Technical Specialist (Electron Microscopy)

Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822

Role Summary

The post holder will be a technical specialist for Electron Microscopy, in particular TEM, to provide technical expertise, support, and guidance to users in the FEM to strengthen the service we offer. The post holder will support the FEM and its users through operation and maintenance of Electron Microscopes, sample preparation activities, and training and supervision of users.

As a member of the technical team, the post holder will assist in maintaining the FEM and its lab spaces. This includes equipment such as a scanning electron microscopes, transmission electron microscopes, micro-CT systems, and ultramicrotomes, coating machines and other sample preparation equipment.

The post holder will work closely with research staff and PhD students from the University of Birmingham, as well as external Universities, and industrial and commercial contacts. 

Main Duties

• Support the FEM and its users through specialist operation and maintenance of transmission electron microscopes and the related sample preparation.
• Line-manage other members of technical staff.
• Assist in managing the laboratory areas including Health & Safety responsibilities.
• Use knowledge of methods and procedures to advise on experimental techniques being used by researchers and/or students. This will involve communicating with colleagues at a range of levels.
• It will be essential to contribute to effective knowledge transfer in the context of user training/teaching new users and also in presenting in technical and scientific meetings/workshops for knowledge/skill exchange.
• Diagnose and resolve problems and suggest solutions regarding techniques and experiments. Problem solving, including diagnosis of mechanical, electronic or vacuum problems in the microscopes. Liaison with service engineers to ensure as little down time with equipment as possible, judgment on when to call a service engineer.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience 

• Hold, or be close to the completion of, a PhD degree or equivalent qualification relevant to the discipline, or equivalent workplace experience.
• Practical experience in operating and maintaining electron microscopes including TEMs.
• Extensive experience, specialist knowledge and refined skills in transmission electron microscopy and dual beam microscopes.
• Knowledge and practical experience on TEM sample preparation procedures for at least one of biological samples or materials samples: Techniques include Chemical fixation, dehydration, resin embedding, ultramicrotome sectioning, staining, mechanical cutting and grinding, electrolytic polishing, and ion milling.
• A proven high level of instrumentation, experimentation and analytical capability.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills. Fluency in relevant techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones.
• Demonstrable ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively.
• Demonstrable understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes.

Informal enquiries to Ludwig Schneider, email: l.schneider.1@bham.ac.uk 

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the 'Apply' button above.

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