Technical Operations & Safety Manager

Location: South Kensington Campus, on-site only

About the role:

Join Imperial College London’s Dyson School of Design Engineering as our Technical Operations & Safety Manager, leading the safe, effective & forward-looking operation of our multidisciplinary prototyping and manufacturing workshop facilities at South Kensington. This senior technical management role combines engineering workshop leadership, health and safety management, facilities development and technical team management, supporting innovative teaching, research and student project activity. You will manage a team of technical specialists, oversee manual and other machining, additive manufacturing, CAD/CAM-enabled production and wider design-and-manufacturing processes, while acting as Departmental Safety Officer. You will lead risk assessment, COSHH, training, equipment compliance, workshop access, incident reporting and continuous improvement, and help shape the department’s long-term technical facilities strategy.

What you would be doing:

• Leading the day-to-day operation of the School's Prototyping & Manufacturing Workshop and wider technical services.
• Managing, developing and supporting a team of technical staff to deliver an outstanding service to students, researchers and staff.
• Overseeing workshop budgets, procurement activities and resource allocation.
• Developing a strategic roadmap for workshop facilities, identifying future investment opportunities & emerging capability needs.
• Coordinating technical support across taught programmes, research activities and consultancy projects.
• Ensuring workshop procedures, training records, risk assessments and compliance documentation are effectively maintained.
• Acting as Departmental Safety Officer and leading the implementation of health and safety policies across the School.
• Managing safety systems, audits, inspections, incident reporting and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Delivering health & safety training and promoting a strong culture of safe working practices.
• Collaborating with academic, technical and professional services colleagues across Imperial and with external suppliers, contractors and partners.

What we are looking for:

We are looking for a confident technical leader with substantial experience managing engineering workshops, laboratories or technical facilities, alongside a strong commitment to operational excellence & safety.

You should bring:

• A relevant technical, engineering, safety or management qualification, or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience of multidisciplinary engineering, manufacturing, design and prototyping environments.
• Strong practical knowledge of workshop machinery, CNC equipment and additive manufacturing technologies.
• Experience managing facilities, technical projects, budgets and operational resources.
• Proven success leading and developing multidisciplinary technical teams.
• A thorough understanding of health and safety regulations and their application within workshop or laboratory environments.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical audiences.
• A proactive, solutions-focused mindset and a passion for supporting education, research and innovation.

What we can offer you:

• The opportunity to lead and shape technical services within one of the world's leading universities.
• A highly varied role combining technical leadership, operational management and strategic development.
• The chance to work alongside leading academics, researchers, technical specialists and students.
• Access to advanced manufacturing, prototyping and design facilities.
• A collaborative and inclusive working environment committed to excellence, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Ongoing opportunities for professional development and skills enhancement.
• A role with significant impact on the student experience, research capability and future growth of the School.
• Plus, Imperial-wide benefits.

Further Information

This is a full-time, open-ended position and on-site role based predominantly on Imperial's South Kensington campus and associated Design Engineering facilities (not eligible for hybrid working). The post-holder is expected to support teaching activities throughout the academic year and should not normally take annual leave during teaching terms.

If you have any questions about this role, please contact Dr Natalia Goehring via n.goehring@imperial.ac.uk.

Advert information