Research - Grade 5

Experiences

Activities and responsibilities likely to be required when working at this level

Health & Safety responsibilities

• Report faults or damage to equipment or infrastructure, and assist with simple maintenance tasks
• Promote and follow safe working practices 
• Understand and follow safety paperwork, with the ability to identify and report hazards
• Conduct routine compliance tasks
• Assist in Maintaining good housekeeping, waste disposal procedures and cleaning activities

Core responsibilities

• Contribute to meetings
• Make suggestions to improve the service
• Contribute to and support change
• Assist with stock control and stores operations
• Assist with record keeping, inventory and asset management 
• Conduct portering duties
• With high accuracy prepare routine buffers/reagents and materials adhering to standard operating procedures where necessary
• Operate simple equipment following instruction or standard operating procedures and interpret simple results
• Organise laboratory spaces in preparation of scheduled activities
• Set up and operate equipment following well-established procedures
• Assist with the induction of new staff
• Check and stock consumables
• Carrying out experiments according to protocols
• Input into writing and review of standard operating procedures

Personal and professional development

Development options to consider when working towards this level

Learning on the job

• Take responsibility for undertaking work independently, carrying out tasks without supervision
• Participate in activities to support continuous improvement e.g., particularly in the Induction process
• Conduct accurate record keeping and actively find ways to improve internal processes 
• Develop report writing skills
• Apply additional training or acquired knowledge to day-to-day tasks

Learning from others  

• Work with others to broaden skill base in areas such as experimental design, data analysis, health and safety, etc.
• Work shadow colleagues to gain an understanding of new or different work practices
• Join a Community of Practice

Formal learning

• Undertake training on the use of specialist equipment and techniques relevant to role
• Apply for training through a mid-career apprenticeship programme

Transferable skills and competencies

UCL uses the Universal Competency Framework (UCF) to discuss transferable skills. Find out more details on the framework.

Applying expertise and technology  

• Applying technical expertise.
• Building technical expertise.
• Sharing expertise.
• Using technology resources.
• Demonstrating physical and manual skills.
• Demonstrating cross-functional awareness.
• Demonstrating spatial awareness.

Working with people

• Understanding others
• Adapting to the team
• Building team spirit
• Recognising and rewarding contributions
• Listening
• Consulting others
• Communicating proactively
• Showing tolerance and consideration
• Showing empathy
• Supporting others
• Caring for others
• Developing and communicating self-knowledge and insight

Presenting and communicating information

• Speaking fluently.
• Explaining concepts and opinions.
• Articulating key points of an argument. Presenting and public speaking.
• Projecting credibility.
• Responding to an audience.

UCL Ways of Working

These describe expected behaviours in line with UCL culture and values.  For Ways of Working indicators and steps to development please refer to the Ways of Working website.