Technician & Facilities Co-ordinator

Purpose of Role 

Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, this role provides a range of support to Heriot-Watt at the Orkney campus including support for buildings and facilities, assisting with lab work and fieldwork, undertaking IT/AV tasks and providing general administrative support. The balance of duties will vary day to day and will require someone who is adaptable and flexible, and accustomed to working in a team.

The successful candidate will work under the direction of the Orkney Campus Manager but will also work collaboratively with colleagues in Information Services, Technical Services, Health & Safety, Estates and other areas across the University, as well as with the team based at the Orkney Research and Innovation Campus (ORIC) and with external stakeholders as required.

The role is based at our Heriot-Watt campus in Stromness, supporting the International Centre for Island Technology within the Institute of Life and Earth Sciences in the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society. The role requires on-camus working and requires an appointee who is able to support fieldwork in locations in Orkney.

Summary of Key Duties and Responsibilities: 

Working in collaboration with professional services and academic colleagues and with direction from the line manager, the role holder will support in the effective running of identified work areas on a day-to-day basis (facilities and buildings management support; lab, fieldwork and field trip support; IT/AV support; health and safety support; general administrative support.  

The role holder will be the first point of contact for a number of IT, lab and safety matters but will be supported remotely by a team of specialists who are based in Edinburgh. 

Technical support – teaching, research and fieldwork

Provide support for teaching and research activities as appropriate. This can include:

Fieldwork support

• Support academics and research students with preparation, maintenance and storage of fieldwork equipment 
• Providing technical support for teaching and research fieldwork and field trips, including student projects – e.g. assisting in the mobilisation of equipment and PPE for fieldwork; driving teams to fieldwork locations; assisting researchers on shore where lone working is not appropriate; 

Lab support

• Supporting lab users with updates to the lab processes and procedures, as directed by Technical Services Manager,
• Supporting the Technical Services Manager and responsible academics with lab waste management and disposal of biological waste.
• Working with the Deputy Head of the Orkney Campus and responsible academics to support general lab inductions for new staff and students and liaise with users about lab access.
• Support visiting groups/researchers/field trips.
• Assisting with the operation of technical lab equipment – e.g. muffle furnace, oven, microscopes etc. 
• Supporting academics with maintaining the laboratory and equipment, including ensuring the lab is tidy; ensuring microscopes are in good working order; security of chemicals under oversight of the Technical Services Manager; issuing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Maintaining registers of equipment for insurance purposes (e.g. camera equipment, lifejackets, other PPE) and ensure that equipment has been tested and is fit for purpose
• Regular maintenance of stored equipment and disposal of equipment no longer required in liaison with Orkney Campus Manager and relevant academic staff. 
• Diagnosing faults and undertake repairs/ maintenance on equipment and apparatus used for research and teaching in laboratory, where appropriate, including disposal of non-functioning equipment.

Facilities support – Lab, buildings and buildings health & safety

• Taking responsibility for co-ordinating buildings and facilities support, working closely with the Orkney Campus Manager and liaising with Orkney Research & Innovation Campus colleagues, HW Estates and external contractors as appropriate.
• Undertake roles as a First Aider and Fire Warden.
• Assisting the Director of the Orkney Campus with ensuring building safety, including carrying out routine building inspections, reporting any issues and ensuring that they are addressed. 
• Delivering building safety tours and inductions for all new staff, students and visitors
• Ensuring that portable appliance testing is carried out in accordance with HW regulations
• Taking responsibility for health and safety compliance checking, reporting and record-keeping across the campus – e.g. water flushing, fire doors etc, reporting issues as required and following up to ensure that actions are implemented.
• Working with the Orkney Campus Manager to review/update H&S documentation regarding building safety in consultation with Orkney Campus H&S committee.
• Working as part of the Orkney Campus Health & Safety Committee and the Orkney Campus Lab User group to ensure effective H&S practices across the campus. This will include raising issues, reporting on progress and working collaboratively to identify and implement solutions. 
• Attending EGIS H&S Committee meetings as the representative of the Orkney campus and preparing reports for the meetings 

Technical Support – IT/AV

• Act as the first and main point of contact for IT and AV support for staff, students and visitors, including new equipment set-up, troubleshooting and supporting events.
• Monitor and maintain PCs, network/WiFi, printers and other equipment to ensure normal operational, investigating and reporting faults as appropriate.
• In consultation with the School, HW Information Services and the ORIC team, plan the upkeep of equipment to ensure that operating systems, software and anti-virus software are kept up to date.
• Assist Heriot-Watt Information Services with any local IT/AV upgrades/installations, consulting with the Head of the Orkney Campus regarding larger upgrades/installations to ensure plans are in line with the needs of the campus.
• Provide induction information and training to staff and students on IT and AV
• Maintain equipment inventory and consumable stocks

Other duties 

• Provide administrative support and reception support as required, under the direction of the Orkney Campus Manager.
• Undertake projects to support the campus under the direction of the Director of the Orkney Campus and the Orkney Campus Manager
• Support in the mentoring, training and instruction of less experienced staff and students
• Understand and acknowledge risks associated with all work activities and operate in a safe and compliant manner at all times applying control measures identified through risk assessment. 

Education, Skills, Qualifications & Experience 

Essential 

• Educated to SCQF Level 7-8 (HNC/HND) or an Apprenticeship in a relevant subject plus ideally 2 years’ post-qualification work experience in a relevant role; or comparable equivalent relevant work experience.  
• Ability to use, maintain and advise users on IT/AV/lab equipment. Good technical fault finding and problem-solving skills. 
• Demonstrable understanding and experience of relevant health and safety protocols/requirements  (risk assessment, COSHH, manual handling, first aid at work, fire safety)
• Able to plan and organise assigned projects/programmes of work. 
• Well-developed interpersonal skills and the ability to work quickly, flexibly, and accurately in a dynamic, changing, and pressured environment. 
• Ability to work outdoors supporting field courses and research activity.
• Full, clean driving licence 

Desirable

• High degree of IT literacy
• Registration with/membership of relevant professional body
• Minibus driving license
• Health and safety qualifications (e.g. IOSH)

Organisation Name: School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure & Society

How to Apply

Applications with FULL CV (and Cover letter) can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on Wednesday, 27th August 2025.

Shortlisting is anticipated w/c 1st September 2025 and interviews are anticipated to be conducted w/c 8th September 2025.

At Heriot-Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities.  Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers    https://disc.hw.ac.uk/

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.

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