View Vacancy -- Media Prep and Glasswash Facility Manager - Operations Group - Media Prep and Glasswash - LMB 1952

Open Date
23/09/2022, 16:15
Close Date
23/10/2022, 23:55
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology

The MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) is one of the birthplaces of modern molecular biology and has played an important role in the development of many new techniques, most notably X-ray crystallography of proteins, DNA sequencing and monoclonal antibodies. 

The LMB has a clear goal of understanding biological processes at the molecular level, with the ultimate aim of using this knowledge to tackle specific problems in human health and disease. We aim to tackle difficult, long-term problems, which often require investment over many years.

There are four scientific Divisions - Structural Studies, Protein and Nucleic Acid Chemistry, Cell Biology and Neurobiology. However, scientific collaboration between the different Divisions is extensive. Scientists are well supported by excellent scientific facilities and by the LMB Operations Group which maintains the core infrastructure and services of the institute.

With the opening of our new laboratory the LMB provides an unsurpassed environment for both young and established researchers. Scientists are drawn to the LMB from all over the world, thus creating a lively and international community for the exchange of ideas and technical innovation.

UK Research and Innovation is a new entity that brings together nine partners to create an independent organisation with a strong voice for research and innovation, more information can be found at www.ukri.org

MRC - 4
Cambridge
£32,005 to £35,143 per annum
Permanent
Technical & Scientific Professionals
Full Time

Overall purpose: 

You will be responsible for the overall day-to-day operational management of the LMB’s Media Prep and Glasswash facility.

Main duties/ Key responsibilities:

You will be responsible for the efficient running of the Media Prep and Glasswash facility, managing a team of around 10 staff who are responsible for the preparation and provision of a wide variety of services to support the LMB’s scientific operations. Specific services provided by the team for which you are responsible include:

•    Preparation of liquid microbiological culture.
•    Preparation of agar plates.
•    Preparation of ‘fly food’.
•    Maintaining Drosophila stocks.
•    Preparation of sterile laboratory solutions (buffers, salt solutions etc.).
•    Used laboratory glassware collection.
•    Provision and restocking of clean and, as necessary, sterilised glassware.
•    Autoclaving of glassware.
•    Mycoplasma testing.
•    Troubleshooting and resolving quality control issues.

You will manage the service, ensuring that appropriate standards in quality and efficiency are maintained, assigning tasks within the team as necessary, especially to ensure adequate absence cover across the team. Most of the more routine preparation will be undertaken by members of the team but you will, if necessary, fill-in during absences.

You will use appropriate methods to maintain required levels of stock and to ensure quality control and assess purity, sterility, glassware stocking and collection levels and be responsible for trouble shooting and resolving issues as they arise. 

You will develop new working arrangements to expand or improve the service, developing and implementing new methods, recipes etc. and ensure all bespoke media orders are fulfilled in a timely manner and to a high standard.

You will be responsible for recruitment within the team and will provide line management, training, development and support for staff. Given the wide range of services provided, this will require extensive cross-training.

You will manage the facility’s intranet pages, in conjunction with the VisLab Department, to ensure that members of the LMB are aware of these services provided by the facility.

You will be responsible within the facility for compliance with local or MRC/UKRI policies and guidance (Health & Safety and other) and, in conjunction with Health & Safety staff, will ensure risk assessments, standard operating procedures and training records for staff are in place and fit for purpose.

You will be responsible for all the equipment and other facilities in the Media Prep and Glasswash facility, ensuring everything is running effectively and safely. This will involve arranging regular servicing or call-out repairs (in conjunction with Laboratory Services), keeping up-to-date with developments in equipment and lab supplies and making recommendations for new or replacement equipment.

You will also be responsible for routine servicing and repairs of all autoclaves throughout the LMB and, in conjunction with Estates & Facilities, ensure maintenance according to applicable legislation and maintain appropriate training of personnel and records.

You will have delegated authority for all financial expenditure and aspects of the Media Prep and Glasswash facility, including:

•    Arranging the supply and purchasing arrangements for all consumables used within the facility (whether sourced directly from suppliers or via existing supply arrangements), ensuring that necessary stock levels are maintained to deliver against business continuity needs
•    Developing and maintaining appropriate record keeping to underpin cost recovery.
•    Undertaking cost comparative exercises to ensure cost efficiencies (with in-house versus outsourced provision), benchmarking the services against comparative institutes.
•    Working with the LMB’s Finance department to agree budgets and forecast spending both with the financial year and over the 5 year quinquennial period.

You will be responsible for producing performance reports for the Executive Committee and Senior Management as required. 

Working relationships: 

•    You will report to the Head of Estates and Capital Projects
•    You will have line management responsibility for around 10 Media Prep and Glasswash staff.

You will interact with:

•    Scientists in the LMB including interactions regarding new and existing offerings. 
•    Other members of the Operations Group including those in HR, Finance, Laboratory Services, Health & Safety and Estates & Facilities.
•    UKSBS / UKRI procurement.

Education / qualifications / training required: 

Essential: Degree or equivalent professional qualification in a relevant scientific subject, or equivalent experience.

Desirable: 
•    NEBOSH General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety, an equivalent qualification or experience.
•    Management qualification, ILM certificate or equivalent.

Previous work experience required: 

Essential: 
•    Previous laboratory experience including media preparation or equivalent, preferably including handling chemical and/or biological materials.
•    Proven experience of managing staff and resources.

Desirable: Extensive laboratory experience working within or leading a Media Prep and Glasswash facility. 

Knowledge and experience: 

Health & Safety Knowledge

Essential:
•    Knowledge of safe working practices in a science laboratory environment, including containment facilities.
•    A strong understanding of The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations. 

Desirable: An understanding of related legislation, such as the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations. 

IT Experience

Essential: Extensive experience of different software packages, including Microsoft Office, and ERP systems such as Oracle.

Personal skills / behaviours / qualities: 

Leadership and Team Working

Essential:
•    Experience of working collaboratively as a member of a team and providing a service. 
•    Customer focused and flexible approach to your work in conjunction with building great working relationships with colleagues.
•    Ability to demonstrate leadership qualities.
•    Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to engage with staff at all levels to understand their needs, understanding that different people have different needs and styles of working.

Desirable: Ability to handle conflict situations.

Independent Working and Organisational Skills

Essential: 
•    Ability to work independently without a high level of supervision and to organise your own time effectively.
•    Ability to undertake and plan multiple tasks whilst prioritising departmental workloads according to need.

Problem Solving Skills

Essential: 
•    Ability to tackle problems as and when they arise applying solutions that take account of all relevant issues such as financial, quality and timing.
•    Ability to exercise judgement even under pressure.
•    Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with meticulous attention to detail.
•    Ability to implement change.

Verbal and Written Communication Skills

Essential:
•    Excellent written skills and the ability to produce documentation for staff at all levels.
•    Excellent verbal communication skills, with the ability to talk to staff at all levels.
•    Ability to negotiate effectively, particularly when dealing with services and suppliers.

The MRC is a great place to work and progress your career, be it in scientific research or the support functions.The MRC is a unique working environment where our researchers are rewarded by world class innovation and collaboration opportunities that the MRC name brings. The MRC is an excellent place to develop yourself further and a range of training & development opportunities will be available to you, including professional registration with the Science Council.

Choosing to come to work at the MRC (part of UKRI) means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme and excellent holiday entitlement to access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme, as well as the chance to put the MRC and UKRI on your CV in the future.

Our success is dependent upon our ability to embrace diversity and draw on the skills, understanding and experience of all our people. We welcome applications from all sections of the community irrespective of gender, race, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability or age. As "Disability Confident" employers, we guarantee to interview all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.

UKRI supports research in areas that include animal health, agriculture and food security, and bioscience for health which includes research on animals, genetic modification and stem cell research. Whilst you may not have direct involvement in this type of research, you should consider whether this conflicts with your personal values or beliefs.

We will conduct a full and comprehensive pre-employment check as an essential part of the recruitment process on all individuals that are offered a position with UKRI. This will include a security check and an extreme organisations affiliation check.  The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role.  UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

This opportunity is closed to applications.