Support Technician: Research (Human Osteology) in Sheffield

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Support Technician to identify, organise, and deposit digital archaeological data sets and associated metadata with the Heritage Science Data Service (HSDS) as part of a project funded by HSDS. This project seeks to facilitate continued access to existing archived datasets derived from the archaeological human remains of roughly 2,000 individuals from more than 50 archaeological sites historically curated by the Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield. It aims to bring together these datasets into a publicly accessible resource hosted by the HSDS to safeguard and extend their accessibility for the wider heritage sector, thereby facilitating research and innovation and advancing our understanding of past human populations.

The project has five objectives:

• Identify the sharable data curated by the University;
• Design and populate an accessible database;
• Create relevant metadata and additional documentation;
• Record the current curating institution for each population to facilitate future research;
• Deposit the dataset with HSDS.

Applicants must have experience equivalent to minimum qualifying GCSE grade in English and Biology or History, or equivalent Level 2 qualification, and knowledge of data produced from human osteoarchaeological analysis. Foundational knowledge of data generated during destructive and non‑destructive analysis of archaeological human remains (e.g., stable‑isotope analysis, radiology) is also essential.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Familiarise yourself with the human osteology digital files, documents, and other data curated historically by the Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield.
• Familiarise yourself with the policies and procedures of the HSDS, and the terms of the HSDS Small Grant awarded for this research.
• Understand the human osteology database created by HSDS and work with other project staff and HSDS staff to improve its structure, organisation, and accessibility in‑line with industry best practices.
• Identify data to deposit with HSDS.
• Where appropriate, identify or generate metadata to deposit with HSDS.
• Ensure data and metadata for deposition are accessible and archival in their formatting, in‑line with industry best practices.
• Deposit data and metadata with HSDS.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification:

Essential:

• Experience equivalent to minimum qualifying GCSE grade in English and Biology or History.
• Knowledge of data produced from human osteoarchaeological analysis.
• Foundational knowledge of data generated during destructive and non‑destructive analysis of archaeological human remains (e.g., stable‑isotope analysis, radiology).
• Familiarity with data archiving standards (e.g., FAIR).
• Experience managing diverse file formats (e.g., DICOM, .docx, .pdf).
• Deep understanding of the ethical considerations surrounding the storage, sharing, and curation of human remains and associated data.
• Excellent attention to detail, problem‑solving skills, and the ability to work both autonomously and as a team.
• Excellent communication skills in both an in‑person and virtual setting.

Desirable:

• Familiarity with repository requirements specific to the heritage sector (e.g., Archaeology Data Service guide to good practice).
• Knowledge of data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR) as they apply to sensitive data, and a familiarity with intellectual property/copyright.
• Experience generating metadata to deposit with HSDS.

Further Information:

• Grade: 4
• Salary: £25,249 per annum
• Work arrangement: Full‑time (35 hours per week)
• Duration: Fixed‑term from 1 August (or as soon as possible thereafter) for a period of 6 months
• Line manager: University Teaching Associate
• Direct reports: None
• Website: School of Biosciences
• Contact: Samantha Purchase, University Teaching Associate – samantha.purchase@sheffield.ac.uk

What we offer:

• Minimum of 38 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent's networks).
• Recognition awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development: access to learning and mentoring schemes.
• Technical Career Route: A range of generous family‑friendly policies.
• Paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies.
• Access to menopause support in the workplace.
• Paid time off and support for fertility treatment.
• And more.

We are a Disability Confident Leader. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

Closing date: 09/07/2026