PostDetails / LastUpdated:06/09/2017
Faculty/Administrative/ServiceDepartment / FacultyofHealthMedicalSciences(FHMS)School of VeterinaryMedicine
JobTitle / Laboratory SupportTechnician
Job Family / Technical &Experimental / JobLevel / 2a
Responsibleto / LaboratoryManager
Responsible for(Staff) / N/A
Job PurposeStatement
To manage and provide a safe, efficient service for the collection & decontamination(autoclaving)of biological hazardous waste and the processing of reusable glassware for the School ofVeterinaryMedicine. To run an efficient media preparation service for the School of Veterinary Medicine and assist across the wider technical team at the direction ofVSMLaboratoryManagerasrequired.
Key Responsibilities This document is not designed to be a list of all tasks undertaken but an outline record of themainresponsibilities (5 to 8maximum)
1.Tomanage on a day to day basis thesmoothrunningoftheFaculty’sautoclave/glasswashing/laundryfacility and assisting in keeping the laboratories areas clean andtidy
2.To advise all staff and students on how to contain and dispose of hazardous wastewithindesignatedlaboratoryareasintheSchool(Category12Containmentlaboratories)
3.Washing and sterilising glassware and plastics using automated laboratory glasswashingmachines and autoclaves. Drying and storage of these items within the Faculty. Monitorqualityand cleanliness ofglassware. Turn around lab coats via laundry.
4.Maintenance of stock and consumables (chemicals and consumables related to the post)andtheprovisionofactivedisinfectantsfordistributiontoteachingandresearchlaboratories
5.Work with the Laboratory Manager to ensure that the autoclave and associated equipmentismaintained,servicedandrepaired.ThiswillinvolveliaisonwithEstatesandFacilitiesaswellasexternal serviceproviders.
6.Compliance and assistance with Health & Safety policies and regulations includingCoSHH,Hazardous Waste Regulations and local Safetypolicies. To include receipt, collection, appropriate handling and storage of parcels for the laboratories.
7.To monitor the use of the biological waste streams from designated labs and liaise with HealthSafety Team to ensure these are workingcorrectly.
N.B. The above list is notexhaustive.
ProblemSolvingandDecisionMaking
  • The post holder will be required to exercise some independence in the arrangementofimmediate work priorities, in order to react to changingpriorities.
  • Thepostholderisexpectedtotakeapro-activeapproachandshouldseektoidentifyanyproblemareasandsuggestimprovementsordevelopmentstocurrentworkingpracticestotheLaboratory Manager, in order to ensure the efficient operation of thelaboratory
  • Theappropriatecourseofactions(s)willbeamatterofchoice,influencedbypriorexposureorexperience. It is expected that more complex problems, will be referred to theLaboratoryManager in order to gain further advice orsupport.

Planning &Organising
  • The post holder will organise and prioritise their work within an established operatingenvironment,guided by theLaboratory Manager.
  • They will have the latitude within their daily work routine to organise and prioritise their ownwork,to ensure that key deadlines and objectives aremet.
  • This will include successfully managing any conflicting demands, possessing a basic awarenessoftheoptionsavailableandbeingabletomakeeffectiveandappropriatedecisions,referringtotheir line manager whereappropriate

ContinuousImprovement
  • The post holder is expected to recognise where improvements to best practice could bemade,implementing them under the supervision of his/her linemanager.

Accountability
  • Thepostholderwillworkwithinwell-establishedprocessesandprocedures,dealingwithlaboratoryissuesofafairlyroutinenature,assetoutbytheVSMLaboratoryManager Technician.
  • Duetothestandardnatureofthework,instructionsandprocedures,thepostholderwillhaveminimum day-to-daysupervision.

Dimensions of therole
  • The post impacts across the teaching and research laboratories in terms of its provision ofserviceand its contribution to the student and staffexperience.
  • The post holder does not have any budgetaryresponsibility.

SupplementaryInformation
  • Not applicable

PersonSpecificationThissectiondescribesthesumtotal ofknowledge,experiencecompetencerequiredbythepostholderthatisnecessaryforstandardacceptableperformanceincarryingoutthisrole.
QualificationsandProfessionalMemberships
GCSE/Olevel,NVQ2/3orequivalent,plussomerelevantworkexperienceOr
Learninggainedthroughworkexperienceofseveralyears / E
TechnicalCompetencies(ExperienceandKnowledge) / Essential/Desirable / Level1-
3
AnunderstandingofotherHealthSafetyrequirementsandprocedures / E / 2
Understandingofrelevantlegislationsandqualitystandards / E / 1
Manual handlingexperience / E / 2
FamiliaritywithMicrosoftpackages / D / n/a
SpecialRequirements: / Essential/Desirable
Able to undertake a range of manual handling tasks on a daily basis, and becapableof lifting loads of up to12.5kg / E
CoreCompetencies / Level1-
3
CommunicationAdaptability /Flexibility
Customer/Client service andsupportPlanning andOrganising
ContinuousImprovement
Problem Solving and Decision MakingSkillsManaging and DevelopingPerformanceCreative and AnalyticalThinking Influencing,PersuasionandNegotiationSkillsStrategic Thinking &Leadership / 2
2
2
2
1
1
n/an/an/an/a
ThisJobPurposereflectsthecoreactivitiesofthepost.AstheDepartment/Facultyandthepostholderdevelop,therewillinevitably be some changes to the duties for which the post is responsible, and possibly to the emphasis of the post itself.TheUniversityexpectsthatthepostholderwillrecognisethisandwilladoptaflexibleapproachtowork.Thiscouldincludeundertakingrelevanttrainingwherenecessary.
ShouldsignificantchangestotheJobPurposebecomenecessary,thepostholderwillbeconsultedandthechanges
reflectedinarevisedJobPurpose.
Organisational/DepartmentalInformationKeyRelationships
BackgroundInformation
ThetechnicalsupportteamwithintheFacultyofHealthandMedicalSciencesprovidessupporttothe three Schools (Biosciences and Medicine; Veterinary Sciences; and Health Sciences).WorkingcloselywiththeSchoolofVeterinaryMedicineandwithintheMainTeachingBuilding(VSM);thetechnicalteamcontributetotheveterinaryteachinginmicrobiology,biochemistryandmolecularbiologyatundergraduateandpostgraduatelevel.
AstheUK'snewestSchoolofVeterinaryMedicine,wearecreatingavetschoolthatisdifferent.Whilstembracing the traditional values of professionalism, scientific curiosity and clinical excellence,wearealsodevelopingaschoolwithbroadhorizons.
Ourextensivenetworkofpartnersinclinicalpractice,industryandresearchopensupuniquelearningopportunitiesforourstudentsandforindustry-relevantresearch.Ourglobaloutlookensuresaninternationalperspectiveonallaspectsofveterinaryscience.
Department StructureChart

RelationshipsInternal
  • ThepostholderwillhaveregularcontactwithtechnicalandresearchstaffintheFaculty
  • ThepostholderwillberequiredtoliaisewithotherdepartmentsoftheUniversityasnecessary,such as Estates & Facilities to arrange repairs and orderconsumables.
  • They will have regular contact with Estates and Facilities to report faults and overseecontractorsworkwithinthelaboratoryareasincludingdisposalofhazardouswasteandsurplusequipment.
  • The post-holder will work with staff from the University Safety Office and the FacultySafetyManager in their role in providing a Health &Safety.
External
  • Liaising with external service suppliers for the routine maintenance and repair ofequipment.