Technical Manager (SYNTECS) - School of Engineering - 105589 - Grade 7

University of Birmingham; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job description

Position Details

School of Engineering

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,130 to £45,413 with potential progression once in post to £48,149

Grade: 7

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to November 2025

Closing date: 14th April 2025

This role is also open as an internal secondment opportunity which would need to be agreed by your current line manager.

Our offer to you

People are at the heart of what we are and do. The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

Background

The School of Engineering comprises of the disciplines of Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Electronic, Electrical & Systems Engineering, we are investing significantly in people and infrastructure. In April 2021 we moved into our new signature building and our UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) Centre of Excellence for Digital Systems our National Buried Infrastructure Facility (NBIF).

Role Summary

To manage the EC-funded Horizon project, “SustainablY aNd digiTally driven hiErarchical laser texturing for Complex Surfaces” (SYNTECS) led by Professor Stefan Dimov. The project is in its final 8 months and the Technical Manager should work closely with companies and research partners to implement the developed laser micro processing technologies in three industrial case studies. The developed technology demonstrators should be validated by implementing the developed procedures for functional testing the use case devices and LCA at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 and the necessary reports prepared by the end of the project. The job requires the Technical Manager to present the project results and the developed and validated technology demonstrators at two industrial workshops and the final project review meeting.

SYNTECS brings together a consortium of companies and academic and research organisations that are at the forefront of laser-based processing. SYNTECS will be tackling the multiple challenges experienced with current chemical and mechanical surface treatments. The overall aim of SYNTECS is to develop and demonstrate a digital and green laser texturing approach to generating complex multifunctional surfaces. A machine platform will be developed at TRL6, that enables interchangeable Direct Laser Writing (DLW), Direct Laser Interference Patterning (DLIP) and Laser Induced Periodic Surface Structuring (LIPSS), with a multi-axis motion stage for processing complex geometries and an inline monitoring and control system. The combined system should streamline the generation of hierarchical surface textures, i.e. textures which combine at least two significantly different sized features. The surface multi-functionality enabled by these hierarchical textures will be demonstrated in three industrial case studies: an injection moulding tool, a hip implant system and a complex shaped vapour chamber. Surface textures and texturing processes for these demonstrators will be designed using a Design for Surface Engineering software module, which will incorporate LCA guidance combined with predictive performance modelling to enable sustainable-by-design decision making. SYNTECS will demonstrate that hierarchical laser surface texturing provides a highly efficient and flexible route to replacing multiple (typically chemical and mechanical) energy and resources intensive surface treatments steps with a single, digitally controlled, chemical- and waste-free process.

Main Duties

Planning, Organisation and Delivery

• Work with project stakeholders to manage the high-level scheduling of experimental research activity, balancing several project deadlines, resource availability, and cost implications. As facilitator you will capture and refine project requirements and provide specialist expert knowledge and advice to academics and industry partners to achieve project outcomes.
• Work closely with companies and research partners to implement the developed laser micro processing technologies in three industrial case studies.
• Implement the developed procedures for functional testing and LCA of the use case devices and thus to validate them at TRL 6.
• Organise and lead technical workshops and events for industry partners for the project, presenting project results and progress at key stakeholder meetings.
• Prepare the necessary deliverables with the inputs of companies and research partners related to the developed demo manufacturing line and its validation.
• Use project management strategies to build staged plans across multiple projects with a variety of requirements with shared resources, maximising efficiency of the technical team and equipment. Disseminating planning information for the phased work, providing progress reports to stakeholders.
• Implement and manage a system for maintenance and audit of the asset register and for the booking of equipment and resources related to the project. Informing others of potential disruption to their work.
• Work collaboratively with the Technical Services Senior Manager, Head of Operations, and Technical Management Team to ensure efficiency of services and minimise replication of resource.

Health and Safety

• Oversight of H&S related to the project, liaising with Safety Services, other H&S coordinators and the School H&S committee. Provide instruction, advice and guidance to project staff.
• Working closely with the School Technical Management Team, plan, manage, monitor and coordinate project activities, identifying, eliminating and controlling risk.
• Responsible for ensuring appropriate Risk Assessment Method Statement (RAMS) are provided, reviewed, accepted and collated in the H&S file, and that these are followed by academics, researchers and external contractors for the Hub.
• Responsible for ensuring the compliance of all equipment related to the Hub and that maintenance, service and safety inspections are carried out in accordance with legislation, regulation, guidance, University/School/Local policies, taking remedial action taken as needed.
• Manage effective and efficient systems for handling waste (hazardous and otherwise). Ensure compliance with all legislation and University policies covering the management of waste.
• Conduct investigation and report accidents, incidents and near misses, putting in place control measures and procedures to minimise the risk of accidents being repeated. Take appropriate supportive action if staff are injured within the Hub.

Equipment Procurement and Maintenance

• Working with Academic Leads, identify needs in research areas where improvements to the resources, would increase efficiency and safety and prepare business cases to support. Assist Principal Investigators (PI) in choosing and procuring new equipment and facilitate the process.
• Responsible for maintaining an inventory/asset register of equipment and consumables.
• Responsible for the maintenance of equipment in accordance with legislation, regulation, local policy and guidance. Implement systems to ensure the maintenance and compliance of all equipment and resources. Arrange external contracts for inspection, service and calibration of equipment.
• Responsible for ensuring appropriate training is provided to technical staff and researchers in the use of hub equipment. Implement a system to manage records to ensure the safety of users, and knowledge resilience.

Any other duties

• The post holder will work closely with Technical Managers across the college, College H&S Co-ordinators, Estates and Safety Services as needed.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• First degree in a technical area or have equivalent qualifications or extensive industrial experience.
• Understanding of laser processing e.g. laser ablation, modelling of laser-material interactions, designing laser-based manufacturing solutions, the use of different characterization/ measurement technologies for process optimization.
• Experience of working collaboratively across functions, taking direction from, and advising senior management on approaches to achieve strategic aims. Experience of working in an academic research environment is desirable.
• Conceptual understanding of a diverse range of user requirements with the ability to advise and train others in the application of specialist techniques to achieve research outcomes.
• Demonstrate the skills and experience to understand and engage with internal and external partners across a wide range of sectors, with a strong customer service ethos.
• Excellent people management skills with a successful track record of leading, managing, adapting to change and motivating teams in order to meet current and future needs.
• Excellent communication skills, communicating with and engaging staff at all levels in the organisation.
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of Health and Safety regulations.
• Experience of managing technical facilities, staff, and operations in a complex environment.
• Ability to devise solutions and develop creative approaches to problem solving.
• Ability to analyse and deal with problems with an appreciation of longer-term implications and taking account of all stakeholders.
• Experience of planning and delivering multiple projects with defined targets and deadlines in the context of a complex organisation with diverse needs.
• Experience of maintaining a network of contacts and liaising and influencing effectively up to senior levels across areas relevant to own work.
• Ability to manage a broad ranging workload with challenging and competing deadlines and to deliver to agreed timescales.
• Commitment to own continuous personal development and training.
• Ability to work flexibly and adapt skills and approach for different environments.
• Understands the importance of equality and diversity in the workplace.
• Ability to identify and respond to equality and diversity issues in line with relevant policies and procedures.

Desirable

• PhD degree in mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering or material science or equivalent experience plus practical managerial experience in engineering projects demonstrated through increasingly more demanding roles evidencing the experience necessary for this role.
• Knowledge and experience of Mechanical, Materials or Manufacturing Engineering.

Informal enquiries to Ali Wright, email: [e-mail]

View our staff values and behaviours here

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.