Technical Specialist

Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £38,784.

As this vacancy has limited funding the maximum salary that can be offered is Grade 7, salary £38,784.

Contract Type: Fixed Term contract up to January 2028

Closes: 10/05/2026, 23:59

Main Responsibilities

The postholder will carry out oxidation testing at high temperatures and microscopic and mechanical characterisation of various nickel-based alloys. The postholder will be expected to have expertise in physical metallurgy or advanced characterisation (microscopic or mechanical). Experience on materials degradation, such as oxidation and corrosion, are desirable but not essential. Characterisation techniques will include SEM, EBSD/EDS, FIB and mechanical testing. The postholder will also get involved in modifying existing instruments to enable further capacities.

The postholder will contribute to safe operation of relevant equipment and services by ensuring that safety paperwork is up to date and is being followed by users, and any statutory inspections are carried out on time.  

The postholder will be required to lead on daily, weekly, and monthly tasks without daily supervision, leading on projects with medium to longer term horizons also. They may be involved in monitoring of research and will be able to investigate, modify, and adapt protocols after consulting relevant senior staff.

The postholder will be able to use their knowledge and experience to advise on procedures, diagnose and resolve problems, and proactively suggest solutions to issues which arise.   

The postholder will form part of a large, diverse team of technical staff who collectively support the research and teaching activities in the School of Metallurgy and Materials. The postholder will be expected to Line Manage, supervise, and mentor technical staff, as well as providing guidance to Postgraduate Students and Post-Doctoral Research Staff. The postholder will be line managed by the Technical Manager in the School of Metallurgy and Materials.   

Person Specification

• Recognised and substantial technical expertise in physical metallurgy, advanced materials characterisation, mechanical testing or materials degradation.
• Typically requires a degree (or equivalent) and a number of years’ relevant experience to have the necessary conceptual understanding of the area. 
• 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. 
• Demonstrable ability to co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort.
• Significant knowledge of working within a research & scientific environment and demonstrable relevant technical skills. 
• Ability to work without supervision, but function as part of a team. 
• Experience of working collaboratively as part of a wider team to deliver operational or strategic goals. 
• Ability to organise and manage own workload and demonstrate flexibility in terms of working practices/requirements. 
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics and duties under the Equality Act 2010. Including fostering good relations and advancing the universities Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) 

Informal enquiries can be made to Tom Hutchinson t.hutchinson@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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We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working

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