Laboratory Technical Specialist (Pharmaceutical Science) in Newcastle upon Tyne

Salary: £32,080 - £33,002 with progression to £34,610 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 27 May 2026

The Role

We have an exciting opportunity for a laboratory technical specialist, with experience in pharmaceutical science, to provide general and specialised technical support to teaching and research, based within our School of Pharmacy laboratories. This is a hands-on practical role that requires a positive, proactive approach with knowledge and commitment to develop, establish and maintain local H&S procedures. You will have substantial experience in the use, maintenance and repair of a range of laboratory analytical equipment. Excellent team working and communication skills are essential to deliver training for staff and students on the safe and effective use of a range of pharmaceutical equipment. You will be based in our School of Pharmacy laboratories, with access to a wide range of state-of-the-art equipment and the opportunity to support our students and academic colleagues develop their teaching, research and engagement activities. You will also be part of the Faculty of Medical Sciences community of technicians, with access to continuous professional development and a network of staff who are committed to working collaboratively and sharing experience and best practice to deliver excellence, creativity and impact.

Key Accountabilities

• Provide general and specialist research support including leading method development
• Provide general and specialist teaching support including class/field work development
• Support taught course projects by promotion and incorporation of specialism
• Prepare and manufacture specimens/samples requiring specialist skills with limited direction
• Manage equipment bookings, calculate charges/costs and assist with re-charging
• Complete a range of routine and complex maintenance activities and repairs
• Liaise with suppliers and manufacturers to resolve both routine and complex problems and investigate replacement options
• Advise on equipment capabilities demonstrating how results can be achieved
• Design and delivery of bespoke equipment and apparatus
• By developing local procedures, establish and maintain a safe/compliant working environment
• Hold specific safety responsibilities relevant to the specialism
• Assist with the completion and updating of a wide range of safety paperwork
• Oversee compliance tasks ensuring timely completion and maintenance of appropriate records
• Complete accident reporting and assist with investigations
• Maintain in-depth and up-to-date health and safety knowledge relevant to the specialism
• Schedule, prioritize and monitor work in line with demands and deadlines
• Hold delegated responsibility from the academic lead for the planning, operation and supervision of laboratory spaces occupied by the specialism
• Organize and facilitate progress meetings
• Be a key contributor to specialism development, delivery and planning
• Contribute to and support change
• Manage one or more budgets monitoring resource usage
• Source and negotiate with suppliers for a range of items including specialist parts/equipment
• Create, update and implement procedures to deliver an aligned, efficient and effective service
• Manage local security and access control arrangements
• Design, develop and deliver inductions, demonstrations and training covering complex techniques and specialist equipment
• Assist managers with the identification of training and development needs
• Maintain specialist knowledge and skills, sharing with others
• Mentor junior staff

The Person

Knowledge, Skills And Experience

• Demonstrable work experience in a relevant technical role
• Thorough working knowledge of Health and Safety procedures
• Excellent team working skills
• Demonstrates technical and problem-solving capacity
• Demonstrates good organising ability to meet deadlines, with a positive and proactive approach to duties and diligence and attention to detail
• Contribute to design and specification of research/teaching activities
• Ability to adapt to changes in laboratory research priorities
• Substantial laboratory specific to role

Attributes and Behaviour

• Tact, diplomacy and able to handle difficult situations
• Ability to meet deadlines with effective time and resource management
• Clear communicator and active listener
• Consistent and appropriate approach to staff and situations
• Use of feedback for process improvement and staff development
• Team player, self starter and able to manage complex workload
• Ability to respond enthusiastically and positively to undergraduate students

Qualifications

• BTEC HNC / HND; or A’ level (or equivalent) qualification; or broad work experience acquired through a combination of vocational training and considerable on-the-job experience, demonstrating development through progressively more demanding relevant roles.
• Desirable: Professional registration with an accredited professional body (including HEA) or working towards this on appointment

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution. We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population. At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme. In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.