Senior Laboratory Technician (Paleoceanography)

Role:Senior LaboratoryTechnician (Paleoceanography)

Grade and Salary: Grade 6: 31236 - 36636 per annum

FTE and working pattern: The position is available for 5 months full time (1FTE) or 6 months at 0.8 FTE; flexible working is possible.

Holiday Entitlement: 33 days annual leaveplus 9 buildings-closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)

Purpose of Role

The role will be supporting an UKRI funded Future LeadersFellowship Fate of ocean oxygenation in a warming worldproject withProfessorBabette Hoogakker (Lyell Centre Heriot-Watt University).

The project will involve proxy reconstructions of seawater oxygen levels and outreach work.

The individual will provide technical and logistical support. The applicant would be processing and analysing samples from marine sediment cores and require as a minimum a first degree (MSc desirable) in earth and ocean sciences (includes marine geology oceanography or marine biogeochemistry) and experience of working in a laboratory.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

To support ongoing research on oxygen levels in the oceans and provide specialist technical support inpaleoceanographicresearch liaising directly with the line manager.

Duties will involve:

• sample preparation (weighing sieving drying of sediment samples)

• identifyingand picking of foraminifera

• carrying out sedimentary andspecialistforaminifera geochemical analyses in laboratory

Essential & Desirable Criteria

Essential

• A degreeinenvironmental/earth and ocean sciences including oceanography marine biology geology biogeochemistry

• Analytical and technicalproblem solvingskills

• IT skills proficient in the use of computers and general software

• Good communicationand presentation skills

• Team player with good interpersonal skills

• Demonstrate self-motivation and desire to achieve theobjectivesagreed with managers working towards the strategic goals set by theSchool

• Demonstrable ability to work quicklyflexiblyand accurately in a dynamicchangingand pressured environment

• Demonstrable professional and proactive approach

• Willingness to travel and perform laboratory work with partner institutes

Desirable

• A MSc degree inpaleoceanography

• Experienced in identification of benthic and planktonic foraminiferal species

• Working experience in applying palaeoceanographic proxies including running specialist laboratory equipment

• Working towards deadlines

• Analytical and technicalproblem solvingskills

• Experienceof relevanthealth and safety protocols

How to Apply

Applications can be submitted up to 11:55pm(UK time)onWednesday 17^th June 2026.

Interviews are expected to take place across Wednesday 24th June 2026

Pleasesubmit your CV & covering letter via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment.

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.

Heriot-WattUniversity is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected trained promoted appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-WattUniversity values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information please see our website also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers our total rewards calculator: see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.

About the Team

The School of Energy Geoscience Infrastructure and Society (EGIS)providesacollaborative researchand teaching environment organised into our five institutes:

• Institute of Sustainable Built Environment (ISBE)

• The Institute of Life and Earth Sciences (ILES)

• The Institute of GeoEnergy Engineering (IGE)

• TUI and ISPHERE have been replaced by theInstitute for Place Environment and Society

In addition to our four institutes theInternational Centre for Island Technology (ICIT)inOrkneyis a specialised arm of the Institute of Life and Earth Sciences.

Our programmes

Within our core disciplines we offer research-led programmes ofundergraduateandpostgraduatestudy many of which provideprofessionally-accreditedqualifications. Our programmes are often highly rated innational surveys. Consequently our graduates are highly sought after by employers worldwide.

We pride ourselves on our international activities. Many of our programmes are also offered at ourDubai CampusandourMalaysia Campus.Onlinestudy is alsoan optionfor some postgraduate degreesfacilitatinglearning in any country in the world.

We strive for excellence in our support to all students studying with us and our staff are committed to providing educational and professional support that is fairfriendlyandtimely.

About Heriot-Watt University

At Heriot-Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.