measuring indoor air pollutants (CO2, CO, NO, NO2, HONO, HCHO, NH3, O3, CH4, VOCs) and particulates
• Operate and provide VOC measurements from the GC/MS instrument
• Support experiments for students, researchers and industrial users
• Collaborate with staff in the Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratories (WACL) and across departments

Skills

Planning

Attention to detail

Oral and written communication

Teamwork

Independent working

Data handling

Education

First degree in physics, environmental science or chemistry

PhD or equivalent experience in related subject

Tools

Gas Chromatography / Mass Spectrometry

VOC measurement instruments

Job description

Department

The Department of Environment and Geography at the University of York wishes to recruit a Technical Manager to manage and oversee the custom-designed INTERIORS (The Interdisciplinary Facility for Indoor Air Quality Research) Facility. INTERIORS combines realistic home environments (a 'Passivhaus' and a house typical of current UK housing stock) and state-of-the-art air pollution instrumentation. A central laboratory between the two houses, will enable measurements of key indoor air pollutants while experiments are carried out in the houses (e.g. cooking and cleaning).

The successful candidate will be part of a supportive and community-oriented department with a strong commitment to upholding our core values (embracing diversity, making a positive difference, environmental sustainability, being friendly and helpful, and always learning). The department is proud to hold an Athena Swan Silver Award. The successful candidate will also work closely with staff in the Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratories (WACL) in the Department of Chemistry, an experimentally intensive research facility, with more than £3M in state-of-the-art equipment. WACL supports an exceptional research environment with a wide range of interdisciplinary expertise.

Role

You will maintain and operate the equipment in the INTERIORS facility, including undertaking regular calibrations. Instruments in the facility measure a range of key indoor air pollutants, including CO2, CO, NO, NO2, HONO, HCHO, NH3, O3, CH4, a range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and both fine and coarse mode particulate species. A large part of the role is to operate and provide VOC measurements from a newly installed in situ Gas Chromatography / Mass Spectrometry instrument. The successful candidate will operate the instruments for other users of the facility, providing robust measurements and accurate data, as well as helping design experiments for students, researchers and industrial users.

Skills, Experience & Qualification needed

• A first degree in physics, environmental science or chemistry, and a PhD or equivalent experience in a related subject (e.g. laser physics/physical chemistry) is desirable


• Experience of installation and operation of air pollution measurement equipment.


• Experience of working in a laboratory; awareness of health and safety issues


• Ability to plan and prioritise own work


• Attention to detail and a commitment to high-quality work


• Highly developed oral and written communication skills


• Ability to work with others within a team environment and independently using own initiative

Interview date: week commencing 5th October 2026

For informal enquiries: please contact Prof Nicola Carslaw ([e-mail]) or Prof James Lee ([e-mail]).