Lead Thermal-Hydraulics Lab Technician in Bangor

Applications are invited for a full-time Thermal-Hydraulics Senior Laboratory Technician in the Nuclear Futures Institute (NFI), within the School of Computer Science and Engineering at Bangor University. The position is partly sponsored by the United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL).

The Senior Laboratory Technician will work alongside the Chief Technician in the NFI’s thermal-hydraulics laboratory – supporting the Thermal Hydraulics Team’s activity within the core areas of light water reactors and advanced reactors e.g. lead-cooled fast reactors.

The appointee will work with the existing team at Bangor University's Nuclear Futures Institute and related departments (including chief technician, H&S managers and building managers) to ensure that the laboratory facilities are used to their full potential. The responsibilities include:

• Organisation of access to the lab
• Working with the central health and safety team to ensure training is provided and procedures are adhered to
• Ensuring that the facilities are well maintained
• Providing expert advice on the use of equipment to ensure successful research outputs from the facility
• Providing support to academics and students

The appointee will also provide support to UKNNL staff visiting relevant laboratory facilities at Bangor University.

Candidates should be educated to at least A level standard (or equivalent) with at least one science subject or mathematics, or a City and Guilds NVQ level 4 (or equivalent) in a relevant subject area.

The Successful Candidate Will Possess The Ability To:

• Communicate with scientists and engineers within a laboratory environment
• Ensure safety standards are maintained within the laboratory spaces
• Have experience of working with sensing equipment (e.g. temperature, pressure), rotating equipment (centrifugal pumps), and high-temperature or high-pressure equipment
• Support the manufacturing of components required for the experimental facilities

This post is subject to a satisfactory standard Disclosure & Barring Service check. This role will be located on campus at Bangor. Through our Dynamic Working framework, there will also be the option to spend some time working remotely (although remaining in the UK) to support work life balance, which will be discussed further with candidates at interview. Applications will also be considered to carry out this role on a part-time or job share basis.

The successful candidate will be expected to commence employment as soon as possible. This post is available until 31/12/2026 with the possibility of extension, subject to funding, for a further two years.

Applications will only be accepted via our on-line recruitment website, jobs.bangor.ac.uk. However, in cases of access issues due to disability, paper application forms are available by telephoning 01248 383865. Applicants should clearly indicate in their applications how their skills meet the required criteria.

For an informal discussion, please contact: Dr. Walter Villanueva, Reader in Nuclear Engineering, e-mail: w.villanueva@bangor.ac.uk, telephone +44 1248 382809.

Closing date for applications: 03 June 2026.

Overview

The city of Bangor is located in an area of outstanding natural beauty close to the mountains of Snowdonia and the beach resorts of the North Wales coast and offers a quality of life that surpasses that in most regions of the UK. Lying on the Euroroute to Ireland, Bangor is served by fast train services to most major cities and excellent road connections via the A55 expressway to the motorway network. Manchester and Liverpool's airports are within 90 minutes away by car.

Bangor University was established in 1884 and currently has around 10,000 students. It comprises 12 Academic Schools, grouped into three colleges. The College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at Bangor University is one of the leading centres in the UK for teaching and research in biology, environmental sciences, geography, ocean sciences, chemistry, computer science and electronic engineering. The University was awarded a Gold rating in the recent UK Teaching Excellence Framework.

The Nuclear Futures Institute (NFI) was established through the Sêr Cymru programme by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government. It aims to establish "a world-leading capability in nuclear engineering, which establishes North Wales as a global centre, delivering international partnerships and opportunity from a rich mix of existing and new talent, leading the UK new nuclear agenda and rejuvenating the UK and Welsh nuclear sector."

The NFI has two laboratories for the manufacturing and characterising materials, containing a suite of systems able to work with uranic materials, ultra-high temperature ceramics, alloys and glasses relevant to the nuclear industry. We also have laboratories and facilities at the Menai Science Park (M-SParc) on Anglesey in the area of thermal hydraulics, which the post holder will be responsible for. The two facilities are the Thermo-Hydraulic Open-access Research (THOR) rig a pressurised water loop, and the Bangor University Lead Loop Erosion-corrosion Test (BULLET), a molten lead loop.

The Project

This position is part of the expansion of Bangor University's research capacity in Nuclear Engineering. The University and UKNNL recently renewed a memorandum of understanding representing an extension to their strategic collaboration partnership, and this appointment provides a unique opportunity to work in the University’s Nuclear Futures Institute (NFI), an established academic nuclear research centre with links to leading industrial partners and researchers worldwide. We expect the successful candidate to help the NFI in achieving its goals of becoming a world-leading centre of excellence in nuclear research and support the activities under the Bangor University/UKNNL strategic partnership.

Purpose of the Job

This role will support the Nuclear Group within Bangor University's Nuclear Futures Institute (NFI), and the strategic partnership between the group and UKNNL. The Senior Laboratory Technician will directly participate in the research projects and will provide support for training and technical assistance for students, postdoctoral fellows, and researchers visiting the facility. The successful candidate will also carry on methods development in relation to the ongoing projects and in phase with the strategic orientations of the facility. The candidate must be able to work reliably, efficiently, and independently and be able to provide support for several projects in parallel. The candidate must be able to climb ladders to reach work areas, be able to move and transport items below 25 kg (e.g., pipe section), and able to use mechanical tools.

In addition, the Senior Laboratory Technician will work with the Chief Technician and NFI group to ensure the general organisation of the laboratory, including the management of the different equipment. Involvement in the maintenance of reagents and protocols databases will also be required.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Research Support

• Support the Chief Technician in the maintenance, safety, security and operation of thermal-hydraulics facilities
• Expertise in relevant equipment and instrumentation
• Actively engage in the building of equipment designed by the research team
• Active role in basic scientific measurements using research-related equipment and methods
• Key role in using experimental equipment, including helping to set up equipment (for example, pressure, temperature, cameras)
• Key role in training and supporting the facility users, including visiting researchers such as UKNNL staff
• Assist in scheduling maintenance of equipment and organising consumables required for research in the facilities
• Ensure safe working conditions are adhered to in the facilities
• Undertake calibration of equipment; preparation of standard specimens
• Key role in manufacturing components (such as test sections for THOR)
• Engage with relevant UKNNL technical staff and technicians to share learning and experience

Other Duties And Responsibilities

• Training and development of technical staff
• Attend laboratory management meetings
• Liaise closely with other members of the project team
• Arranging for engineers to deal with more complex problems where required
• The post holder will be expected to participate in performance review and developmental activities
• The post holder will be expected to comply with the University's equal opportunities policies, Dignity at Work and Study Policy, the University's Welsh Language Policy, and the Welsh Language Standards
• The post holder has a general and legal duty of care in relation to health, safety and wellbeing and must take all reasonable steps to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for themselves and for other members of staff, students and visitors affected by their actions or inactions
• The post holder is also required to comply with all applicable health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments
• The post holder must comply with relevant legal and financial policies and procedures and be aware of their responsibilities in terms of the legal requirements of their post

Person Specification

Qualifications/Training

• Essential: 2 AS Levels or 1 A level or NVQ level 4 in a relevant subject area or Level 5 IVQ Advanced Technician Diploma
• Desirable: An undergraduate degree (e.g. BSc/BEng), or equivalent, in engineering, physical sciences or a similar related subject. A relevant technical or laboratory safety qualification. Hold a valid Mobile Vertical (3a) licence.

Experience/Knowledge

• Essential: Knowledge of process control equipment (valves, pumps, data acquisition equipment, flow and temperature measurement equipment, etc.). Have experience of working with sensing equipment (e.g. temperature, pressure), rotating equipment (centrifugal pumps), and high-temperature or high-pressure equipment. Demonstrate experience of working in a laboratory or process plant situation. Write standard operating procedures and risk assessments. Demonstratable knowledge and experience in the relevant area, ability to follow problem-solving directions in a laboratory, calibration of machinery.
• Desirable: Knowledge of thermo-fluid dynamics. Experience working in a process facility. Demonstrate competence in specific software use (e.g. Labview). Knowledge/experience preparing COSHH assessments.

Skills/Abilities

• Essential: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to communicate with scientists and engineers within a laboratory environment. Ensure safety standards are maintained within the laboratory spaces. Be able to support the manufacturing of components required for the experimental facilities. Demonstrate the ability to prioritise workload and work to deadlines. The candidate must be able to climb ladders to reach work areas, be able to move and transport items below 25 kg (e.g., pipe section), and able to use mechanical tools. Demonstrate an understanding of the bilingual nature of the institution and area.
• Desirable: Proven project management skills. Demonstrate ability to work as part of a team. The ability to communicate through the medium of Welsh is desirable for this role. If applicants are not able to speak/write in Welsh at present, there are many opportunities to learn if the successful candidate wishes to do so.

General

The University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We strive to develop a workforce from all sections of the community regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. We promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language through our progressive Welsh Language Policy. We comply with the Welsh Language Standards and are committed to equality of opportunity. You are welcome to apply for any job in English or Welsh and all applications submitted will be treated equally.

We are a member of Advance HE's Athena SWAN Gender Equality charter and hold a Silver award in recognition of our commitment to and progress towards gender equality within the University's policies, practices, and culture. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

All members of staff have a duty to ensure their actions are in line with the overall environmental aims of the University and minimise their environmental impact. All offers are made subject to proof of eligibility to work in the UK and receipt of satisfactory references. We have a legal responsibility to ensure that you have the right to work in the UK before you can start working for us. When you apply for this post you will be required to explain the basis upon which you believe you will able to live and work in the UK legally on the commencement date of the role should your application be successful. If you do not have the right to work freely in any position in the UK already, any offer of employment we will make to you will be subject to you obtaining a right to work visa.

Please note that, in the event of applications being received from candidates on the University's Redeployment Register with a reasonable skills match to the post specification, these applicants will be given prior consideration.

Disclosure & Barring Service

This post is subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check. As Bangor University meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions. DBS checks will be updated every 3 years.

Candidates should note that the University uses an external Umbrella body to process DBS checks. As such you should be aware that, if successful in your application, your name and e-mail contact details will be shared with the Umbrella body in order that they may contact you to start the application process.