Research Lab Manager

The post holder will provide technical support and managerial responsibilities to maintain a high level of service to the EIL, a group in excess of 80 researchers. This post holder will manage a wide-range of research facilities (including specialist fuel cell and battery equipment, electrochemical test equipment, safety equipment, high power systems, high-temperature equipment, gas characterization, equipment thermal imaging equipment). This includes managing systems for accessing equipment and funding maintenance contracts. The role holder will provide technical support to research students, postdoctoral research fellows and academic staff. The role involves responsibility in the areas of management and supervision, technical support, health and safety, and research, all of which are expanded upon in the job description and person specification accessible at the bottom of the page.

Further key duties include:

• Overseeing the smooth running of the research facilities in the EIL laboratories in Bloomsbury (10 labs in total).
• Managing all lab-based operational aspects of a group, including senior researchers, PDRAs, PhD and MSc Students. This includes the safety, operating procedures, teaching and training of the use of equipment and helping with recruitment and dealing with staffing issues such as safe working, performance, staff training, etc.
• Maintain and operate analytical facilities (e.g. scanning electron microscopy, electrochemical test stations, atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy) and interpret and report on data collected.
• Oversee and help writing of risk assessments and COSHH for equipment and experiments, and ensure these are in place for the laboratories
• To keep up-to-date with research activities in areas relevant to the analytical research services, including changes in new technologies relevant to research. This will be done by trialling new equipment, beta testing and attending trade shows and product supplier workshops.

The successful post holder will be educated to degree level or have equivalent qualifications relevant to the role, with a PhD in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry or relevant analytical discipline desirable but not essential. You will have experience of working in a research environment, providing technical expertise and research support and will be confident in maintenance, management and technical experience of using / setting-up / training others in the use of laboratory equipment. You will be able to collect and analytically process experimental results, including the writing of technical reports, and implement safety and laboratory management systems. As part of the role you will be required to draw up specification sheets for large equipment purchases and manage the procurement process. We are looking for a candidate who is self-motivated with good communication and problem-solving skills, and committed to high-quality laboratory practice and management.

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