Laboratory Operations Technician

QMUL is looking for Laboratory Operations Technician to support Laboratory Operations Managers in the delivery of strategies, policies and guidance, ensuring the safe and smooth operation of the Barts Cancer Institute’s laboratories.

Job context

The Barts Cancer Institute (BCI) is a Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence whose work aims to transform the lives of those with and at risk of cancer through innovative research in the laboratory, in patients and in populations. BCI is internationally renowned in many areas of cancer research and it combines ground-breaking basic research with the expertise of clinicians and clinician scientists from the Centre for Experimental Cancer Medicine and the Barts NHS Trust to achieve improvements in cancer patient care. BCI is also a partner in the CRUK City of London Major Centre (together with UCL, Kings and the Francis Crick Institute) which is a Centre of Excellence in Biotherapeutics. BCI is committed in supporting and developing future cancer researchers through its extensive postgraduate training. It is one of six institutes within The School of Medicine and Dentistry (SMD), Queen Mary University of London.

 Main Duties and Responsibilities:

General Laboratory Operations and Management

• Ensure the safe operation, maintenance and efficient day-to-day functioning of BCI Research and Teaching laboratories and facilities.


• Act as-first-point-of-contact for laboratory staff and students to resolves problems/issues with laboratory equipment, escalating to the Laboratory Operations Manager as appropriate. Liaise with companies, service technicians and engineers when on site.


• Ensure laboratory equipment and their accessories are calibrated and maintained to appropriate regulatory standards. To carry out checks of essential equipment, facilities and areas as required. Ensure problems are reported and rectified, and if required, liaise with the scientists and suppliers regarding servicing, repair and maintenance.


• Support Laboratory Managers and Research staff with out of hours` emergencies, such as freezer breakdowns. Ensure appropriate emergency call out records are maintained and key back up resources are maintained.


• Responsible for updating local files and records of staff training, equipment database, laboratory resources and where appropriate, maintain databases keeping accurate records, in line with requirements of GDPR.


• Maintain and update laboratory rotas to ensure all laboratories are maintained to a high standard, supporting a Quality Management system.


• Support the Cryostorage Facility, covering duties as necessary during colleagues’ absences and at times of additional pressure. Dealing with requests for storage and retrieval of frozen samples for researchers, tissue bank and clinical trial staff. Establish a repository of validated cell lines, carryout out routine quality checks such as STR profile and mycoplasma tests to ensure biological resources are regularly authenticated to ensure experimental validity.

Inductions and Training

• Provide training for research staff and students (MSc and PhD) in the safe use of laboratories and lab equipment.


• Supporting the BCI MSc programme in the set-up of practical classes, assisting the Laboratory Resource Manager with management of teaching laboratory.


• To support the Laboratory Management in generating and providing documentation relevant to staff procedures, including Standard Operating Protocols (SOP’s) guidance documents and policies and be involved in the implementation of college procedures.

Health and Safety

• Support BCI Laboratory Safety Officers by implementing, promoting and policing all aspects of Health and Safety in all laboratory areas. Arrange and undertake programmed laboratory audits and inspections as per Health and Safety support plans.


• Manage waste streams in the laboratory including chemical and biological waste, ensuring that waste is correctly packaged. Monitor daily collection and disposal by Laboratory Support Assistant team. Any misuse of the facilities is to be identified and dealt with in an effective and fast manner.

Procurement

• Procurement of research and laboratory supplies for BCI laboratories and the BCI Purchase Store, maintaining essential stock and carry out laboratory stock inventories.


• Meeting with suppliers and negotiating for provision on consumables and obtaining discounts where possible

Sustainability

• Working sustainably in the labs and encouraging others to do so. Supporting the Laboratory Operations Manager on sustainability activities such as LEAF and contributing towards wider sustainability initiatives within the Institute.

Other:

• Prioritising own workload to ensure deadlines are met using skill and judgement and delegating to assigned Laboratory Support Assistants within the laboratory management team.


• The post holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to the Queen Mary's Equal Opportunities and Health and Safety policies.


• The duties of the post outlined above are not exhaustive, and the post holder will be expected to be co-operative and flexible, undertaking such administrative and other duties as may from time to time be reasonably expected of a member of research grade staff in a university.


• These duties will be subject to review in line with the changing requirements of the Centre, Institute, School or Queen Mary, and with the development needs of the post holder as identified through regular review/appraisal processes.

The above list of responsibilities is not exhaustive and the jobholder may be required to undertake other duties commensurate with the level of the role, as reasonably requested by their line manager.

This job description accurately reflects the duties and responsibilities of the role at the time the job description was written. These duties and responsibilities may change over time without significantly impacting on the character of the role, the overall level of responsibility, or its grade.

Depending on strategic or operational needs, the jobholder may in the future be required to work for another existing or new organisational unit and/or at a different site within Queen Mary. This may be on a temporary or indefinite basis and may involve a change in line management and / or regularly working at more than one site.

BSc or equivalent in a biological or related science  (Essential)

An appropriate professional safety qualification (e.g. IOSH/NEBOSH)  (Desirable)

Essential:

Experience of working in a laboratory, preferably in a research environment.

Experience in handling and disposal of hazardous chemical and biological agents

Knowledge of health & safety issues relevant to work in a life-science laboratory environment

Ability to work to deadlines and manage time effectively

Good communication skills, written and oral

Able to work independently on own initiative and to demonstrate problem solving skills

High level of accuracy and attention to detail

Experience of common biological research techniques, such as cell culture, histology

Able to carry out duties, which require extensive manual handling and lifting of heavy objects

Evidence of good team-working, establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with others

Flexible and co-operative approach to work and be willing to provide an out of hours callout service for the Institute

Self-motivated, taking proactive steps with the intention to provide excellent service

Willingness to learn new skills and develop within the role

Willingness to work and travel between campuses as far as duties may require

Desirable:

Experience in use and maintenance of common items of laboratory equipment e.g. incubators, safety cabinets, centrifuges

Knowledge of management systems and legislation relating to work with genetically modified organisms and/or human tissue

Experience of preparing risk assessments and SOPs

Sourcing/purchasing of laboratory consumables and/or equipment

Experience in providing training to new staff and students

Ability to maintain good laboratory records with experience of using databases

Experience of collaborative working with building-maintenance staff and external contractors