General Workshop & Laboratory Services - Grade 9 (Specialist Pathway)

Experiences

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

Health & Safety responsibilities

• Specialise in a skillset deemed to be expert in their area and/or including project management of major technical projects
• Be responsible for the overall technical project management of research projects, including the design and implementation of systems
• Lead a major technical project, facility or team.
• By developing local procedures, establish and maintain a safe/compliant working environment within the specialist area
• Hold specific safety responsibilities relevant to the specialism e.g. laser safety officer
• Complete accident reporting and assist with investigations
• Maintain in-depth and up-to-date health and safety knowledge relevant to the specialism

Core responsibilities

• Provide direct line-management support, schedule, prioritise and monitor work and performance in line with demands and deadlines
• Supervise other staff and students working within the specialism
• Work collaboratively with other areas of the University to achieve efficiency and elimination of duplicated effort
• Organise and facilitate meetings as necessary and attend and present at School/ Department meetings and forums
• Lead or contribute to and support local change
• Manage budgets relating to the specialism, monitoring resource usage 
• Source and negotiate with suppliers for a range of items including specialist parts/equipment
• Contribute data to influence budget setting processes
• Hold overall responsibility for ensuring that the specialist area delivers against the needs of teaching and research, and that all assets relating to the specialism are utilised
• Provide highly skilled and highly-specialised teaching, research and taught course support.  This will include the development of new techniques or new practical class activities 
• Ensure that the management of facilities relating to the specialism is robust and compliant
• Contribute to research outputs, including research papers, as a co- or lead author.
• Apply for grant funding from appropriate external funding agencies and internal funding programs.
• Mentor/coach junior staff

Personal and professional development

Development options to consider when working towards this level

Learning on the job

• Develop an understanding of managing budgets
• Management of workshop/lab
• Manage a large piece of equipment as a key operator
• Take on delegated responsibility for the management of a key project/s; aspiring to manage large scale projects independently

Learning from others  

• Work shadow colleagues to gain an understanding of new or different work practices
• Join a Community of Practice
• Access mentoring support from a colleague or local mentoring scheme
• Attend internal or external networking events
• Seek out secondment opportunities
• Conference attendance and presentation where possible

Formal learning

•  Accreditation/certification from a recognised Professional body
• Relevant training through Higher Education and Technician Educational Development (HEaTED)
• UCL Leadership and/or Management training
• 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.

Persuading and influencing

• Making an impact
• Shaping conversations
• Appealing to emotions
• Promoting ideas
• Negotiating and gaining agreement
• Dealing with political issues

Creating and innovating

• Innovating
• Seeking and introducing change

Entrepreneurial and commercial thinking

• Monitoring markets and competitors
• Identifying business opportunities
• Demonstrating financial awareness
• Controlling costs
• Keeping aware of organisational issues

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.