Research Technician (Field and Lab Work)

The University of Exeter is seeking a full-time Research Technician for field and lab work starting September 2025. The role involves providing technical support in challenging environments, managing hydrological and environmental equipment, and occasional lab work. Candidates should possess strong communication and time management skills, with experience in research lab support. The position offers a starting salary of £27,644 and includes generous holiday allowances and flexible working.
Salary

The starting salary will be from £27,644 on Grade D, depending on qualifications and experience.

Contractual hours

36.5

Package

Generous holiday allowances, flexible working, pension scheme.

Job category/type

Technicians and Laboratory Staff

Date posted

16/05/2025

Job reference

R79844

Research Services

This new full-time post is available from September 2025 on a permanent basis.

Summary of the role

This role will be based in the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste (CREWW). The primary responsibility of the role-holder is to provide a high level of technical support to academics, researchers, and postgraduate students working with CREWW. The role will primarily involve fieldwork in challenging environments, setting up, maintaining, and managing hydrological, meteorological, carbon-cycle and water quality equipment, with occasional laboratory-based work in support of colleagues. The post-holder will also be required, with support from the Technical Operations Manager to maintain resources: space; equipment and consumables and will also support health and safety and sustainability initiatives across the CREWW laboratories. We are looking for an individual with exceptional communication and time management skills, who has experience in providing professional technical support in a research laboratory environment.

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role by clicking on the attachment.

Organisational context:

The Research Services Division is a key enabler to the delivery of the University’s Strategy 2030, the Research and Impact Strategy, successful REF performances, and meeting research income targets.

This role is within the Technical Strategy & Operations part of the Division. We are research and teaching technical staff across the entirety of the University of Exeter. We work in specialist areas across the University and beyond, undertaking and supporting research and teaching and promoting compliance and best practice, in the labs, studios, workshops, and field.

The service is comprised of a team of talented individuals who support our teaching and research, and in training the next generation of top scientists. Our technical roles, which include experimental officers, laboratory technicians and research technicians, all focus on different aspects of science and humanities - from mechanical/electrical engineering, medicine and health, life sciences, social sciences, film, drama & communications, physics, geology and geography, and so much more.

We are proud signatories of the Technician Commitment, working to raise the visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability of technical careers.

We are proud signatories of the Technician Commitment, working to raise the visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability of technical careers. We are also proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from service people to work in our operationally focused service. This role forms part of our Technical Career Pathway.

This post supports the Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy.

Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy

The Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy is a vibrant interdisciplinary community, dedicated to delivering world-class education and research that breaks new boundaries and has a positive impact on the world. We work across fundamental sciences, engineering and business to deliver on the University’s Strategy 2030 to create a sustainable, healthy and socially just future.

We are one of the world’s best universities in interdisciplinary environment and sustainability, founded on strong fundamental disciplinary research and education. The faculty is home to ten departments in physical and environmental sciences, engineering and includes the globally recognised, triple accredited University of Exeter Business School.

The University of Exeter

We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 200 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 and QS World University Ranking 2024). We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, achieving a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2023, underpinned by Gold ratings for Student Experience and Student Outcomes.

Our world-leading research impact has grown more than any other Russell Group university in recent years, and we are home to some of the world’s most influential researchers, seeking to answer some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today. More than 99 percent of our research is of international quality and 47 percent is world-leading (2021 Research Excellence Framework).

We encourage proactive engagement with industry, business and community partners to enhance the impact of research and education and improve the employability of our students. Read about our world leading research – Green Futures and how we are transforming education for a changing world. We are located in a beautiful part of the country and Exeter (a fast growing tech hub) is one of only a few UK cities to have been designated as a UNESCO Creative City

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment

We are committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.

Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community.

With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 150 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN and Project Juno for Physics), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer.

Benefits

We offer some fantastic benefits including:
• 39 days leave per year
• options for flexible working
• numerous discounts at leading retailers
• onsite gyms on all of our campus’ and a cycle to work scheme
• sector leading policies around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), paternity leave (up to six weeks full pay) and a new Fertility Treatment Policy
• stunning campus environments in Exeter and Cornwall, in the beautiful South West of England

Further information

Please contact Dagmara Kolak, Technical Operations Manager, Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste: d.m.kolak@exeter.ac.uk

Please be advised that due to the minimum salary thresholds imposed by the UKVI, this post will not qualify for university sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route. If you are a migrant worker, you will need to ensure you have a visa which permits the right to work in the UK. Further details can be found on the Home Office website - https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas. If you are an existing Skilled Worker visa holder, we may be able to sponsor and will review the transitional arrangements - https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/certificate-of-sponsorship-before-4-april-2024