Health & Safety Technician - Physics and Astronomy - 107327 - Grade 6 in Birmingham

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £33,002 to £35,608 with potential progression once in post to £39,906

Grade: 6

Full Time, Permanent

Closing date: 20th May 2026

The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements.

The School of Physics and Astronomy is a world-leading physics department, excelling in both teaching and research. We run a variety of undergraduate Physics programmes, with an annual intake of around 170 students. Our physics research was recently ranked top in the UK for 4-star-category research.

The role is part of the College Health and Safety team, but the postholder will undertake any other tasks, across the School to which they are deployed and College of Engineering & Physical Sciences that might reasonably be asked by the Head of School College or deputy, and are suitable by way of knowledge and experience, or can be achieved by a programme of re-training.

Main Duties:

• Provide expert advice and guidance on all Health & Safety issues to the Technical Manager, Head of School, Heads of Research Groups, academic and technical staff.
• Support the Technical Manager in creating and monitoring the annual School H&S action plan, ensuring timely completion of all action points.
• Implement and maintain H&S monitoring systems, including audits and analysis of Key Performance Indicators.
• Ensure safety inspections are carried out in accordance with Safety Services guidance and remedial actions implemented.
• Establish robust systems for investigating accidents and incidents, implementing measures to prevent recurrence.
• Lead the development of induction materials for new starters, including Health & Safety booklets and departmental guides.
• Manage/develop systems for handling hazardous and non-hazardous waste generated by the School’s activities, ensuring compliance with legislation and University policies.
• Disseminate H&S information to all relevant staff and students.
• Play a key role in the School’s business continuity and major incident planning and implementation with respect to technical services.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience:

• Degree in a relevant scientific discipline, or other recognised qualification in a scientific discipline with demonstrable experience.
• Experience with ionising radiation is preferred.
• A recognised, Level 3 (or higher) vocationally related qualification (VRQ) Health and Safety qualification, e.g., NEBOSH Certificate or willingness to undertake similar relevant training.
• Proficient IT skills with a good understanding and experience of Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, Teams, and Outlook.
• Strong attention to detail and able to keep meticulous, organised records.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively and confidently with people from all levels.

The postholder will support the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.