Job Profile

Core Job Information
Job Title / Antenna Laboratory Manager
Dept./School/Inst. / School of Electronic Engineering & Computer Science / Faculty / Science & Engineering
Career Family / Professional Services / Grade / 5
Working hours per week / 35 / Appointment period / Permanent
Reports to (job title) / School Manager / Current location / Mile End
Job Purpose
The postholder will manage the College’s Antenna Measurement Laboratory and associated services. The Laboratory is state-of-the art research facility integral to the internationally recognised research programmes in Antennas and Electromagnetics conducted within the School of Electronic Engineering & Computer Science. The Laboratory consists of 7 major facilities in a 4 storey complex and represents an investment value of £3million in respect of equipment and infrastructure.
The responsibilities of the role include operations managementof the facility. Strategic and operational planning for the effective exploitation of the facilities for direct research and research support, and training and support for users of the facilities (academic and research staff, postgraduate students and others).
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
Requirements / Essential/Desirable
Qualifications /
  1. Undergraduate degree in Electronic Engineering, Physics or other relevant subject
  2. Masters degree with specialisation in Microwave and Antenna Engineering
  3. PhD degree related to antennas and electromagnetics
/
  1. Essential
  1. Essential
  1. Desirable

Experience /
  1. Significant postgraduate research experience in the field of antenna measurements
  2. Experience in microwave antenna engineering and antenna measurements
  3. Experience in designing antennas for manufacture
  4. Industrial experience of antenna measurement
  5. Experience with wireless RF circuit design
  6. Substantial recent experience of undertaking complex research in antennas or analogous field
  7. Experience in managing and monitoring budgets.
  8. Experience in developing and maintaining policies and procedures around laboratory practices.
/
  1. Essential
  1. Essential
  1. Desirable
  2. Desirable
  3. Desirable
  4. Essential
  1. Desirable
  2. Desirable

Knowledge, skills & abilities /
  1. Expert knowledge of a wide range of antenna measurement techniques
  2. Expert knowledge of state of the art microwave & millimetrewave test equipment
  3. Expertknowledge of software control of antenna measurement equipment
  4. Ability to maintain and utilise accurate and up to date records of complex scientific data
  5. Detailed Understanding of the research process
  6. Ability to organise and prioritise own work and those of others and to manage a variety of sometimes conflicting timetables and requirements
  7. Detailed knowledge of and willingness to comply with Health and Safety standards.
  8. Able to keep up to date with changes in legislation.
  9. Able to work well as a member of a team as well as independently
  10. Well developed communication and interpersonal skills able to convey technical knowledge and to be able to influence people effectively.
  11. Excellent Analytical skills
/
  1. Essential
  1. Essential
  1. Essential
  1. Essential
  1. Essential
  2. Essential
  1. Essential
  1. Essential
  2. Essential
  1. Essential
  1. Essential

Attitude & disposition /
  1. Flexible and co-operative
  2. Self-motivated and hardworking
  3. Willingness to learn new skills
/
  1. Essential
  2. Essential
  3. Essential

Other circumstances /
  1. Willingness to work flexibly in order to achieve research goals
/
  1. Essential

Main Duties and Responsibilities of the Role

Specific Duties

1. To manage the day to day operations of the facilities and to provide training for all staff and research students using those facilities. These facilities include: (i) Far-field antenna pattern measurements in anechoic chambers and compact antenna test ranges; (ii) Planar near-field antenna measurements; (iii) Body centric antenna and propagation measurements; (iv) Millimetrewave and Terahertz quasi-optical system measurements; (v) Time domain Spectroscopy at Terahertz frequencies; (vi) High power microwave device testing.
2. To manage and develop the software which controls measurement processes and advise and support staff and students in its use and development.
3. To collaborate with academic staff in developing the facilities and advise on future investment to achieve research aims.
4. To collaborate with all research staff and research students using the facility, by advising on suitable measurement techniques and providing the guidance training for the use of the facilities and test equipment where necessary.
6. To establish, develop and manage appropriate commercial use of the facilitiesto outside organisations both in UK and internationally and initiate the associated consultancy service where necessary.

General Duties

1. To ensure the efficient and safe operation of facilities comprising the Antenna Measurement Laboratory and maintain compliance with Health & Safety standards and requirements for all those working in the Laboratory.
2. To ensure that out-of-hours use of the facility is undertaken in a safe manner that complies with College regulations.
3. To be an active member of the School’s Health & Safety Committee to ensure the laboratory is operating safely.
4. Manage and maintain a record of staff and student training to use the various facilities and so ensurethat only trained persons can use the facilities unsupervised.
5. To manage and develop our scheduling system for use of facilities and test equipment.
6. To coordinate the provision of consumable items for the facility (auditing stock, liaising with suppliers, preparing regular orders of commonly used items), and the maintenance and repair of the facilities’ test equipment.
7. To undertake research and contribute to the research programmes wherever possible, and to contribute freely to the team research environment in a manner conducive to the success of the Group’s research activity as a whole.
8. Monitor research findings with a view to commercial exploitation, and to inform the Head of School (or line manager, as appropriate) and Head of Innovation & Enterprise of any appropriate novel research outcomes.
9. To comply with relevant College policies and regulations with due regard to financial matters, harassment, equal opportunities, public interest disclosure, health and safety, intellectual property and patenting, data protection or any other rules, regulations or codes binding on the member of staff.
10. To maintain and promote a professional attitude to matters of laboratory hygiene, organisation and safety, and to observe and to take an active role in fulfilling all statutory health and safety regulations and ensuring users also do so through effective training, guidance, documentation and monitoring.
11. To manage the budget for the laboratory.
Other
1. To participate in the College Appraisal Scheme and demonstrate a commitment to continuing professional development of self and staff for whom responsible and any other contribution discussions and initiatives and demonstrate a commitment to continuing professional development.
2. The postholder will be expected to undertake reasonable annual objectives set by the Head of Group/Head of School.
3 To undertake such other duties as may be reasonably expected by the line manager or Head of School
4. The duties of the post outlined above are not exhaustive, and the postholder will be expected to be co-operative and flexible, undertaking such administrative and other duties as may from time to time be reasonably expected of a member of research grade staff in a university.
5. These duties will be subject to review in line with the changing requirements of the School or College, and with the development needs of the postholder as identified through regular review/ appraisal processes.
Working Environment
1. Formulate and review operational policies and procedures and manage facilities and services within such established policies to ensure effectiveness and fitness for purpose, ensuring they are in line with College guidelines and legislation.
2. Review and revise current procedures on an ongoing basis to assure effectiveness and fitness for purpose
3. Maintain a high level of knowledge of the relevant research and technical developments and initiatives within the areas of work covered by the role.
4 Research, plan, undertake and deliver projects as directed by the Head of School or the Director of Research/Head of Antennas Research Group
5. Assess data gathered from a range of evaluative mechanisms and use this to improve quality of provision continuously
6. Advise staff and students at all levels on facilities, resources and health & safety issues
7. Advise staff on techniques, solutions and interventions as required and be responsible for day to day management of the Laboratory
6. Advise staff and students at all levels on facilities, resources and health & safety issues
7. Advise staff on techniques, solutions and interventions as required and be responsible for day to day management of the Laboratory
8. Propose, agree and implement strategies for ensuring physical resources meet the requirements of the School in line with institutional and statutory guidelines. Proactively identify and implement activity in pursuit of this
9. Identify space development and refurbishment needs
10. Ensure technical and H&S training for all staff and research students using the facilities is of required quality and is carried out in a timely manner..
11. Provide advice and training for undergraduate and Masters project students undertaking antenna measurement tasks.
Freedom to Act & Decision Making
1. Makes judgements involving complex facts or situations, which require analysis, interpretation and comparison of data or any other information.
2. Decide on priorities and scheduling of high demand facilities and equipment.
3. Pricing & costing decisions for facilities hire
Communication & Networking
1. Exchange relevant information, relevant to operation of the Laboratory both internally and externally: with staff, students, senior management and peers.
2. Liaise with the School Facilities Manager over general issues concerning the physical environment and facilities, especially maintenance and health & safety.
3. Establish and maintain relationships in order to advise and collaborate with researchers and academics to devise suitable measurement systems and procedures in order that their research aims can be achieved.
4. Work with industrial or academic customers for facilities hire.
5. Work with instrument and equipment manufactures to design and specify new facilities
6. Work with instrument and equipment manufactures to maintain, calibrate and repair laboratory equipment.
Finance/Resource Management
1. Responsible for ordering equipment and consumables and for devising and managing budget for same.
People Management
1. No direct line management
This job description sets out the duties of the post at the time it was drawn up. Such duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or level of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot of themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post.
Organisation Chart