Applications are invited for the position of Chief Technician initially for a fixed term of 36 months. The position is sponsored by the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL).
The role will be based in the Nuclear Futures Institute Loops Lab at Menai Science Park (M-SParc), Anglesey, with time spent on secondment at NNL’s Workington Laboratory facilities in Cumbria.
Candidates should be educated to degree level (or equivalent) in a relevant subject area, e.g. engineering, materials science, physical sciences, or other related disciplines and ideally have previous experience in a fluid dynamics laboratory or process control environment.
The candidate should possess the ability to:
Communicate with scientists and engineers within a laboratory environment.
Ensure safety standards are maintained within the laboratory spaces. Experience working with sensing equipment (e.g., temperature, pressure), rotating equipment (centrifugal pumps), and high-temperature or high-pressure equipment.
Be able to support the manufacturing of components required for the experimental facilities.
Obtain or retain SC security clearance
The appointee will work with the existing team at Bangor University's Nuclear Futures Institute and related departments (including the chief technician, H&S managers and building managers) to ensure that the laboratory facilities are used to their full potential. The responsibilities include - organisation of access to the lab, working with the central health and safety team to ensure training is provided and procedures are adhered to, ensuring that the facilities are well maintained and providing expert advice on the use of equipment to ensure successful research outputs from the facility, provide support to academics and students.
The appointee will also gain valuable experience through engagement with NNL staff and will (i) undertake a secondment of between one and two months to NNL’s Workington Laboratory (Workington, Cumbria) where they will provide support to rig operations.
During the secondment, the appointee is expected to be based principally on the FAITH thermal hydraulic rig (Project FAITH | National Nuclear Laboratory (nnl.co.uk)) providing support to operations with the opportunity to gain experience operating/supporting other nuclear R&D rigs located within NNL’s Cumbrian facilities These would include a number of rigs supporting post operational cleanout (POCO)/decommissioning tasks related to solids retrievals (Sluicing Rig), slurry transport (Slurry Transport Rig - STR) and filtration (Sand Bed Filter - SBF).
The appointee will also provide support to NNL staff visiting relevant laboratory facilities at Bangor University.
The successful candidate will be expected to commence 1st March 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter, and the post is available for a period of 36 months.
Applications will also be considered to carry out this role on a part-time or job share basis. However, the sum of the part time/job share contracts must equal 1 FTE.
Applications will only be accepted via our online recruitment website, jobs.bangor.ac.uk. However, in cases of access issues due to a disability, paper application forms are available by telephone 01248 383865.
Closing date for applications: 21 February 2023
Committed To Equal Opportunities
Overview
The city of Bangor is located in an area of outstanding natural beauty close to the mountains of Snowdonia and the beach resorts of the North Wales coast and offers a quality of life that surpasses that in most regions of the UK. Lying on the Euroroute to Ireland, Bangor is served by fast train services to most major cities and excellent road connections via the A55 expressway to the motorway network. Manchester and Liverpool's airports are within 90 minutes away by car.
Bangor University was established in 1884 and currently has over 11,000 students. It comprises 14 Academic Schools grouped into three colleges. The College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at Bangor University is one of the leading centres in the UK for teaching and research in biology, environmental sciences, geography, ocean sciences, chemistry, computer science and electronic engineering. The University was awarded a Gold rating in the recent UK Teaching Excellence Framework.
The Nuclear Futures Institute is funded through the Sêr Cymru programme by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government. It aims to establish "a world-leading capability in nuclear engineering, which establishes North Wales as a global centre, delivering international partnerships and opportunity from a rich mix of existing and new talent, leading the UK new nuclear agenda and rejuvenating the UK and Welsh nuclear sector."
The NFI has two laboratories for the manufacturing and characterising materials, containing a suite of systems able to work with uranic materials, ultra-high temperature ceramics, alloys and glasses relevant to the nuclear industry. We are also developing laboratories and facilities at the Menai Science Park (M-SParc) on Anglesey in the area of thermal hydraulics, which the post holder will be responsible for. The two facilities are the Thermo-Hydraulic Open-access Research (THOR) rig, a pressurised water loop, and the Bangor University Lead Loop for Erosion Testing (BULLET), a molten lead loop.
The National Nuclear Laboratory has unique facilities at several locations throughout the UK (including state of the art active facilities at its Central and Preston laboratories, and a large inactive rig hall at its Workington Laboratory, located in the port town of Workington in west Cumbria). It recently opened its Welsh Office which is conveniently located at the University of Bangor’s Menai Science Park (MSParc).
The Project
This position is part of the expansion of Bangor University's research capacity in Nuclear Science and Technology funded through the Sêr Cymru programme by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government. The University and the National Nuclear Laboratory recently signed a memorandum of understanding representing a new strategic collaboration partnership, and this appointment provides a unique opportunity to work in an established nuclear centre with links to leading industrial partners and researchers worldwide. We expect the successful candidate to help the NFI in achieving its goals of becoming a world-leading centre of excellence in nuclear research and support the development of the National Thermal Hydraulic Facility, which is led by the NFI industrial partner, the NNL, and in particular support the activities under the Bangor University/NNL strategic partnership.
Purpose of the Job
This role will support the Nuclear Group within Bangor University's Nuclear Futures Institute (NFI), and the strategic partnership between the group and NNL. The Chief Technician will directly participate in the research projects and will be responsible for training and providing technical assistance for students, postdoctoral fellows, and researchers visiting the facility. The successful candidate would also carry on methods development in relation to the ongoing projects and in phase with the strategic orientations of the facility. The candidate must be able to work reliably, efficiently, and independently and be able to multi-task and organise and run several projects in parallel.
In addition, the Chief Technician will work with the laboratory manager and NFI group to ensure the general organisation of the laboratory, including the management of the different equipment. Involvement in the maintenance of reagents and protocols databases will also be required.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Research support:
Layout planning of facilities
Responsibility for the maintenance and operation of thermal-hydraulics facilities
High expertise in relevant equipment and instrumentation
Overall responsibility for the building of equipment designed by the research team
Active role in basic scientific measurements using research-related equipment and methods
Leading role in using experimental equipment, including helping to set up equipment (for example, pressure, temperature, cameras)
Key role in training and supporting the facility users, including visiting researchers such as NNL staff.
Scheduling maintenance of equipment and organising consumables required for research in the facilities.
Creating robust working practices to ensure safe working conditions are adhered to in the facilities.
Undertake calibration of equipment; preparation of standard specimens.
Supporting the lab manager in their role.
Advice in manufacturing components (such as test sections for THOR).
Engage with relevant NNL technical staff and technicians to share learning and experience during (i) secondment to NNL’s Workington Laboratory and (ii) NNL staff time at University of Bangor facilities (described above).
Teaching support
Assessing, following discussions with academic heads, the forward needs of the department with regard to space, plant, apparatus, training, laboratory courses, etc
Other Duties and Responsibilities
Overall management responsibility for the thermal-hydraulics technical team
Ensure the maintenance, safety, and security of the thermal-hydraulics facilities
Selection, training, and development of technical staff; monitoring of expenditure records
Attend laboratory management meetings
Liaise closely with other members of the project team
Arranging for engineers to deal with more complex problems
The post holder will be expected to participate in performance review and developmental activities.
Overall management responsibility for the technical team includes line management of a few technicians.
The post holder will be expected to comply with the University's equal opportunities policies, Dignity at Work and Study Policy, the University's Welsh Language Policy, and the Welsh Language Standards.
The post holder has a general and legal duty of care in relation to health, safety and wellbeing and must take all reasonable steps to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for him/herself and for other members of staff, students and visitors affected by his/her actions or inactions. The post holder is also required to comply with all applicable health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments.
The post holder must comply with relevant legal and financial policies and procedures and be aware of their responsibilities in terms of the legal requirements of their posts.
Person Specification
Qualifications/Training
Essential
An undergraduate degree (e.g. BSc/BEng), or equivalent, in engineering, physical sciences or a similar related subject.
Experience in working in a process facility
Knowledge on process control equipment (valves, data aquisition equipment, flow and temperature measurement equipment, etc.).
Proficency in operating rotating equipment (centrifugal pumps).
The person should be SC cleared or willing and suitable for SC clearance.
Desirable
A relevant technical or laboratory qualification
A relevant laboratory safety qualification
Masters/PhD in engineering, physical sciences, or other related disciplines
Experience/Knowledge
Essential
Demonstrate experience of managing in a laboratory situation
Write standard operating procedures
Demonstratable knowledge and experience in the relevant area, ability to follow problem-solving directions in a laboratory, calibration of machinery, preparation of solutions and setting up class laboratory equipment
Experience in training and laboratory organisation
Experience in working with research groups or students in fieldwork situations
Desirable
Knowledge of thermo-fluid dynamics
Experience working in manufacturing components
Demonstrate competence in specific software use (e.g. Labview)
Experience performing mechanical testing of materials
Awareness of regional ambitions in nuclear research in North Wales
Skills/Abilities
Essential
Line management skilld
Proven project management skills
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Demonstrate the ability to prioritise workload and work to deadlines
Demonstrate an understanding of the bilingual nature of the institution and area.
Desirable
Analytical skills, with the ability to analyse numerical data and present results appropriately
Demonstrate a good level of computer literacy
Demonstrate ability to work as part of a team
Website management experience/ability
Knowledge/experience preparing COSHH assessments
The ability to communicate through the medium of Welsh is desirable for this role. If applicants are not able to speak/write in Welsh at present, there are many opportunities to learn if the successful candidate wishes to do so.
General
The University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We strive to develop a workforce from all sections of the community regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. We promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language through our progressive Welsh Language Policy. We comply with the Welsh Language Standards and are committed to equality of opportunity. You are welcome to apply for any job in English or Welsh and all applications submitted will be treated equally.
We are a member of Advance HE's Athena SWAN Gender Equality charter and hold a Bronze award in recognition of our commitment to and progress towards gender equality within the University's policies, practices, and culture. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.
All members of staff have a duty to ensure their actions are in line with the overall environmental aims of the University and minimise their environmental impact.
All offers are made subject to proof of eligibility to work in the UK and receipt of satisfactory references.
All candidates must meet the requirements of UK' right to work' requirements *** If you require Home Office permission to work in the UK, or need to switch your visa status in order to take this job, please note that following the introduction by the Government of immigration limits on skilled workers we recommend you use the following link to information about the routes into employment and to check eligibility requirements: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/
Please note that, in the event of applications being received from candidates on the University's Redeployment Register with a reasonable skills match to the post specification, these applicants will be given prior consideration.