Senior Research Technician Department of Inflammation and Ageing 106860 Grade 5

Position Details

Department of Inflammation and Ageing School of Infection Inflammation and Immunology College of Medicine and Health

Location: University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range 29647 to 31460 with potential progression once in post to 35388

Grade: 5

Part Time (21 hours per week)

Fixed Term contract up to June 2026

Closing date: 7th January 2026

Our offer to you

People are at the heart of what we are and do.

The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years andweare equally proud to be recognised as a leading global want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond support them to succeed and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here todevelopthrough our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programmewhichprovides allprofessionalservices staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full almost 5000professionalservices jobs in a wide-range of functionsin Edgbaston andin our campus inDubai there are plenty of opportunities foryou to be able to develop yourcareer at the University.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas innovation and warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we areand how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees andtothe success of the University and depending on the role we offer avarietyof flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible addition you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 dayspaid holidaya year one paid day a year for volunteering occupational sick pay and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus including main bus routes and a train station on campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool shopsplaces to eat and drinkour own art gallery museum and botanical gardens.

Find out more about thebenefits of working for the Universityof Birmingham

Background

The post holder will join the Ophthalmology research group in the department of Inflammation and Ageing University of Birmingham to provide support role for various on-going projects based around inflammatory and immune mechanisms in the ocular microenvironment.

These include phenotyping the ocular surface microbiome rapid diagnosis of severe blinding ocular infections genetic profiling of the ocular surface and monitoring response to novel technologies in early-phase clinical trials and examining mitochondrial exhaustion in multimorbidity including diabetes (the largest cause of sight-loss in <60 years). The main component of the work will be based at the University of Birminghams Research Labs (UoBRL) in the Centre for Translational Inflammation Research (Queen Elizabeth Hospital) however we work in close collaboration with the Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre (BMEC Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust) that hosts the BMEC UoBRL underpinning patient-base including the Centre for Inflammatory Eye Disease and Behçets Disease National Centre of Excellence.

Role Summary

You will provide technical expertise support and guidance in research may supervise a number of technical staff but even where you do not directly supervise staff you will still be expected to act as a role model and coach others as appropriate.

You will need an in-depth understanding of the research questions techniques and experimental protocols. You will be able to use your in-depth knowledge to advise on procedures diagnose and resolve problems and proactively suggest solutions to issues which may need to operate out of normal working hours to accommodate experimental procedures.

In order to flexibly use resource you may be offered the opportunity to work in different areas of the department or wider university.

Main Duties

• Practical experience in at least two of the following techniques: primary cell culture flow cytometry qPCR Western Blotting.
• You will be responsible for assisting in managing the experimental and laboratories.
• You will use your in-depth knowledge of methods and procedures to advise on techniques and experimental procedures being used by researchers and/or students. This will involve communicating with colleagues at a range of levels and inexperienced students.
• You will need to be able to diagnose and resolve problems and suggest solutions in regard to techniques and experiments.
• Carry out specialist technical and experimental procedures which will need you to use your judgment to assess the correct technique to use and to consider how these may be improved referring to your manager for approval on any proposed changes.
• You will need to maintain accurate records of all techniques and experimental procedures you carry out and for any other research activities you may be involved in including results.
• Ensure compliance with legislation relevant to the area of research/activity.
• Comply with and promote the operating procedures for the area including the classification labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures regulation.
• You may contribute to internal and external audit procedures and to regulatory inspections.

Health and Safety duties

• Proactive support for health and safety within the may include being required to look after a communal area as part of your with all current rules and ensure all required assessments are in place approved and up to date.
• Fully understand the safety aspects of equipment operation and be able to demonstrate/train staff (at all levels) on the correct usage of the equipment.
• Ensuring that regular maintenance processes are carried out and that appropriate records are maintained.
• Reporting any breaches or non-compliance with H&S procedures to the relevant manager(s).
• Upholding the correct waste disposal stream as governed by College and local policy for the laboratory.
• Post holders may be asked to undergo training as a First Aider.

General Administration and Organisation

• Ensuring all records are accurate and kept up to date.
• Proactively maintain stocks of consumables and when required generate purchase order requisitions using University systems.
• Receipt and correct storage of consumables/equipment and chemical reagents.
• Ensuring that the facilities are maintained in a clean functional and safe condition reporting any problems through the appropriate channels.
• Ensuring that PAT testing calibration of equipment and locally and centrally held equipment inventories are up to date and maintained.
• Adopt a proactive attitude to assisting with and implementing carbon reduction and energy saving measures.
• Maintain a technical support based teaching laboratory website (how to guides for the preparation of materials practical setup guides) and keeping these up to date as and when session requirements or protocols change or maintaining relevant research lab databases/records.

Other Duties

• In collaboration with the relevant manager the post holder will take an active role in the training and mentoring process for junior or newly appointed staff.
• Supports equality and values diversity moderates own behaviour to avoid unfair discriminatory impact or bias on others.
• Any other duties as may reasonably be required.

Required Knowledge Skills Qualifications Experience

• Extensive relevant workplace experience equivalent professional qualification or degree in an appropriate subject.
• GCSE level 2 (A*- C/4-9) or equivalent level 2 qualification in mathematics and English.
• In-depth practical knowledge of relevant technical and scientific methods.
• Practical experience in at least two of the following techniques: primary cell culture flow cytometry qPCR Western Blotting.
• Extensive experience of similar laboratory-based work together with familiarity with a wide range of laboratory equipment.
• Shows courtesy in dealing with others.
• Ability to organise and manage own workload and demonstrate flexibility in terms of work practices/requirements.
• Ability to work under minimal supervision but function as part of a team.
• Knowledge of current legislation relevant to the role.
• Knowledge of current H&S policies and ability to uphold same.
• Proficiency in commonly used software packages.
• Understands the importance of equality and diversity in the workplace.
• Ability to identify and respond to equality and diversity issues in line with relevant policies and procedures.

Dimensions

You will provide specialist expertise in your area and provide advice and support to a range of customers. You may supervise staff; even where you do not have supervisory responsibilities you will be expected to act as a role model for other may be involved in budget monitoring.

Planning and Organising

You will be required to work independently on daily weekly and monthly tasks but also on projects with medium-longer-term horizons without daily will ensure that you have the resources required which will require planning ahead and procurement of goods.

Problem Solving and decision making

You will be able to research modify and adapt protocols after consulting relevant manager and prepare for research will be able to uphold Health and Safety will need to be confident in identifying problems breaking them down and implementing you will work under the direction of more senior staff you will be able to carry out your work with a large amount of autonomy.

Internal and External relationships

This role will be advising and supporting research staff and/or students and with external contacts such as company representatives.

Further particulars can be foundhere

Informal enquiries to Lisa Powell email:

Use of AI in applications:We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyoneon our website.