Technical Support Assistant

Heriot-Watt University; Easter Howgate; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days annual leave

Benefits calculator access

Job summary

Heriot-Watt University is seeking a skilled Technical Support Assistant to join the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences on a full-time basis. The role focuses on maintaining facilities, supporting safety compliance, and delivering high-quality technical assistance across multiple trade areas on campus.

You will work under the Senior Technical Services Manager, performing routine and planned maintenance, assisting in undergraduate labs, and ensuring safe operation of workshop areas.

Qualifications

• Maintenance experience in a trade environment.
• Ability to follow safety procedures and work to HS&W standards.
• Experience with a range of hand tools and equipment.
• Capability to assist with electrical, plumbing and joinery tasks.
• Strong problem-solving and practical troubleshooting.

Responsibilities

• Undertake fire safety compliance checks and report faults.
• Record health and safety inspections and assist contractors.
• Prepare equipment for insurance inspections.
• Support undergraduate student labs and workshop activities.
• Assist Stores/Procurement with orders and deliveries.
• Maintain time records and assist with admin tasks.

Skills

City & Guilds qualification

Hand tools experience

Plumbing knowledge

Electrical knowledge

Problem solving

Physical dexterity

Team and communication

Education

City & Guilds qualification or equivalent

Tools

Power tools

Job description

Role: Technical Support Assistant

Grade and Salary: Grade 5 - £27,241-£31,861 per annum

FTE and working pattern: 1 FTE (full time – 35 hours per week) open-ended

Holiday Entitlement: 28 days annual leaveplus 9 buildings-closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday). Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.

Purpose of Role

The school of EPS is seeking a skilled and proactive Technical Support assistant to join our large team of technical staff, supporting the maintenance and development of our facilities on campus. This is a key role in ensuring the safety, functionality, and aesthetic quality of our built environment.

The role holders’ main responsibilities will be to provide high-quality technical support for activities in the school of EPS working as part of the technical team. Carry out a wide range of routine, reactive and planned maintenance tasks across multiple trade areas, applying practical skills and following established procedures, guidance and safe systems of work. The role includes supporting fire safety, LOLER, PSSR, and PUWER compliance through the completion of activities.

Work with Technical Services Managers, and technical services colleagues, as appropriate, to ensure an effective support service for the buildings occupied by the school.

Reporting to the Senior Technical Services Manager the successful candidate should have previous experience gained in a trade environment and possess a proven track record of problem solving.

You will also assist the technical team with the setting up equipment and supervision for undergraduate students and have a range of other duties within the Workshop/laboratory facilities.

You must be physically capable to undertake practical manual duties which will include heavy lifting tasks. You should also possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to interact positively with a broad range of people.

The post includes the day-to-day responsibility for all aspects related to health and safety of staff and students within the workshop areas.

For further enquires please contact John Mason (Senior Technical Services Manager), Heriot-Watt University: email [e-mail] or telephone [phone].

Key Duties & Responsibilities

The post holder is required to:

• Undertake fire safety compliance checks within our professional services buildings. Record and report any faults to estates and line manager for escalation.
• Undertake & record health and safety inspections on items within the school. i.e. Ladders, lifting equipment.
• Accompany and assist contractors in order that work can be undertaken.
• Prepare equipment for insurance inspections.
• Attend to small building/laboratory/workshop maintenance odd jobs.
• Provide support with undergraduate student labs.
• Assist Stores/Procurement with orders and deliveries, including handling of gas cylinders.
• Assist technical services teams where required with manual handling requests, cleaning/tidying workshops, prepare offices for occupation and remove items from vacated rooms.
• Use experience and judgment to identify and rectify any problems.
• To always work with due care and diligence according to the requirements of Health and Safety, quality and other standards and directions relevant to the assigned task.
• Respond to routine enquiries via email, telephone or in person.
• To record working time on job sheets and complete any other necessary administrative duties, maintain records of equipment.
• To engage in a process of continuous learning and development, acquiring new skills.
• To participate in the school PDR process and undertake training, as necessary.
• Any other tasks that are commensurate with grading of the post.
• Cover for absent colleagues within the immediate team.

Essential & Desirable Criteria

Essential

• City & Guilds qualification or equivalent previous maintenance experience in a similar role.
• Basic knowledge of plumbing, electrical, joinery and general DIY.
• Experience of using a variety of hand tools.
• Knowledgeable about safe work practices and procedures when using hand tools (training for specialist tool/equipment/machinery will be provided).
• Experience of problem solving.
• Good level of physical dexterity and ability to carry out a range of manual handling tasks — this includes; lifting, carrying, bending, crouching, stretching.
• Must have well-developed organisational and time management skills and attention to detail.
• Good written, verbal and interpersonal skills.
• Good understanding of health & safety regulations and procedures.
• Able to work effectively as an individual and as a member of a team planning, team communication, and organisational skills.

Desirable

• Experience of working within a similar environment.
• Experience of risk assessment, COSHH, Safe Systems of Work.
• An aptitude for IT.
• Full driving licence.

Heriot-WattUniversity is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised, and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-WattUniversity values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/.

Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.

About the Team

The School of Engineering and Physical Sciences has an international research reputation and close connection with the professional and industrial world of science, engineering and technology. Our research ranges from fundamental sciences through to engineering applications, all of which are supported by strong external funding. We have around 120 full-time academic staff who drive this research activity and are based in 5 research institutes: the Institute of Chemical Sciences, the Institute of Photonics & Quantum Sciences, the Institute of Mechanical, Process & Energy Engineering, the Institute of Sensors, Signals & Systems and the Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics & Bioengineering.

This is an excellent opportunity for a qualified tradesperson who takes pride in their work and is committed to delivering high standards in a collaborative and customer-focused setting,have a good attention to detail and experience with a broad range of materials and maintenance processes.

About Heriot-Watt University

At Heriot-Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.