Senior Technician - Textiles Print (Maternity Cover)

Birmingham City University is a large and diverse place to work right in the heart of the city, our staff and student community is defined by our core values, which outline who we are as a University and how we work with each other. Our core values are: We create opportunity, We think differently, We build Community. 

The Art Design and Media technical team are looking for a Textiles Print technician to cover maternity leave for our Digital and Screen Print Textiles workshop at our Parkside campus. This is a great opportunity to share your Textiles experience with students from Fashion and Textiles and play a pivotal role in maintaining high quality delivery, working practice and outcomes.

The role is based in the main print workshops dedicated to screen and digital printing where there is a steam room, screen washroom, drying and exposure room, and versatile digital print room. 

Textiles print is a popular resource with BA Textiles, BA Fashion Design, MA and Foundation Fashion and Textiles courses and is also a valuable resource for other courses and external projects.

As a Senior Technician, the successful candidate will be comfortable working within a team as well as on their own initiative. The role requires someone with a good range of textiles skills, who can manage the resource, organise demonstrations, maintain health and safety, supervise student independent learning and work with fellow technicians, teaching staff and management to deliver high quality outcomes. This role lends itself to someone who is well organised, has excellent communication skills and an openminded, inclusive and progressive approach to the workplace and textiles print processes.

The candidate should be qualified to degree level in a relevant subject (or equivalent level combination of qualifications, skills, and experience) and be able to demonstrate significant practical experience of Screen and Digital textiles printing within a Fashion and Textiles Design context.

Essential Skills and Experience for the role:

• Running and organizing educational workshops or similar.
• Delivering demonstrations and sharing skills.
• IT and communications skills.
• Knowledge of using registration bars.
• Able to coat and expose screens.
• Experience of instructing on the use of 43 thread mesh screens with cellulose, protein, and synthetic fabrics. 
• Able to identify fibres and the processes related to them.
• Be knowledgeable in a range of dyeing processes 
• Have a good working knowledge of Photoshop and/or Illustrator software for repeat pattern construction.
• Able to guide students using sublimation, direct to garment and roll to roll printing.
• Able to maintain digital printers and manage ink stocks and ordering.
• Maintain the printers, resources, and fabric stocks.

Desirable Skills and Experience:

• First Aider at work and or Mental Health First Aid training
• Health and Safety training or qualifications.
• Have an interest or knowledge of biomaterials.
• Have an interest or knowledge of natural dyes and fibers.

In return we offer a generous pension and annual leave provision. We also operate a hybrid working model that allows staff to combine on-site and remote working where appropriate, dependent on work duties.  We also provide access to excellent facilities on campus, including supportive family friendly policies.

If you are interested, please apply with a CV and a covering letter on the BCU Jobs website clearly setting out how your skills and experience match against the role.

For further information about the role, please contact: Matthew.thomas@bcu.ac.uk

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