Job Description and Person Specification (HR5)
Post Number: /
Job Description
Faculty/Department: / Faculty of Humanities - Archaeology
Post Title: / Archaeological Laboratory Technician
Please enter Level under appropriate Career Pathway / ERE / TAE / MSA / CAO / R.Nurse / Clinical
3
ERE & Clinical Posts: Please indicate the category / Academic Posts / Non-Academic Posts
Teaching & Research / Research
only / Teaching
only / Enterprise / Education Development
Posts Responsible to (and Level): / Head of Archaeology
Posts Responsible for (and Level): / None
Job Purpose:
Primarily, to run Archaeology’s ceramics & lithics laboratories. Additionally, to carry out teaching related to ceramic and lithic analysis as arranged by the Archaeology Director of Programmes and Programme Convenor, and to oversee the running of our other laboratories and to monitor and maintain our reference collections in liaison with the relevant academic staff and the Departmental Safety Officer.
Key Accountabilities/Primary Responsibilities (6-10 bullet points maximum)
  • Managing and maintaining the specialised ceramics & lithics laboratories to ensure space, equipment and resources are used safely and appropriately by students and staff alike; providing similar support as required to Archaeology’s other laboratories.
  • Oversight of laboratory equipment, including servicing and organisation of repairs, for the upkeep of a safe environment.
  • Oversight of laboratory chemicals, including safe disposal, COSHH paperwork and other required safety processes, for the upkeep of a safe environment.
  • Provision of technical guidance and teaching assistance for laboratory activities; directing laboratory users in best practice.
  • Maintenance of reference collections according to best practice guidelines.
  • Maintenance of appropriate levels of laboratory consumables.
/ % Time
35%
15%
15%
15%
15%
5%
Internal & External Relationships: (nature & purpose of relationships)
  • To provide assistance and technical expertise to academic staff; to liaise with members of staff holding positions of responsibility over Archaeology’s laboratories following the laboratory management plan;
  • To provide support and guidance for student laboratory-users during their programmes of study, in agreement with relevant programme and module coordinators;
  • To liaise with Archaeology and Humanities Health and Safety Officers to ensure maintenance of appropriate safety standards.

Special Requirements: None.
Person Specification
Criteria / Essential / Desirable / How to be assessed
Qualifications, Knowledge and Experience:
A degree in Archaeology or related discipline.
Understanding and knowledge of petrological sample preparation, and related processes.
Experience of working in a laboratory environment.
Experience of working in a Higher Education establishment. / *
*
* / * / All by application and interview
Planning and Organising:
Ability to organise own workload; capacity to plan and prioritise work over several months.
Ability to work closely with staff and students to ensure teaching and research effectiveness.
Attention to detail. / *
*
*
Problem Solving and Initiative:
Ability to work well with minimum supervision.
Ability to produce clear written documentation.
Ability to develop new laboratory procedures if appropriate. / *
* / *
Management and Teamwork:
Effective personal time management while working effectively with other staff members and laboratory users. / *
Communicating and Influencing:
Ability to offer appropriate proactive advice and guidance on technical processes and procedures.
Ability to communicate information effectively, both verbally and in writing. / *
*
Other Skills and Behaviours:
Computer literate for data managing and other tasks as required. / *
Special Requirements:

Job Hazard Analysis Form - Appendix to Job and Person Specification

Please tick one of the following statements:

This post is an office-based job with routine office hazards e.g. use of VDU (if ticked, no further information needs to be supplied)
This post has some hazards other than routine office e.g. more than use of VDU / X

Please tick all those that apply, and put N/A if not applicable

Environmental Exposures / O* / F / C
Outside work / No
Extremes of temperature (small oven in carefully controlled conditions) / √
Potential for exposure to body fluids ## / No
Noise (greater than 80 dba - 8 hrs twa) ## / No
Exposure to hazardous substances (eg solvents, liquids, dust, fumes, biohazards). Specify: Chemicals including Acetone, Butanone, Araldite, Depex, Hydrogen peroxide, Hydrochloric acid,Eukitt - Xylene,HY109CNC -Diaminodiphenylmethane and Loctite …………………………………. ## / √
Frequent hand washing / No
Ionising radiation. / No
Equipment/Tools/Machines used
Food Handling ## / No
Driving university vehicles(e.g. car/van/LGV/PCV) ## / No
Use of latex gloves (note: prohibited unless specific clinical necessity) ## / No
Vibrating tools ( e.g. strimmers, hammer drill, lawnmowers) ## / No
Physical Abilities
Load manual handling (only small loads, less than 10kg). / √
Repetitive Crouching/Kneeling/Stooping / No
Repetitive Pulling/Pushing / No
Repetitive Lifting / No
Standing for prolonged periods / No
Repetitive Climbing i.e. steps, stools, ladders / No
Fine motor grips (e.g. pipetting) / No
Gross motor grips / No
Repetitive reaching below shoulder height / No
Repetitive reaching at shoulder height / No
Repetitive reaching above shoulder height / No
Psychosocial Issues
Face to face contact with public / No
Lone working / √
Shift work/night work/on call duties ## / No

O – Occasionally (up to 1/3 of time); F – Frequently (up to 2/3 of time); C – Constantly (more than 2/3 of time) ## denotes to HR the need for a full PEHQ to be sent to all applicants for this position.

FOR SCHOOL/SERVICE USE ONLY / ResourceLink Post Number
Which post does this job report to?
Is this post a Line Manager? / Yes / No X
If yes, which posts directly report into it? / ResourceLink Post Number
Post 1
Post 2
Post 3
Post 4
Post 5
Post 6
Post 7
Post 8
Please add additional rows as required

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