Senior Research Technician in Agricultural and Environmental Science

Closing date: 23:59 Wednesday 9^th December 2026

Interviews will be held: Tuesday 5^th January 2027

Part time (18 hours per week), fixed term contract for up to 22 months. The contract must end by 31^st October 2028, with the overall length of the contact dependent on the start date.

This role is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. The successful candidate(s) will have to ensure that they have the right to work in the UK or be able to secure this through another means without the sponsorship of the University. Further information about sponsorship is available on the UK Visas and Immigration Website. 

We seek an experienced research technician to join the Department of Geography and Environmental Science and support a 22 month Innovate UK funded research project that aims to create and test novel organic fertilisers.

The role will require you to setup and maintain mesocosm and pot experiments within controlled environment facilities, make measurements, take samples of soil, plants, and fertilisers, and analyse these for a wide range of chemical, physical, and biological properties.

You will have:

• Excellent laboratory analytical skills
• Considerable experience of preparing environmental samples for analysis
• Experience operating analytical equipment and undertaking basic data processing
• Solid understanding of QC/QA procedures in an environmental laboratory
• Experience setting up a laboratory experiment, making measurements, and collecting samples
• BSc in a relevant discipline (e.g. Analytical Chemistry, Environmental Science, Agriculture, Biological Sciences), or equivalent
• Good organisation and communications skills and ability to manage competing demands

Contact details for advert

Contact Name Tom Sizmur

Job Title Professor of Environmental Chemistry   

Email address t.sizmur@reading.ac.uk

Alternative Contact Name Anne Dudley

Job Title Senior Teaching and Research Technician

Email address a.s.dudley@reading.ac.uk

We welcome applications from both external and internal candidates. As part of the University’s ongoing commitment to professional development, this role can be considered on a seconded basis for existing staff members. Internal candidates should discuss this with their line manager prior to applying.

The University is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce, supports the gender equality Athena SWAN Charter and the Race Equality Charter, and champions LGBT+ equality. We are a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2). Applications for job-share, part-time and flexible working arrangements are welcomed and will be considered in line with business need.

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