Field Course Development Officer

Part time – 10.5 hours per week

Fixed term contract  for 24 months

The Opportunity:

We are looking for a highly experienced and enthusiastic individual, with a keen interest in natural history and extensive knowledge of zoology and preparation and maintenance of museum specimens, to join the BTO Technical Team. This post will partially support laboratory and field work activities and importantly train a staff member in techniques relevant to the ongoing function and success of these activities. 

You will be responsible for the supervision and training of a teaching technician to ensure successful transfer of this specialised knowledge and skills, working in accordance to demands of the Laboratory Supervisor. You will ensure that staff acquire knowledge sufficient to understand the operation of all equipment and resources needed to provide a safe, high quality, experience for both staff and students in the laboratory and on field courses. We also have a historic resource, the Ashworth collection, that you will be expected to oversee and familiarise the technician with many aspects of curating and maintaining it for use in teaching and outreach activities. We envisage this activity will require 2 years work.

Our team serves over 1000 students in their laboratory activities across all aspects of the Biological Sciences curriculum. The post holder will become part of this large technical team of 14 staff, providing support across a wide range of disciplines within Biological Sciences. A flexible approach is required in order to extend support to, and share knowledge with, any of our four teaching laboratories if needed. We aim to provide an excellent laboratory experience for students and staff.

This post is advertised as part time (10.5 hours per week), however, we are open to considering flexible working patterns. We are also open to considering requests for hybrid working (on a non-contractual basis) that combines a mix of remote and regular on-campus working. 

Your skills and attributes for success: 

• Considerable knowledge of natural history (mainly British) and zoology. 
• Extensive laboratory experience including teaching laboratory experience 
• An ability to analyse technical problems and provide solutions or viable alternative methods, reagents or specimens.  
• Experience of working with preserved specimens and museum artifacts. 
• Experience of training and supervising staff in specialised knowledge-based activities  

Advert information