Lab Manager for Education

Laboratory Manager for Education (maternity cover)

Reports to: Education Manager

Details of the role:

This is a full time, maternity cover position on Crick terms and conditions of employment.

Working pattern: Monday – Friday.

About us

The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions.

The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture. We’ve removed traditional boundaries of departments, divisions and disciplines and instead have an open approach that supports every researcher. This gives us the freedom to take risks and carry out high-quality, pioneering research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy.

About the role

We are looking for a Laboratory Manager to join the Education team in the Public Engagement team.

One of the Francis Crick institute’s strategic priorities is to engage and inspire the public through public events and exhibitions, education outreach (EO), and community engagement programmes, backed by a body of active research scientists who have the skills, desire and opportunity to engage people in their work.

The role of the Laboratory Manager for Education is to ensure the smooth running of the education spaces along with logistically supporting the EO programme and providing an approachable face of the EO programme for our audiences and collaborators.

You will be managing our Weston Discovery Lab – the Crick’s onside lab for school visits, acting as point of contact for enquiries and ensuring the efficient day to day running of the lab. You will also work a lot on procurement and budget assisting, by helping with overseeing the budget and making sure it is spent appropriately, holding the team’s credit card and monitoring and ensuring there are adequate levels of consumables for the EO programme.

This role will also give you the opportunity to contribute your technical scientific knowledge to help in the development of science activities for the education programme. This may include the prep of equipment and reagents used in experiments at the Crick as well as those dispatched to schools.

Maintaining databases of assets, track, maintain replenish equipment. This also includes managing the Camden school equipment loan programme, ensuring it is operating efficiently, as well as lead on the promotion and management of the loan scheme.

A large part of the role will also include assisting with audience visits to our onsite Education lab, helping to manage the arrival and departure of school children, supporting them during their workshop, and being a welcoming and approachable face of the Crick’s Education programme.

What you will be doing

As a Laboratory Manager for Education at the Crick, some of your main responsibilities will be:

Managing the Weston Discovery Lab (WDL; our onside lab for school visits)

• Support the efficient day to day running of the WDL, providing assistance and advice to ensure that all activities within the lab comply with Crick policies.
• Managing the WDL space; acting as point of contact for enquiries, ensuring equipment is used safely.
• Ensuring the WDL and prep room are compliant with all safety requirements and regulations; checking for damage, arranging repairs and ensuring tidiness.
• Writing and maintaining SOPs for the use of the WDL.

Procurement and Budget assisting

• Assist the budget holder in overseeing team spend and budgeting appropriately.
• Hold team credit card; ensure team members have secure access to the CC, and use it complying with Crick’s CC policy; verify team CC spend on MiVision in a timely manner including managing the Amazon business account.

Activity preps

• Contributing technical scientific knowledge to help in the development of practical science activities for the education programme.
• Preparing molecular biology reagents for genetic engineering workshops.

Assets

• Maintain a database of assets, including Crick barcodes and location.
• Track, maintain and replenish equipment/consumables required for delivery and development of the EO programme.

Health, Safety, Sustainability and Security

• Lead on supporting the team to write and signing off relevant risk assessments, managing their regular review and sharing with appropriate stakeholders. Providing training where necessary.

Manage equipment for loan activities.

• Manage the Camden school equipment loan programme operating an efficient booking, return and inventory system, writing and maintaining SOPs, risk assessments and accompanying guidance.
• Lead on the promotion and management of the loan scheme, ensuring awareness across the building through strategic advertising and scheduled communications. Deliver the training in-part, presenting suggested use of the kits to foster accessibility and best practise.

Assisting with audience visits to the Education lab

• Setting up and down equipment used during school visits, including furniture movement.
• Helping to manage the arrival and departure of school children, being a welcoming and approachable face of the Crick’s education programme.

This role involves considerable manual handling and setting up of furniture in the lab.

Please see the full job description here.

About you

You will have:

• Educated to degree level, or equivalent, in a science discipline and/or have extensive laboratory management experience.
• Budget management experience, managing both consumable and equipment budgets.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills, able to deal confidently and diplomatically with a range of staff at all levels, and with young people aged 5-18.
• An understanding of the strategic management and operational issues within a research institute.
• Possess a broad understanding and experience of scientific procedures and specialised equipment and its requirements in a research institute. This must include an excellent working knowledge, and ability to trouble-shoot the techniques used for production of recombinant DNA (PCR, restriction digest, gel electrophoresis).
• Sound knowledge of relevant health and safety issues including biological and chemical safety. Experience of carrying out risk-assessments.

About Working at the Crick

Our values

Everyone who works at the Crick has a valuable role to play in advancing the Crick’s mission and shaping our culture!

• We are bold. We make space for creative, dynamic and imaginative ideas and approaches. We’re not afraid to do things differently.
• We are open. We’re highly collaborative and interactive, and make sure our activities are visible to the outside world.
• We are collegial. We show respect for one another, work cooperatively and support the wider community.

At the Francis Crick Institute, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed, regardless of their background, identity, or personal circumstances. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and experiences. We are a Disability Confident: Committed employer and want to ensure that everyone can apply and be part of our recruitment processes and so we'll make reasonable adjustments if you need them - just let us know when you apply. If you need assistance with applying (i.e., would like to apply by phone or post) please email: [email protected]

Find out more about life at the Crick.

What will you receive?

At the Francis Crick Institute, we value our team members and are proud to offer an extensive range of benefits to support their well-being and development:

• Generous Leave: 28 days of annual leave, plus three additional days over Christmas and bank holidays.
• Pension Scheme: Defined contribution pension with employer contributions of up to 16%.
• Health & Well-being:
• 24/7 GP consultation services.
• Occupational health services and mental health support programs.
• Eye care vouchers and discounted healthcare plans.
• Work-Life Balance:
• Back-up care for dependents.
• Childcare support allowance.
• Annual leave purchase options.
• Crick Networks offering diverse groups’ support, community and inclusive social events.
• Perks:
• Discounted gym memberships, bike-to-work scheme, and shopping discounts.
• Subsidised on-site restaurant and social spaces for team interaction.

Please note you must meet the essential criteria listed within the Role Profile, to have your application reviewed.

We reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any given time due to the number of applications received, therefore we encourage you to apply for this role as soon as you can.