Senior Chemical Technician

Salary: £31,236 - £32,080 with progression to £34,610  per annum

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: 18 March 2026

The Role

The School of Engineering at Newcastle University is seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and highly motivated individual to the role of Senior Chemical Technician.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a team of technical staff supporting teaching and research activities, in particular within the Chemical Engineering discipline.

Our highly skilled and professional technical colleagues are essential in supporting and delivering successful teaching and research activities to an international standard.  We have approximately 75 technicians employed within the School of Engineering working on both our campus and off-site facilities across the North East of England. We have expertise that spans a wide range of disciplines that make a fundamental contribution towards Newcastle University’s impact on the world.

You will be part of a technical team who provide support to academic and research staff across the Chemical Engineering labs as well as supporting our postgraduate and undergraduate students in their taught lab sessions. You will also be responsible for the operation and maintenance of analytical equipment such as FTIR, STA, ICP Gas Chromatography, UV/Vis spectrophotometers, Particle Size Analysers and more.

You will support the Technical Team Leader in their designated area regarding aspects of health and safety, infrastructure and estate, and asset management.

You will need to demonstrate:

• A proven track record of working in laboratory environments and independent working, as well as the ability to work as part of a team
• A proactive mindset with evidence of continuous improvement
• Evidence of technical problem solving, and a solution focused approach
• A strong customer focus and the ability to work flexibly, efficiently, and cooperatively with stakeholders
• A good understanding of health and safety systems
• Proven technical expertise in the operation of analytical instrumentation.Chemistry or chemical engineering experience

The position is full-time and offered on an open-ended basis.

For informal enquiries, please contact Kevin Brown, Technical Team Leader by email: Kevin.Brown2@ncl.ac.uk.

At Newcastle University we are committed to building and maintaining a fair and inclusive working environment. For further details about Newcastle University please visit our information page at http://www.ncl.ac.uk/about.

Key Accountabilities

• In conjunction with the Technical Team Leader, be responsible for the day-to-day operation of specific laboratory facilities and items of equipment and instrumentation. To undertake fault diagnosis, testing, repair, calibration and preventative maintenance on equipment and instrumentation

• In conjunction with academic, research, technical staff and students as appropriate, identify consumable and equipment requirements and initiate their ordering according to the school and university purchasing procedures. Keep financial records of any activities as directed by the Team Leader

• To maintain an effective inventory of chemicals and equipment within your designated work area to ensure a continuous supply is available, and ensure safe disposal of hazardous materials generated by teaching and research activities according to standard university procedures

• Ensure compliance with relevant safety procedures including relevant risk assessments. In conjunction with the Technical Team Leader and School Safety Officer, monitor compliance with all statutory and local safety arrangements

• To train and advise staff and students in appropriate lab techniques and good lab practise to ensure they are able to carry out their work in a safe manner. To provide lab supervision and training to postgraduate and undergraduate students and for junior technical staff using the facilities to ensure working practices are followed

• To contribute to regular teaching and team meetings, health and safety processes and lab inspections

• Provide comprehensive support and advice to staff and students on technical development, design, preparation, construction, assembly and setting up of experiments and teaching sessions, including supporting the scheduling of project activities

• To have responsibility for the running and maintenance of analytical equipment and instrumentation as required. As part of the wider chemical and biological services technical team, have responsibility for the running and maintenance of the service in support of research and teaching involving the use of various scientific equipment

• To have responsibility for undertaking tests and experiments as part of ongoing research, teaching, or commercial outreach activities in accordance with appropriate standards, including collating, providing both data and results for interpretation, processing and archiving

• Any other duties within the scope and general nature of the grade which may be required

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in a relevant technical role in a chemical lab environment with demonstrable team working skills
• Experience of running day-to-day activities in a chemical lab and their associated infrastructure, inventories, instrumentation, equipment and sustainable practices
• Experience of using an array of analytical equipment and instrumentation with a good theoretical and practical knowledge of scientific equipment, including repair and maintenance
• Up-to-date and detailed knowledge of health and safety procedures in a lab setting. Including experience of writing risk assessments and standard operating procedures
• Ability to adapt to changes in lab research and teaching priorities
• Contribute to design and specification of research and teaching activities
• Demonstrates good organisation and ability to meet deadlines, with a positive and proactive approach to duties and diligence with attention to detail
• Demonstrates technical and problem solving capability
• Proven written and verbal communication skills
• Good numerical skills and the ability to manipulate, analyse and present useful information

Attributes and Behaviour

• Demonstrates strong teamwork and collaboration, supporting colleagues, sharing workloads where needed, and communicating progress clearly to ensure collective objectives are achieved efficiently and effectively
• Shares knowledge of processes and systems proactively, enhancing team capability, improving decision-making, and ensuring consistency and continuity across activities
• Works in a structured and detail-orientated manner, effectively prioritising tasks, managing resources, and maintaining high service standards while meeting agreed targets and deadlines
• Proactively identifies opportunities for process improvement, implementing practical solutions that optimise performance, increase efficiency, and strengthen overall service delivery
• Embraces change with a positive and adaptable mindset, willingly adopting new ways of working, contributing to innovation, and supporting a culture of continuous improvement and learning

Qualifications

Essential

• Higher National Certificate in Science (or equivalent Level 4 qualification); or relevant technical experience acquired through a combination of vocational training and on-the-job experience

Desirable

• Full UK driving license

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: 29148