Scientific Glassblower

3 months ago


Durham, United Kingdom Durham University Full time

The Role and Department  

Working as part of the Chemistry Technical team, the post holder will provide expert scientific glassblowing support. The Glassblowing Workshop offers an excellent glassblowing service to teaching and research laboratories mainly within the Chemistry department, but also across all of the science departments. This involves creating bespoke scientific glass apparatus and repairing existing glassware for a variety of users, with each job being tailored to the user’s specific needs. The users include undergraduates, postgraduates, fellow technicians and aca demic staff. The workshop also offers a glassblowing service to external customers e.g., researchers working in industry.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications/Experience

  1. BSS G Standard of Competence or other relevant industry and professional recognition and certification of achievement of skills and knowledge.
  2. Experience of participatin g in internal or external networks to share and discuss good practice and develop strong and productive working relationships.
  3. Experience of providing sp ecialist advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues, including more senior colleagues.
  4. Experienced practitioner who has led projects working within an educational, commercial or industrial environment.

Skills/Abilities/Knowledge

  1. Expert knowledge and exper tise of scientific glassblowing, and the application of these skills to create, build, construct and realise new and innovative glassware and research outputs.
  2. Achievement of recognised industry and professional standards supported by relevant courses or certifications e.g. BSSG Standard of Competence.
  3. Abi lity to teach or train others with specific technical skills.
  4. Excellent spoken and writt en communication skills including the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.
  5. Strong digital competence across a range digital devices and apps including Microsoft 365 applications.
  6. Committed to continuing pro fessional development to maintain professional recognition.
  7. Ability to solve problems and decide on and plan appropriate solutions.
  8. Knowledge and experience o f ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational policy and guidelines, including health and safety.

Desirable Criteria       

  1. Experience of implementing policies and procedures.
  2. Professional knowledge and experience of compliance and regulations, local and national.

£37,099 to £44,263 per annum