Securing a job as lucrative as in Senior Mechanical Engineering Technician in this present dispensation seems like an impossible task because of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. However, there’s a job opening at Durham University as they are currently receiving applications from interested, eligible, and qualified candidates for the position of Senior Mechanical Engineering Technician.
As part of the screening exercise, the university will ensure that you meet all immigration requirements, not excluding salary thresholds, which are applicable to some visas.
Job Summary
Job Title: Senior Mechanical Engineering Technician
Recruiter: Durham University
Salary: £27,929 – £34,308 per annum
Host Country: United Kingdom
Job Reference Number: 22001263
Academic Discipline: Engineering & Technology, Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Job Type: Senior Management & Heads of Department, Other Senior Management
Application Deadline: August 21, 2022
Contract Type: Permanent
Work Duration: 35 hours per week
The Department and Role Purpose
The successful applicant will be a multiskilled mechanical technician, capable of working under their own initiative, who can advise on, and convert drawings and sketches to, fully functioning equipment. They will be conversant with setting up and using a wide range of tool room equipment and will probably have both CNC and welding experience. In addition, the applicant will be capable of working with bright and creative students, supervising their laboratory sessions, and guiding them in the practicalities of their designs. This is an exciting opportunity for the right person to join a close-knit team that supports teaching and research at the highest levels.
The Department of Engineering is consistently one of the very best UK engineering departments with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research, and employability of our students.
The Department holds an Athena SWAN Bronze Award, recognizing our commitment to diversity in STEM academics and reflecting the supportive and positive environment within the Department.
Core Responsibilities
- Experienced engineering workshop/manufacturing technician, planning and coordinating of projects and work streams that have inter-related aspects.
- Specialist mechanical engineering workshop support, including the use of a full range of workshop machine tools (lathes, milling machines, drills, etc.) including problem solving and query handling.
- Designing and constructing equipment and resources to a high degree of accuracy from technical drawings or verbal explanations.
- To use machine tools, hand tools, computers, and computer-controlled machines to produce components. To use IT skills to transfer information between computers and computer-controlled machines, e.g. from CAD systems to CNC machines.
- To supervise undergraduates and postgraduate students, both within the workshop environment and within laboratories.
- Plan and organize own workload with or without involvement with project work streams.
- Working with colleagues and students proactively and reactively to deliver excellent technical support.
- Involved in the purchase and return of goods and services.
- Relationship building and network participation internally and externally to build and update knowledge and skills.
- Implement and monitor protocols, procedures, processes, and regulations (e.g. Health and Safety protocols).
- Monitor and report incidents.
- Take responsibility for day-to-day decision-making within own area of responsibility for operational aspects of service delivery, translating external requirements into practical application and advice.
- Implement and monitor recognized procedures to ensure compliance and meet University values of inclusion, diversity, and participation.
- Contribute to business meetings, working groups, and committees to help shape service delivery and stakeholder expectations.
Role Responsibilities
- Set up and operate safely a range of tool room equipment including lathes (manual and CNC), milling machines (manual and CNC), drills, grinders, shapers, welding equipment (MIG Arc and TIG), saws, spark erosion machines, and other workshop equipment, producing components to close tolerance specifications.
- Construct, test, repair, and calibrate tools, resources, equipment, components, and instrumentation for a full range of workshop equipment (lathes, milling machines, drills, etc.).
- Troubleshoot, modify and maintain existing equipment.
- Understand and develop hydraulic and pneumatic assemblies.
- Weld to a satisfactory standard using existing facilities (gas, stick, MIG, and TIG).
- Be capable of programming, setting up, and operating CNC equipment.
- Communicate and collaborate with staff and students, advising on the suitability of a design.
- Read and interpret engineering drawings and sketches. Identify missing information on incomplete drawings or impractical designs (from students or other clients) and work with the ‘customer’ to develop a working solution. Operate and demonstrate lab experiments to students.
- Supervise student and academic staff practical work where necessary.
- Deliver projects that demonstrate a high standard of accuracy, complexity, originality, and excellence.
- Provide support to team members to share technical knowledge and expertise.
- Liaise and network with specialist professionals to exchange knowledge and ideas internally and externally to the organization.
- Take responsibility for carrying out more specialist health and safety risk assessments and incident resolution.
- Any other reasonable duties.
Working Arrangements
At Durham, we recognize that our staff and students are our greatest asset, and we want to support the health and well-being of all. Hybrid working supports this ethos and provides many benefits to our colleagues, including empowering people, where their role allows, to work in a manner which is more suitable for them, whilst encouraging our commitment to environmental sustainability.
Depending on the needs of the business and the job role, Durham University is piloting hybrid working for all Professional Services colleagues in the academic year 2021/2022, which may include the opportunity to work both on and off campus and to flex working hours. If appointed to the post, your line manager will discuss the specific arrangements with you. Any hybrid arrangements are non-contractual and may change within the pilot and when the pilot ends.
Reward and Benefits
- 27 days annual leave, plus 4 customary days and 8 bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time) and the option to purchase additional leave;
- Automatic enrolment into a pension scheme;
- Corporate and local discounts;
- Wellbeing resources and discounted health benefits;
- Health discounts on sports and activities at Maiden Castle Health and Activity Centre;
- Reward and Recognition Schemes;
- Personal and career development;
Recruiting to this Post
Candidates that meet all of the necessary requirements listed in the person specification for the post must be considered for an interview. We advise you to demonstrate all of the requirements in your application because the hiring panel may in some situations also take the desirable criteria into account.
Please be aware that some criteria will only be taken into account during the interview stage.
Person specification – skills, knowledge, qualifications, and experience required
Essential Criteria
- Good oral and written communication skills.
- Proven IT skills, including the use of Microsoft Office.
- Served an apprenticeship in a mechanical engineering discipline (preferably as a toolmaker or fitter) or equivalent.
- ONC, HNC, or equivalent practically based qualification in mechanical engineering (or a related subject).
- Experience in working in a mechanical or manufacturing workshop environment, using detailed technical drawings to produce parts with correct tolerances and finishes
- Experience of working in a team
- Experience in monitoring self and others to ensure health and safety regulations are adhered to.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience using and/or maintaining Hydraulics and pneumatics
- Fitting and Assembly Experience
- Competent MIG and/or TIG welder
- Competent in the fabrication of sheet metal work including assembly techniques
- Experienced user of woodworking and associated equipment (bench saws, planers, etc.)
- Experienced user of 3D printers, laser cutters, and other advanced manufacturing tools
- Experience in supervising trainees, working with young people or similar
- Evidence of continuing professional development, including the development of expertise in new tools, equipment, or emerging technologies
- Demonstrable ability to provide advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues.
Required Documents
- A Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- A cover letter that discusses your qualifications for the essential and desirable criteria, including your experience, skills, and potential;
- A grid of individual characteristics. Please copy and paste the requirements from this job description into a table in another Microsoft Word document, and then explain how you meet these requirements. Together with the rest of your application materials, submit the finished table.
How to apply
The hiring panel prefers online application submission. However, it is paramount to note that Durham University will be processing data after submitting your application. Take some time to read the university privacy statement which explains how your data is collected, stored, and used.
For more information, click here. Interested, eligible, and qualified candidates should click on the button below to begin the application process.
