Technical Liaison Officer

Crop Health and Protection (CHAP) Ltd is one of four UK Agri-Tech Centres launched under BEIS supported by Innovate UK in 2015. As a unique, independent nexus between UK government, researchers and industry, CHAP builds innovation networks to identify and accelerate the development of cutting-edge solutions to drive transformative change in sustainable crop productivity. CHAP is seeking a Technical Liaison Officer to support the growth within the business.

About the Role:

The key function of this role is to support CHAP partner organisation (Cranfield University) at its campus in Bedfordshire. Cranfield University is a postgraduate-only, research-intensive University. The successful applicant will join a team of specialists and support staff with strengths ranging from environmental governance and risk to food security. They work with global and domestic agriculture and food companies, environmental agencies, and governments to ensure that the research benefits all in society. Cranfield’s near-industrial scale research facilities, which include the CHAP Soil Health Facility, are unparalleled. The Soil Health Facility, where soil conditions can be pre-defined at pilot scale and soil-root interactions can be monitored, recently received a £13 million investment through two of the UK Government’s Agritech Centres (Agri-EPI and CHAP). They include a range of plant growth facilities for experimental work involving plant physiology, plant phenotyping, plant-microbe interactions, and plant-soil interactions. Uniquely, they allow for testing within a crop rotational context.

Specific responsibilities will evolve as research outcomes are evaluated and you will have the opportunity to shape this as a critical member of the team.

General Duties and Responsibilities:

You will perform operational duties related to the CHAP Soil Health Facilities in liaison with Cranfield technical staff, identify new business opportunities for CHAP, working closely with Cranfield academic staff. You will be expected to forward plan, and to think through and solve problems which may be encountered. Activities may include planning of usage of facilities, agreeing costing for use of facilities and identifying new opportunities for investment in the capabilities. You will be active in identifying new business and funding opportunities, contribute to bid writing and promote the use of the facilities.

Act as the main operational contact.

• Reporting on activities in line with CHAP reporting cycles
• Update and maintain an asset utilisation record
• Create health and safety reports when necessary
• Maintain risk management
• Attend operations board meetings
• Attend technical meetings of ongoing projects and provide technical support when required

Identify new businesses and create new opportunities.

• Identify suitable funding sources for CHAP business and raise awareness amongst colleagues
• Develop new project ideas in and contribute to writing funding applications for CHAP
• Identify new opportunities for investment in the capabilities

Acts as media coordinator for the facilities working closely with both organisations.

• Identify and implement effective ways to promote CHAP activities at Cranfield including email, social media and web.

Candidate specification:

Education & Qualifications & Experience

Required

• Degree or equivalent in Agricultural, Environmental sciences or business studies
• Competence in the MS Office suite of software
• Experience of working and knowledge of priority areas in the AgriTech sector and knowledge of Soil Health

Desirable

• Experience with practical research projects, ideally through a research degree MSc or PhD
• Experience in project management
• Experience in grant writing

Applications or request for further information to officemanager@chap-solutions.co.uk

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