Senior Field Operations Technician

Salary: £37,405 - £39,694
Type: Permanent

UKCEH is in search of skilled Lead Field Technicians to enhance our 600-member team, dedicated to scientific exploration and generating the essential data, insights, and solutions required by researchers, businesses, and governments to tackle intricate environmental issues.

Working with UKCEH is fulfilling. Our scientific endeavors significantly impact society, promoting both human and environmental well-being. We safeguard a vast array of environmental data, amassed by UKCEH and its predecessors over more than six decades.

As a valued team member, you will receive:

• 27 days of annual leave, increasing to 29 days after five years
• 10% employer pension contribution
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave (subject to qualifying criteria)
• 24/7 access to support for physical, mental, social, health, or financial issues, along with access to trained Welfare Officers
• Flexible working arrangements

Are you technically inquisitive, enjoy overcoming challenges, and are interested in implementing innovative engineering solutions to support our environmental science initiatives?

We are looking to recruit two Lead Field Technicians to be integral members of our dynamic, multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers, playing a crucial role in leading and executing a flagship Floods and Droughts Research Infrastructure (FDRI) project. This groundbreaking scientific initiative has secured a £38 million investment aimed at enhancing hydrological science and infrastructure across the nation, with the goal of strengthening the country’s resilience to floods and droughts. You will be joining us at a pivotal moment as we embark on this project.

This role offers an exciting opportunity for individuals with a solid understanding of environmental monitoring sensor systems to lead a team in developing and deploying advanced sensors and instrumentation across various field locations nationwide.

It is also an excellent opportunity for those with proven leadership experience, ready to advance their careers. Initially, you will work closely with colleagues in workshop and office environments, transitioning to fieldwork as the project progresses.

You will collaborate with our Technical Project Manager to design and implement systems at remote field sites, addressing specific installation requirements, such as river mountings, forest eddy covariance evaporation flux towers, and reservoir evaporation buoys, as well as off-grid power needs (primarily solar) and data transmission through various telemetry methods. Additionally, you will oversee the conversion of scientific monitoring requirements specified by scientists into reliable, low-maintenance automated sensor networks. You will guide the transition from prototype installations to developing comprehensive protocols for installation, maintenance, and calibration, ensuring precision and efficiency through the design office.

Your primary responsibilities will include:

• Training and mentoring technicians within the team
• Collaborating with lead scientists to develop new environmental monitoring sensor systems
• Constructing, wiring, programming, testing, and deploying new systems
• Leading maintenance visits for automated field instrument systems (data loggers, sensors, telemetry, and data collection servers)
• Visiting field sites nationwide for new system installations, training, fault resolution, and decommissioning (averaging around 100 field site days per year, some requiring overnight stays)
• Maintaining mobile instrumentation, overseeing temporary deployments, training less experienced users, and managing remote deployments
• Procurement of parts and ready-made systems
• Enhancing data capture and quality performance, reducing operational costs, and minimizing data gaps
• Staying updated with emerging technologies and best practices for sensor networks
• Maintaining and documenting working procedures, calibrations, and inventory

This role requires a collaborative spirit and would suit someone who thrives in a variable workload, excels independently, and is resourceful in their approach. You should be passionate about innovation and problem-solving to investigate and resolve module-level faults. You will work closely with a team of experts across various fields, including scientists and workshop technicians, while also guiding junior field technicians and collaborating with our Procurement team and suppliers. Therefore, this role necessitates adaptability and a willingness to embrace diverse work styles, approaching challenges with patience and understanding of differing priorities.

You'll be joining a leading independent, not-for-profit research institute committed to recruiting talented individuals like you, advancing your career, and providing the support you need to thrive at UKCEH.

Qualifications and Skills Required:

• A technical qualification at BTEC level or degree (or equivalent work experience)
• A broad understanding of field data logger hardware (or similar data acquisition hardware), hydrological or other environmental field sensors, and their maintenance requirements
• The ability to interpret technical drawings, schematics, and wiring routing diagrams of a sensor station, network, or mesh network
• Experience programming data loggers, interfacing sensors, and telemetry networks, including various methods and communication protocols (e.g., IoT connectivity, 4G/5G, Satellite, WiFi, Bluetooth, LoRaWAN, MQTT)
• An appreciation for the significance of accurate data management and version control
• Experience conducting fieldwork safely in remote outdoor environments year-round, with knowledge of Safe Systems of Work in the field
• Comfort with occasional work at heights
• Knowledge and experience of workshop and lab safety practices in the UK
• A full driving license is essential, along with a willingness to occasionally stay overnight for field site visits across the UK (some overseas travel may be required)

Desirable Skills:

• Previous experience in an environmental, academic, scientific, or research setting
• Programming skills in R or Python
• Experience with IP and serial bus networked sensors and basic computer/sensor networking configuration
• Configuring and deploying telemetry systems (GPRS/mobile and satellite)
• Sensor network experience
• Knowledge of quality management systems (i.e., ISO9001)

This infrastructure project is in its early stages, offering flexibility and opportunities to develop innovative technologies that will significantly impact our team and organization. Given the community-oriented nature of this role, we seek someone meticulous in research, testing, and reporting, who understands the need for evidence-based justification to support decision-making.

We will provide the workshop, tools, PPE, vehicles, and ongoing training, and in return, we seek your enthusiasm, curiosity, and collaborative spirit. Additionally, within this recruitment drive, there is potential for individuals who are experienced but still developing these skills and seeking growth.

If this aligns with your profile, we would be eager to connect.

We welcome applications from international candidates; however, we currently cannot provide visa sponsorship for this role.