Vacancy: Laser Technician at UCL

About us

University College London (UCL) is a university with a population of over 43,800 undergraduate and postgraduate students from more than 150 different countries. UCL is committed to being a world leader in the integration of education and research, underpinning an inspirational student experience. 

In our single biggest development since we were founded, UCL is expanding to East London. Located on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, UCL East will be dedicated to disruptive thinking and discovery across disciplines and beyond academic walls, to find solutions to the biggest challenges for future living. We are located in Newham, East London – one of the most socially diverse parts of the UK – and we would like our staff recruitment to reflect this.

Opening in 2022 and 2023, UCL East will unite academic activities across experiments, arts, society and technology (East), integrating research and education, theory and practice – with cross-disciplinarity, innovation and public engagement. More than just a conventional university campus, UCL East represents a future focused mindset. We will deliver new research, technology and innovation, and undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes for up to 4,000 students.

This post sits within the Manufacturing Futures Lab (MFL) in the Marshgate Building at UCL East, with 1500 m2 of collaborative research laboratories. The MFL is a cross-faculty hub, bringing together researchers from UCL departments of Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and from Chemistry, with the Department of Mechanical Engineering as the lead partner for this post.

The post will initially be based at UCL’s Bloomsbury campus in Central London (in the Department of Mechanical Engineering) and will move to UCL East in spring/summer 2023. There will be an expectation move between campuses as and when required in consultation with the Line Manager.

For more information see: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ucl-east/study-and-research/manufacturing-futures-lab

About the role

The main purpose of the job is to provide technical support to researchers, academic staff, students and others within the Manufacturing Futures Lab (MFL), in order to help the MFL achieve its strategic research and teaching objectives.

The post-holder will be expected to work and/or interact with other technical staff involved in supporting MFL research and teaching, and to assist in the maintenance and management of equipment, instruments and laboratory facilities.

The current MSc programmes linked to MFL can be found here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/manufacturing-futures-lab/new-msc-programmes.

Hours of work will vary between 08:00 -16:00 and 11:00-19:00 depending on laboratory activities running at the time. Due to the nature of the work some weekend working may be required and there will be restrictions when annual leave may be taken.

About you
To be a success in this role it is essential that applicants have experience of:

• Working with various laser classes, laser safety equipment, light assisted manufacturing and flow diagnostic technologies
• Working with optical flow diagnostic systems, e.g., PIV
• Fault finding, repair and maintenance of a range of laboratory equipment
• Laser safety management
• Working without direct supervision and taking responsibility for meeting service standards and agreeing targets and workloads

Although not essential, your application will be greatly enhanced if you have obtained your first degree in engineering, physics, chemistry, natural sciences or a related field. Other desirable criteria that will enhance your application include experience of:

• Laser-based manufacturing and optical diagnostics
• Working in cleanroom environment
• Working with photolithography and other nano- and micro-patterning techniques 
• Storage and handling of light sensitive and other chemicals (e.g. photoresists, fluorescent dyes, nanomaterials, chemical etc.)

For more detailed information regarding the essential and desirable requirements of this position please reflect on the attached Job Description & Person Specification which you can access below the blue “Apply” button.

What we offer

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:

• 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
• Additional 5 days’ annual leave purchase scheme
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• Immigration loan
• Relocation scheme for certain posts
• On-Site nursery
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance

Visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/rewards-and-benefits to find out more.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce.

These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.

Available documents

Download: MFL Technician-Laser Final Update.pdf