Job Description and Person Specification (HR5)
Post Number:
Job Description
School/Department:
Centre for Biological Sciences (CfBS)
Post Title:
Laboratory Technician
Please enter Level
under appropriate
Career Pathway
ERE
TAE
MSA
R.Nurse
Clinical
2A
Academic Posts
Academic
Research
Teaching
(mixed)
only
only
ERE Category
CAO
Non-Academic Posts
Enterprise
Education Development
Posts Responsible to (and Level):
Senior Technical Manager (5)
Deputy Senior Technical Manager (4) as line manager
Posts Responsible for (and Level):
N/A
Job Purpose: As a member of a technical team to assist in the provision of effective and efficient
support for the research infrastructure in CfBS.
Key Accountabilities/Primary Responsibilities
% Time
Laboratory Duties

General laboratory duties, including maintaining all research laboratories
and preparation areas to a high operating standard and ensuring a clean,
safe and ordered environment, complying with Health and Safety
procedures and University Best Laboratory Practice.

To share responsibility for laboratory infrastructure (e.g. autoclaves,
centrifuges, cold rooms, incubators (including CO2), fume cupboards,
MSc’s, laminar flow cabinets, liquid nitrogen, ice makers, ultra cold
freezers, water purifiers, gases, solvents etc.).

To ensure disposal of waste in compliance with University and regulatory
guidelines.

To operate, maintain and calibrate general laboratory equipment by
following set procedures and to provide standard guidance and advice to
students and staff on the operation of basic laboratory equipment.

Apply a good working understanding of techniques, equipment and
systems in order to provide technical support to research activities,
within general and specialist research areas.

To maintain laboratory equipment and apparatus in coordination with
the technical team leader and liaise with engineers and suppliers for
service contracts and repairs. To assist in maintaining records of repairs
1
and service visits.
 To resolve a range of routine work issues independently, using
judgement as to when to refer more complex cases to
supervisor/manager.

To be flexible to move within and across teams and facilities as
requested and to cover for absence of other technical staff as necessary.
Including Teaching, offsite storage, field sites/work and CfBS
laboratories at Southampton General Hospital.

To attend relevant meetings when requested in support of work
activities.

To make effective and accurate use of computerised and manual record
keeping systems in order to maintain consumable stocks and assist in
producing routine invoices.

To participate in out-of-hours “on-call” emergency rotas.

Any other duties that fall within the scope of the post as allocated by the
line manager following consultation with the post holder.
Health and Safety

To understand and comply with Health and Safety regulations, the
CfBS Health and Safety Policy and specialist safety procedures
appropriate to the area of work. To follow Best Laboratory Practice.

To conduct, document, display and comply with Health and Safety risk
assessments/CoSHH and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s).

Undertake Health and Safety training specific to role.

To notify technical team lead of any health and safety issues which need
action.
Personal Skills Development

To participate in staff development activities, to ensure activities are
appropriate and to share/use new learning in their work.
Internal & External Relationships: (nature & purpose of relationships)







Close working relationship with line managers.
Co-operation with technical colleagues throughout the CfBS.
Liaison with managers of CfBS Central facilities & the CfBS Safety Manager.
Interaction with staff, postgraduate and undergraduate students to provide help and technical
expertise.
Liaison with the Goods In and Accounts staff on maintenance of laboratory stocks.
Liaison with commercial companies for pricing and sourcing of materials.
Liaison with contractors and service engineers in the absence of line manager.
Special Requirements:




Able to participate on out-of-hours rotas for equipment alarms (overtime is normally
recompensed as time off in lieu).
Able to participate in small amounts of overtime.
To acquire full knowledge and to comply rigorously with health and safety regulations.
Willingness to work with a range of biological samples.
2

Willingness to work at different sites including B85 at Highfield & CfBS at Southampton General
Hospital and to participate in the collection of samples, specimens and equipment from a variety
of locations.
Person Specification
Criteria
Qualifications, Knowledge
and Experience:
Essential
Desirable
Relevant
NVQ2/GCSE/City and
Guilds or equivalent
qualification or
experience.
How to be
assessed
CV,
certificates
Computer literacy and
experience of using MS
Office.
CV,
Interview,
Understanding of
relevant Health and
Safety regulations and
procedures and Best
Laboratory Practice.
CV, Interview
References
Learning gained through
previous work
experience and training
in a Bioscience
environment.
CV, Interview
References
Learning gained
through previous
work experience and
training in a UK
Higher Education
Bioscience
environment.
CV, Interview
References
Planning and Organising:
Ability to plan ahead to
ensure adequate stocks
are readily available.
CV, Interview
References
Able to use established
protocols and practices.
CV,
Interview,
References
Problem Solving and Initiative:
Able to use and assist in
day-to-day maintenance
of laboratory equipment,
apparatus and facilities
3
CV,
Initiative to report
problems to line
manager.
Management and Teamwork:
Able to contribute to
team efficiency through
sharing information and
constructively supporting
others.
Able to provide training
and assistance in relation
to routine technical
tasks.
To be flexible to move
across teams in a variety
of locations including
other laboratories and
offsite. To be able to use
University vehicles to
collect samples,
specimens and
equipment from other
locations.
Communicating and Influencing:
Able to communicate
effectively with staff and
students at all levels.
Able to follow written
and verbal instructions
to quality and time
standards.
Other Skills and Behaviours:
Able to participate in
small amounts of
overtime.
Able to participate in an
out of hours “on call”
rota.
Interview
Interview,
CV, interview
CV, Interview
CV, Interview
Interview,
Interview
Interview
To acquire full
knowledge and to
comply rigorously with
health and safety
regulations.
Ability and willingness to
work with a range of
biological samples
Willingness to participate
in development
opportunities and share
knowledge with other
team members
Interview
Interview
Job Hazard Analysis Form - Appendix to Job and Person Specification
4
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
√
Please tick all those that apply, and put N/A if not applicable
Environmental Exposures
O*
Outside work
F
C
√
Extremes of temperature (e.g. fridge/ furnace)
√
Potential for exposure to body fluids
##
√
Noise (greater than 80 dba - 8 hrs twa)
##
N/A
Exposure to hazardous substances (e.g. solvents, liquids, dust, fumes,
biohazards). Specify Liquid nitrogen, chemicals, solvents, biohazards ##
√
Frequent hand washing
√
Ionising radiation.
N/A
Equipment/Tools/Machines used
Food Handling
##
N/A
Driving university vehicles(e.g. car/van/LGV/PCV)
##
√
Use of latex gloves (note: prohibited unless specific clinical necessity)
##
N/A
Vibrating tools ( e.g. strimmers, hammer drill, lawnmowers)
##
N/A
Physical Abilities
Load manual handling.
√
Repetitive Crouching/Kneeling/Stooping
√
Repetitive Pulling/Pushing
√
Repetitive Lifting
√
Standing for prolonged periods
√
Repetitive Climbing i.e. steps, stools, ladders
√
Fine motor grips (e.g. pipetting)
√
Gross motor grips
√
Repetitive reaching below shoulder height
√
Repetitive reaching at shoulder height
√
Repetitive reaching above shoulder height
√
Psychosocial Issues
Face to face contact with public
N/A
Lone working
N/A
Shift work/night work/on call duties
##
N/A
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
Which post does this job report to
Is this post a Line Manager?
ResourceLink Post Number
Technical Team Leader
Yes
5
No
√
If yes, which posts directly report into it?
Post 1
Post 2
Post 3
Post 4
Post 5
Post 6
Post 7
Post 8
Please add additional rows as required
ResourceLink Post Number
6