Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for University Technician

🎯 Role Definition

The University Technician provides practical, technical and operational support across teaching laboratories, research projects and campus facilities. This role delivers safe, reliable equipment operation and maintenance, prepares and maintains experimental environments, trains and supervises students and staff in proper technique and safety, and partners with academic and administrative teams to ensure high-quality delivery of laboratory teaching and research outcomes. The ideal candidate combines hands-on technical proficiency, strong health & safety practice, effective communication skills and a service-oriented approach to support a diverse university community.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Laboratory Assistant or Laboratory Demonstrator
Technical Support Officer or Facilities Assistant
Research Assistant or Teaching Assistant

Advancement To:

Senior Laboratory Technician / Senior Technical Officer
Technical Services Coordinator or Laboratory Manager
Research Support Specialist or Health & Safety Officer

Lateral Moves:

AV & Classroom Technology Technician
Electronics / Instrumentation Technician
Workshops & Fabrication Technician

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Prepare, calibrate and maintain laboratory and workshop equipment (e.g., centrifuges, spectrophotometers, microscopes, autoclaves, ovens, fume cupboards, vacuum pumps) to ensure instruments are safe, accurate and ready for teaching sessions and research experiments.
Design, set up and dismantle practical teaching laboratories and demonstration rigs, including routing services (gas, compressed air, electrical), securing apparatus and verifying operational safety before student access.
Carry out routine preventative maintenance, fault diagnostics and timely repairs on specialist equipment, generating clear maintenance records and liaising with external service engineers for complex issues.
Implement and enforce laboratory health & safety procedures, including risk assessments, COSHH assessments, safe storage and disposal of chemicals, biological waste handling, PPE provision and first-line incident response.
Prepare reagents, buffers, culture media and chemical solutions in accordance with written protocols, ensuring proper labeling, batch tracking and documentation for reproducibility and audit compliance.
Support research groups by fabricating bespoke apparatus and modifying equipment to meet experimental requirements, working from technical drawings or collaborating with academic staff to develop prototypes.
Train and supervise undergraduate and postgraduate students, demonstrators and visiting researchers in correct laboratory techniques, equipment operation, emergency procedures and good laboratory practice (GLP).
Manage consumables and spare parts inventory, including forecasting demand, placing orders, negotiating with suppliers and maintaining cost-effective stock levels aligned with departmental budgets.
Maintain accurate and searchable technical records, calibration logs, service histories and asset registers to support audits, grant reporting and equipment lifecycle planning.
Provide day-to-day technical support during experiments and teaching sessions, troubleshooting issues in real time and adapting setups to minimize downtime and maximize learning outcomes.
Oversee the induction of new staff and students into laboratory spaces, delivering hands-on orientation sessions that cover safety, access protocols and responsible use of equipment and resources.
Coordinate room bookings, timetabling and logistics for practical classes, ensuring that equipment, materials and software are prepped and available when required.
Liaise with Estates, Health & Safety, purchasing and IT services to ensure integrated support for laboratory infrastructure, utilities and digital resources.
Implement and maintain quality assurance procedures for testing and measurement activities, ensuring data integrity, calibration traceability and compliance with institutional and regulatory standards.
Support outreach, open days and public engagement events by preparing displays, demonstrations and safe hands-on activities that showcase departmental work.
Maintain, test and certify safety equipment such as fume hoods, emergency showers, eyewash stations and fire extinguishers in collaboration with H&S and external contractors.
Assist academic staff with setting up bespoke experimental rigs for grant-funded research, including risk assessments, method development and documentation for ethical or regulatory approvals.
Support digital laboratory workflows by operating and maintaining data acquisition systems, instrument control software and networked lab devices, ensuring regular backups and secure data handling.
Manage access control, keys, and accounts for technical spaces, ensuring compliance with safeguarding policies and restricted area protocols.
Supervise external contractors working within laboratory spaces, ensuring compliance with site rules, permit-to-work requirements and safe isolation procedures for electrical and gas systems.
Participate in departmental meetings and contribute to continuous improvement projects to optimize lab utilisation, energy efficiency and cost-savings while maintaining safety and service quality.
Maintain and update technical training materials, SOPs and lab manuals to reflect current best practice, new equipment and changes in regulations.

Secondary Functions

Act as a technical point of contact for small-scale grant preparation by advising on equipment costs, consumables budgeting and technical feasibility.
Support departmental inventory reconciliation and asset disposal processes, ensuring environmentally responsible decommissioning and accurate financial records.
Contribute to procurement assessments by testing quotes, evaluating supplier capabilities and recommending cost-effective equipment solutions.
Provide cover for related technical roles across campus during staff absences, including AV support for lecture theatres or basic IT troubleshooting for lab instruments.
Assist with the implementation of digital lab booking systems, timetabling software and equipment-monitoring tools to improve resource visibility and reduce scheduling conflicts.
Help coordinate undergraduate project allocations by advising on project feasibility, equipment access and technical training needs.
Support compliance activities including internal audits, external inspections and corrective action plans, preparing documentation and evidence of implemented improvements.
Pilot and evaluate new laboratory technologies or teaching aids, providing feedback on usability, maintenance demands and pedagogical value.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficient in operation, calibration and maintenance of common laboratory instrumentation (HPLC, GC, spectrophotometers, microscopes, balances, autoclaves).
Strong understanding of laboratory health & safety legislation and best practice (COSHH, biosafety, risk assessment methodologies).
Experience preparing chemical reagents, media and solutions with accurate stoichiometry, labeling and documentation.
Ability to read and interpret technical drawings, schematics and wiring diagrams for equipment assembly and modification.
Competence in basic electrical, plumbing and compressed-gas system isolation procedures relevant to lab equipment work.
Proven skills in preventative maintenance planning, fault-finding, and coordinating third-party service engineers.
Experience with inventory management systems, procurement processes and supplier liaison for technical goods.
Familiarity with laboratory quality systems, calibration traceability and maintenance of equipment logbooks.
Basic data acquisition and instrument-control software skills, including configuring, backing up and securing experimental data.
Practical workshop skills (metalwork, soldering, 3D printing, basic machining) to fabricate or adapt experimental fixtures.
Understanding of waste segregation, hazardous waste handling and environmentally responsible disposal processes.
Competence in using personal protective equipment (PPE) correctly and advising others on PPE selection and use.
Experience delivering technical training and creating SOPs, user guides and induction materials.
Competence in using common IT tools (Microsoft Office, laboratory booking systems, email, digital forms) to manage workflows.

Soft Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication for teaching, producing clear SOPs and liaising with academic stakeholders.
Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking to diagnose equipment faults and adapt protocols under time pressure.
Customer-service orientation with a proactive, service-minded approach to supporting staff, students and researchers.
High attention to detail and accuracy when preparing reagents, recording calibration data and maintaining inventory.
Effective time management and organisational skills to prioritise competing requests and meet teaching schedules.
Collaborative team player able to work across multidisciplinary teams and support multiple departments.
Patience and pedagogical skill in coaching students and non-technical users to build confidence and competence.
Flexibility and adaptability to respond to changing research priorities, urgent repairs and out-of-hours requirements.
Initiative in identifying opportunities for process improvements, cost savings and safer working practices.
Discretion and professionalism when handling sensitive research materials or confidential project information.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Level 3 vocational qualification (e.g., BTEC, NVQ) or A-levels with significant hands-on technical experience; or equivalent professional experience in a laboratory/technical role.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree (BSc) in a relevant discipline such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering or Materials Science, or an HND/HNC in a relevant technical field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Biology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology
Chemistry (Analytical, Organic, Physical)
Physics, Materials Science or Engineering
Electronics, Instrumentation or Mechanical Engineering
Environmental Science or Food Science (where applicable)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–5 years of practical laboratory or technical support experience in higher education, industry or research institutes.

Preferred:

2–4 years supporting teaching labs and/or research groups within a university environment.
Demonstrated experience in equipment maintenance, health & safety compliance and delivering technical training to students or staff.