Technician

Salary: £30,805 to £31,637 with progression to £34,132 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: 25 April 2025

Interviews will be held on 9 May 2025

The Role

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated Technician to join the Design Unit (DU) at Newcastle University. The DU is a specialist centre with expertise in Mechanical Power Transmission Systems, delivering innovative design, development and research consultancy services since 1970.  We operate in a collaborative and thriving hub based at Walker Riverside with close links to the School of Engineering in the city campus.
 
As a Technician the sucessfull candidate will be guided by the Technical Supervisor in supporting colleagues with their research design and manufacturing projects. The primary focus will be the production of parts, assembly and operation of precision test equipment and testing machines which are designed, built and operated by the DU.  

The sucessfull candidate will have the opportunity to undertake training in Gear Geometry, Gear Metrology, Instrumentation and Gear Failure Analysis and apply this knowledge to the job role. There may on occasion be required to work on-site at client premises (UK and abroad) carrying out machine assembly and commissioning activities.
 
Our work is varied, and each operation is unique, this means that your time on projects can range from a few hours to several months. If you are a skilled and organised individual with a passion for technical innovative design and development, this could be the role for you. 
  
This is a permanent and full-time position (37 hours), available with an immediate start. Working week to be agreed at offer. 

Please note that if you are successful to this role, you will require a baseline medical clearance before you can commence in the role.
 
To apply, please complete an online application and upload a CV and a cover letter. Your cover letter is a supporting statement, and you should outline how you meet the essential criteria of the role and evidence this with examples.  

If you would like to find out more about the role, please contact Mr Dave Clipperton, Technician Supervisor via email: dave.clipperton@newcastle.ac.uk 
 
For more information about the Design Unit and our work, please click here 
 
We are based in the Advanced Engineering Research Hub (AERH) of Newcastle University, with free parking on site at:

Unit B1 & B2 Wincomblee Road
Walker
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE6 3QS
 
The School of Engineering offers an exceptional environment for those seeking to build a career at the intersection of innovation, education, and impactful research. Joining us means becoming part of a vibrant community committed to pushing boundaries in engineering disciplines while nurturing individual growth. With cutting-edge facilities and a diverse collaborative culture, the school provides an inspiring platform to contribute pioneering ideas, foster meaningful connections, and make a tangible difference in the world through technological advancements and academic excellence.

For more information about the school of Engineering, please click here

Please note that if you are successful to this role, you will require medical clearance before you can commence in the role

The Person
Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Organisational, planning, prioritisation of work and communication skills
• Appropriate practical and conceptual technical skills
• Demonstrable enthusiasm and ability to work under own initiative
• Problem solving abilities
• Team working
• Experience of CAD/CAM processes
• Experience in a technical role involved in the production and assembly of precision engineering artefacts
• Thorough working knowledge of relevant health and safety procedures
• Must be prepared to undertake Design Unit training in the Gear Geometry, Gear Metrology, Instrumentation and Gear Failure Analysis and apply this knowledge to the job role
• Must be willing to work on-site at client premises carrying out machine assembly and commissioning activities when required in the UK and abroad
• Be confident in the use of a wide range of mechanical, electrical and electronic test equipment, power, machine and hand tools, computing equipment and computing diagnostic test equipment

Attributes and Behaviour

• Sees other departments and colleagues as “customers” and follows through ontheir enquiries and requests
• Co-operates with others to achieve targets
• Strives to deliver high quality results
• Has a positive attitude for doing things better
• Formulates options and possible scenarios for consideration
• Uses initiative to sort things out, is enterprising in effective use of material, financial and human resources
• Looks at ways of overcoming obstacles rather than coming to a standstill
• Works in a planned and structured way
• Sets own priorities in conjunction with team and area objectives
• Ensures that activities are completed on time
• Ensures that others know how processes and systems work
• Respects the expertise and contribution of others even if own opinion is different
• Gets involved with team tasks
• Supportive of team decisions
• Willing to help others and share workloads
• Clear, concise and factually correct; gets the message across to others with an ability to tailor content of communication to the audience, changing style, tone and format as appropriate
• Use face-to-face communication regularly; team meetings, one to ones, informal discussions/chats, briefing sessions etc

Qualifications

• HNC or other equivalent qualification in a manufacturing or other appropriate engineering subject

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 silver  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: 27988