Scientific Officer

Salary: £36,636 to £38,784 per annum, pro rata

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 09 July 2026

The Role

The role will be responsible for supporting ongoing research activities within the Energy Materials Laboratory within the School of Natural and Environmental Science under the direction of the academic lead.

This will include providing research staff and students with technical advice to progress projects, managing the maintenance of equipment within the Energy Materials Laboratory, and training new users. The role also involves supporting the ReNU+ Centre for Doctoral Training; monitoring and maintaining stocks of key reagents, maintaining glove-boxes, vacuum pumps, analytical equipment (including gas chromatography, ion chromatography and thermal analysis instruments) and performing routine analysis.

You will be part of a team of ~10 experienced chemists, physicists and engineers, situated in the recently upgraded state-of-the-art Energy Materials Laboratories in the Bedson Building at Newcastle University.

For more information about SAgE Analytical Services, please click here

For more information about the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, please click here

SNES holds an Athena SWAN Silver award, in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality.

The post is part time at 40% FTE and fixed term until 30/06/2032.

For informal enquiries please contact: Libby Gibson, Elizabeth.Gibson@newcastle.ac.uk

To apply pleaes upload your CV along with a cover letter evidencing how your skils and experciences align to the criteria as outlined with the person specification of the job description.

Key Accountabilities

• To have expertise on equipment and techniques to support specific high value research activity.
• In co-ordination with the School/Faculty management, manage, operate and maintain the Energy Materials Laboratory including the state-of-the-art specialist equipment within the facility (both hardware and software, such as including gas chromatography, ion chromatography and thermal analysis instruments; materials synthesis such as ball mill, roll mill, spin coaters, furnaces; solar cell assembly, encapsulation and characterisation equipment; glove boxes, vacuum/gas lines; vacuum pumps and chillers). This will include day to day management of an efficient “hands on” service and booking system; SOP writing and training of new users, and providing specialist support for the initial setup and data analysis; archiving data.
• Support materials preparation and characterisation activities including purchasing and preparing specialised reagents, including for collaborative projects. Adapt existing and designing / develop new experimental protocols for different materials application; managing the platform and supervising junior members of the team including ReNU+ CDT students, project students and interns.
• Carry out collaborative projects with colleagues in partner institutions, and research groups.
• Work with the Academic Lead, manufacturers and users to develop cutting-edge experiments using the full range of capabilities. Assisting and advising users on the selection, design and execution of experimental techniques.
• Work with the Management Group and Enterprise team to support and prioritise user access and timetabling experiments to ensure efficient use of the facilities.
• To manage services to external users, including data acquisition and analysis.  Effectively communicate and work within an international team composed of staff, postgraduate and undergraduate students and external partners, including regular reporting.
• Monitor and maintain safe working environment to Health and Safety guidelines in conjunction with the School Safety Officer. Attend local safety committees for their areas of responsibility.

The Person

Knowledge, Skills & Experience 

• Substantial work experience in a scientific or relevant work environment
• Up to date and detailed knowledge of Health and Safety policy and procedure in a laboratory setting
• Ability to implement and manage change with demonstrable recent experience and skills in client management, and the ability to develop good working relationships across all stakeholders and teams
• Proven written and verbal communication skills
• High level planning, organising and technical problem-solving skills, with a proactive and innovative approach to problem solving utilising excellent prioritisation skills, and the ability to delegate tasks
• Evidence of project management and experience of financial budgetary management
• Good numerical skills and the ability to manipulate, analyse and present information for management use
• Experience of working collaboratively with academic staff
• Experience in synthesis and characterisation of materials for solar cells and/or catalysis

Desirable

• using each piece of specialised state-of-the-art equipment in the energy materials laboratory including: analytical equipment (e.g. gas chromatography, ion chromatography and thermal analysis instruments), solar cell characterisation (e.g. J-V measurement with solar simulators, Internal/External Quantum Efficiency, frequency modulated photoelectrochemical techniques); materials synthesis and deposition (e.g. hydrothermal, microwave, solid state synthesis, ball milling, roll milling, spin-coating); inert atmosphere glove boxes

Attributes & Behaviours

Thinking Strategically

• Has the ability to see the “big picture”, to think strategically and to manage complex problems and issues
• Able to create a vision for own area and explain how it fits in with the overall strategic vision of the University
• Understands and makes sense of complex or conflicting data and different perspectives of stakeholders and University areas/faculties/etc
• Works through the implications of situations in order to identify the most appropriate way forward in order to meet strategic goals
• Uses analytical techniques to break down complex problems into component parts

Embracing Change

• Recognises the need for change and is forward looking
• Promotes the benefits of change to others and regularly comes up with new ideas
• Has the willingness to adopt new ways of working and to make improvements
• Accepts the reality and requirements of change as part of achieving organisational goals
• Is able to achieve change at individual and functional level
• Reviews and revises plans to meet with changing circumstances
• Is supportive of others during change
• Develops and implements new ideas

Team-working

• Works collaboratively with others, plays a positive role in teams and establishes and grows relationships across the project where different skills, expertise and opinions are valued
• Respects the expertise and contribution of others even if own opinion is different
• Shares relevant and useful information with others Keeps other team members up to date with progress
• Gets involved with team tasks
• Willing to help others and share workloads
• Supportive of team decisions
• Asks others’ opinion
• Encourages others to get involved
• Talks about other team members in a positive way
• Respects the value that different views bring to the team

Developing Talent

• Motivates and develops self and others to achieve high performance. Demonstrates a positive approach to developing skills and general performance
• Personally involved in supporting the development of others – acting as a coach, mentor or trainer
• Provides feedback identifying areas for development and recognising good work
• Actively manages and supports staff through the PDR process, promotions and reward mechanisms
• Helps others to recognise their own strengths and weaknesses
• Gives timely and constructive feedback
• Gives “on the job” support and training, looks at enabling skills transfer

Planning and organising

• Manage time and resources by prioritising and organising effectively
• Identifies quickly what is important and prioritises accordingly
• Establishes clear roles and responsibilities for self and others
• Maintains flexibility in work plans to allow for changing circumstances
• Works in a planned and structured way
• Ensures all activities are completed on time
• Uses systems and tools to ensure records and audit trails are clear and up to date

Qualifications

• Hold a PhD or a degree plus substantial work experience in Chemistry / Chemical Engineering

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 29389