Senior Lab Technician

Salary: £32,080 to £33,002 with progression to £34,610 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: 23 August 2026

The School of Engineering at Newcastle University is seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and highly motivated individual to the role of Senior Lab Technician.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a team of technical staff supporting research, teaching and commercial activities, with a particular focus on the Offshore and Subsea Technology group.

Our highly skilled and professional technical colleagues are essential in supporting and delivering successful teaching and research activities to an international standard.  We have approximately 75 technicians employed within the School of Engineering, working on both our city campus and off-site facilities throughout the North East of England. Our technical expertise spans a wide range of engineering disciplines and plays a fundamental role in Newcastle University’s teaching, research and external engagement.

You will be part of a technical team providing support to academic and research staff across the Offshore and Subsea Technology labs, as well as supporting postgraduate and undergraduate students during practical teaching, research projects and fieldwork activities. You will have day to day responsibility for the operation of our off-site (Blyth) Emerson Cavitation Tunnel facility, ensuring labs, specialist equipment and facilities are maintained to a high standard in support for teaching, research and commercial testing. Emerson Cavitation Tunnel | Emerson Cavitation Tunnel | Newcastle University

You will support the Academic Lead in delivering research and education activities and the Technical Team Leader in the management of laboratory operations, ensuring compliance with health and safety legislation, asset management processes and the continued development of technical services.

You will need to demonstrate:

• A proven track record of working in a laboratory or engineering environment, with the ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a technical team.


• Experience of operating, maintaining and troubleshooting specialist engineering laboratory equipment and instrumentation.


• A proctive approach and the ability to identify practical solutions to technical challenges.


• Strong organisational, communication and customer service skills, with the ability to work flexibly and collaboratively.


• A good understanding of health and safety systems.


• A full UK driving licence, as the role requires travel between our Newcastle campus and our off-site facility at the port of Blyth.

For informal enquiries, please contact Weichao Shi, Academic Lead by email: [email protected], Ian Howard-Row, Technical Team Leader by email: [email protected]  or Christopher Brown, Technical Operations Manager by email: [email protected].

At Newcastle University we are committed to building and maintaining a fair and inclusive working environment. For further details about Newcastle University please visit our information page at http://www.ncl.ac.uk/about.

This is a full-time fixed-term position for two years in the first instance

Successful candidates will require satisfactory evidence of a full UK driving licence, a full UK driving license is required for this position, as part of this role you will be required to transport sampling and collections 

To apply please upload a CV and cover letter evidencing how your skills and experiences align to the person specification as outlined within job description.

Key Accountabilities 

• In conjunction with the technical team leader, be responsible for the day-to-day operation, maintenance and continuous improvement of specialist marine engineering laboratories, facilities and equipment. Undertake fault diagnosis, testing, repair, calibration and preventative maintenance activities to ensure facilities remain safe, compliant and fit for purpose


• Maintain effective inventories of equipment, materials and consumables, identifying requirements and initiating purchases in accordance with school and university procedures. Maintain appropriate records and financial information as required


• Support the maintenance of a safe working environment through the implementation of risk assessments, safe systems of work, inspections and audits, ensuring compliance with university policies, statutory requirements and local safety arrangements


• Train, supervise and provide technical advice to staff, students and visitors in laboratory, workshop and field-based activities/techniques, ensuring the safe and effective use of facilities, equipment and technical processes


• Contribute to teaching, research, student project and commercial activities through the preparation, operation and delivery of experiments, testing programmes and practical classes, including the collection, processing and archiving of technical data


• Support fieldwork, site investigations and off-site testing activities, including the preparation, transportation, installation and operation of specialist equipment


• Assist with the maintenance, inspection and operational readiness of specialist laboratory infrastructure and facilities, supporting external engagement activities, industrial collaborations and commercial testing projects where required


• Contribute to regular team meetings, health and safety processes and continuous improvement activities within the Technical Services team


• Any other duties within the scope and general nature of the grade which may be required

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Experience of working in a relevant technical role within marine engineering, engineering or laboratory environment with demonstrable team-working skills


• Experience of supporting laboratory, workshop or fieldwork activities, including the operation, maintenance and troubleshooting of specialist engineering equipment, instrumentation and facilities


• Strong technical knowledge of LabView software, including laboratory testing techniques, relevant testing standards, and data capture


• Up-to-date and detailed knowledge of health and safety procedures within laboratory or workshop environments, including experience of writing risk assessments and standard operating procedures


• Demonstrates technical and problem-solving capability, including the ability to contribute to the design, specification and delivery of teaching and research activities


• Demonstrates good organisation and ability to meet deadlines, with a positive and proactive approach to duties and attention to detail


• Proven written and verbal communication skills


• Good numerical skills and the ability to collect, analyse and present technical information

Attributes and Behaviour

• Demonstrates strong teamwork and collaboration, supporting colleagues, sharing workloads where needed, and communicating progress clearly to ensure collective objectives are achieved efficiently and effectively


• Shares knowledge of processes and systems proactively, enhancing team capability, improving decision-making, and ensuring consistency and continuity across activities


• Works in a structured and detail-orientated manner, effectively prioritising tasks, managing resources, and maintaining high service standards while meeting agreed targets and deadlines


• Proactively identifies opportunities for process improvement, implementing practical solutions that optimise performance, increase efficiency, and strengthen overall service delivery


• Embraces change with a positive and adaptable mindset, willingly adopting new ways of working, contributing to innovation, and supporting a culture of continuous improvement and learning

Qualifications

• Higher National Certificate in Engineering (or equivalent Level 4 qualification); or relevant technical experience acquired through a combination of vocational training and on-the-job experience


• Full UK driving license

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 Gold 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: 29600