Laboratory Assistant in Leeds

This job is only available to University of Leeds staff. It may be released externally should we not appoint internally.

Are you enthusiastic, well organised, and helpful? Do you want to provide excellent support to our busy research laboratories? Would you like to work in a team that ensures our researchers and technicians have access to the equipment, facilities, and resources they need to carry out world-class research?

Working as part of a flexible team you will undertake a range of duties supporting the day-to-day operation of our research laboratories. These will include:

• Regular collection and safe disposal of laboratory waste
• Washing glassware and plasticware
• Cleaning laboratory benches and shelves
• Helping to maintain a safe, tidy and well organised laboratory environment
• Supporting the sterilisation and dispensing of solutions
• Operation of autoclaves
• Setting out and clearing equipment
• Stock management and ordering of consumables
• Assisting with laboratory and room relocations
• Packing dirty lab coats for laundry collection
• Sorting clean laundry
• Transporting equipment and gas cylinders
• Supporting larger short-term projects across the Faculty

You will work flexibly across different locations to provide cover for absent colleagues and respond to changing operational needs. Following an appropriate period of training, you will be expected to carry out many of these duties independently.

For this role you should have good literacy, numeracy and communication skills, together with experience of working in a busy environment. This may have been gained in a variety of settings, including customer service, hospitality, retail, warehousing, industrial or laboratory environments. You should be able to work effectively as part of a team, follow procedures accurately and provide a reliable service. Previous laboratory experience is not essential, as full training will be provided.

We are looking for someone who is enthusiastic, has a positive can-do attitude, and is willing to learn new skills. As you will have regular contact with academic staff, professional services colleagues, researchers and students, you should have an approachable and professional manner and be able to build positive working relationships with a wide range of people. You will also need basic computer literacy and an awareness of safe manual handling practices. The role involves some moderately physical work, including the movement of equipment, laboratory waste and gas cylinders between buildings. Full training will be provided for all required tasks and equipment.

What we offer in return:

• 26 days holiday plus approx. 16 Bank Holidays/days that the University is closed by custom (including Christmas) – That’s 42 days a year!
• Health and Wellbeing: Discounted staff membership options at The Edge, our state-of-the-art Campus gym, with a pool, sauna, climbing wall, cycle circuit, and sports halls.
• Personal Development: Access to courses run by our Organisational Development & Professional Learning team.
• Access to on-site childcare, shopping discounts and travel schemes are also available.
• And much more!