Science Technician

Job description / Role

Will provide a high quality technician and support service to the Science Department, consisting of biology, chemistry, physics and environmental systems and societies. The Science Department consists of seven full time teachers in four purpose built labs and three further teaching classrooms.

A solid scientific knowledge and understanding is essential as many of the activities outlined below are of a technical nature. Whilst some previous and relevant qualifications and/or experience are highly preferable. A willingness and desire to undergo training (within the school and/or externally) and to develop the role are also key considerations for any successful applicant.

Further details of duties:

Making up solutions:
- This could involve making bulk quantities of stock solutions, multiple sets of many different solutions (which can sometimes take a technician more than half a day for one practical lesson), diluting concentrated solutions and making accurately-known concentrations. All these require skill, expertise and a detailed knowledge of health & safety.

Assembling apparatus:
- This can range from setting up, for example, simple springs and masses in a stand, boss and clamp, to setting up more complicated demonstrations, (e.g., discharge tubes) or chemistry steam distillation equipment. These need expertise and knowledge and may require the technicians to organise their work in conjunction with the availability of laboratories. Assembling apparatus may require a considerable amount of time and the full attention of a technician if mistakes or accidents are to be avoided.

Delivering equipment to rooms:
- This may involve moving large trays or trolleys of equipment and materials and often requires multiple journeys to and from laboratories. It requires technicians to organise their work so that the movement of equipment can take place during times when corridors etc are not filled with students and staff. It also requires that manual handling risk assessments are carried out. The delivery of equipment to rooms may take place several times a day and involve several different laboratories, often on more than one floor of the building and sometimes across playgrounds to other buildings.

Collecting, checking and returning equipment to stores:
- If technicians are not able to perform this task, then materials and equipment may deteriorate and could lead to poor-quality and unsuccessful practicals. Frequent manual handling risk assessments are also required.

Disposing of waste materials:
- This will involve knowledge of local requirements, checking regulations & guidelines and for arranging that special waste is packaged and collected. It may also require waste to be treated before disposal.

Taking care of laboratory equipment and apparatus:
- Technicians need to keep equipment and apparatus in good repair so that when it is used, it is safe and works well in practical lessons. Equipment needs to be properly organised and stored safely and efficiently. The consequence of this not being done properly is the deterioration of the equipment, which soon falls into a bad state of repair, and students could be turned off science by ineffective practicals. Technicians need to monitor the use of resources and plan ahead so that the correct materials for the department are available in the correct place for practical classes to function efficiently. Such resources may also include paper and electronic items, for which technicians can play a key role in their organisation, cataloguing and distribution. Systems may need to be set up involving colour coding and storage of resources, the preparation of databases and spreadsheets, etc.

Carrying out and arranging for maintenance and repair of equipment:
- Technicians can spend a significant amount of time repairing equipment. This will save the department money. Where equipment needs to be sent away for repair, the technicians will obtain estimates and arrange for economic repairs to be carried out.

Stocktaking chemicals and/or equipment:
- A chemicals stocklist is particularly important so that chemicals which are no longer used can be disposed of and those in use are available in appropriate quantities. Schools can have several hundred different chemicals and keeping up-to-date stocklists may involve using ICT to set up databases which could take a considerable amount of time and expertise. The same can apply to the wide variety of equipment and materials kept by science departments.

Obtaining materials by local purchase:
- Some materials need to be obtained fresh and some may not be available from the usual education suppliers. These need to be obtained locally by the technicians. Depending on a schools location, obtaining materials by local purchase may require a significant amount of technician time, but may enhance the learning of students by enabling them to have fresh materials for experiments.

Placing orders and checking deliveries or invoices:
- Some of this may be routine. Some orders, however, may involve technicians in detailed research, often using ICT and testing of equipment, in order to obtain the most suitable and economic resources for the department.

Constructing and modifying apparatus:
- Technicians may sometimes modify apparatus or an experiment so that it works better or more safely. For experiments that appear in scientific journals or that teachers dream up, a piece of manufactured equipment is often unavailable or very expensive. In these circumstances, technicians often obtain materials and construct, test & modify equipment. Technicians may also construct equipment that is available commercially, but at a fraction of the normal cost and hence save the department money.

General laboratory cleaning:
- Technicians keep laboratories tidy and clean work surfaces to remove any chemical or biological contamination, in accordance with health & safety requirements. They clean and tidy away used equipment and wash awkward-shaped equipment by hand. Cleaning some equipment may involve using dishwasher machines.

Cleaning laboratory sinks:
- Technicians clean laboratory sinks, not only as part of keeping the laboratories clean and tidy, but also to remove any contamination and hazardous materials that could present a health & safety risk. They may be required to empty sink traps or supervise plumbers to do so, because of any chemicals that the traps may contain.

Caring for plants and/or animals:
- Schools can have large and varied live plant and/or animal collections that need to be cared for. This requires a significant amount of technician time.

Trialing practical activities:
- From time to time, science departments change the courses that they offer. New courses often contain different and/or unfamiliar practicals. Technicians often trial such experiments, modify them if necessary and advise teachers of their conclusions. This can save teachers time and enable them to be fully prepared for a lesson. Trialing may involve technicians checking whether a wide variety of reactions will work satisfactorily

Assessing risks for technician activities:
- Almost all technician activities require a risk assessment to be consulted. Technicians need to be aware of the model risk assessments that are available and to be able to obtain special risk assessments where no model ones are available. Because of technicians expertise in health & safety, they are often called upon, by science teachers and other departments in the school, to help with assessing risks that may not be connected to their normal technician duties.

Providing technical assistance to teachers:
- Where teachers work outside their subject specialisms or with unfamiliar equipment and/or techniques, the technicians can provide important technical and health & safety advice, even to experienced teachers.

Providing technical assistance to students/pupils:
- In some schools this role is increasing. Technicians can be invaluable, especially where students are carrying out individual investigations or projects. The assistance may take place informally outside the prep room, or in laboratories where technicians may be required to help in practical classes, assisting or advising students and staff on the practical aspects of the curriculum (see section 2.2). This should not be confused with the role of a classroom assistant; a technician provides invaluable technical support. In this way, technicians can provide help to the teacher in organising stimulating and exciting practicals.

Requirements

- Making up solutions
- Assembling apparatus
- Delivering equipment to rooms
- Collecting, checking and returning equipment to stores
- Disposing of waste materials
- Taking care of laboratory equipment and apparatus
- Carrying out and arranging for maintenance and repair of equipment
- Stocktaking chemicals and/or equipment
- Obtaining materials by local purchase
- Placing orders and checking deliveries or invoices
- Constructing and modifying apparatus
- General laboratory cleaning
- Cleaning laboratory sinks
- Caring for plants and/or animals
- Trialing practical activities
- Assessing risk for tecnican activities
- Providing technical assistance to teachers
- Providing technical assistance to students/pupils
- Keeping up to date with developments in practical science.
- Keeping up to date with health & safety requirements.
- Carrying out health & safety checks on laboratories, prep rooms and stores.
- Carrying out safety checks, which may include electrical equipment, fume cupboards, first-aid kits, pressure vessels and the condition of Bunsen burner tubing, eye protection, glassware, and chemicals that deteriorate.

About the Company

Artan Holding is a Qatari-owned company with a diverse portfolio of businesses including:

• Doha British School Established in 1997, Doha British School delivers the National Curriculum of England from Pre-School to IGCSE and in the Sixth Form International Baccalaureate Diploma.

• City University College is a higher education institution in Qatar that offers recognised UK degrees licensed by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. City University College is provider of the BTEC and Ulster University Qatar degrees, SI-UK services and IELTS courses. City University College offers alternative routes to university and work, both for high-school students as well as employed people.

• Qatar Skills Academy established in 2010, a training academy providing accredited vocational education and training.

• ACES is a private Education group which owns, manages and operates educational institutions in Qatar with the objective of fostering academic innovation and excellence.

• Mirage International Property Consultants established in 2004, a real estate company specializing in the sale, leasing and facilities management of commercial and residential properties in Qatar and around the world.

• Primepower Middle East specialize in the supply of temporary power solutions to support the increasing demand on the country's infrastructure. from 6kva up to Multi Megawatt modular power systems, there is a solution for every customers requirement.

• House of Architecture and Interiors established in 2012, an architecture and design company offering diversified interiors solutions through integrated services and products.

• Gulf CMS offers a wide-ranging repair service to Qatar customers, including reconditioning. Our well-qualified technicians handle every damage for our customers at our fully equipped maintenance center.

• Ulster University (UU) Qatar operates its branch campus in Qatar in partnership with City University College. Ulster University, Qatar is working to develop a skills-based economy as part of Qatar’s National Vision 2030. Their business expertise, quality teaching and innovation will deliver the future business leaders of Qatar and beyond.

UU Qatar provides students with the skills and knowledge to fuel public and private sector organisations to drive the regional economy. The range of business degree courses on offer including the International Foundation Programme and BSc (Hons) Business Studies.

• SI-UK is a British owned and an official UK University representative, it is the truly global UK focused education agency in the world. It is the official representative of over 380+ Universities & Colleges. Thousands of student university applications are processed every year through its offices globally. In Qatar its office officially represented by City College. SI-UK can assist with your application for foundation, undergraduate or postgraduate programmes.