Research - Grade 8 (Management Pathway)
Example job roles: Technical Manager, Facility Manager, Technical Manager, Deputy Unit Manager, Senior Research Software Engineer, Senior Data Scientist
Level: Advanced
Experiences
Activities and responsibilities likely to be required when working at this level
Health & Safety responsibilities
- Advise and oversee significant equipment purchases ensuring compliance and alignment to School/Department priorities in conjunction with Senior Specialist Technicians where appropriate
- Ensure that all equipment is appropriately maintained in conjunction with Senior Specialist Technicians where appropriate
- Work with Principal Investigators/supervisors to implement the University's health and safety policy, with responsibility for translating this into effective local policies and procedures
- Hold specific safety responsibilities (e.g. membership of School/Department level committees)
- Ensure all necessary safety paperwork is completed/reviewed across the School/Department
- Oversee completion of all compliance tasks across the School/Department
- Lead safety inspections and accident investigations
- Maintain up-to-date health and safety knowledge providing expert support/advice to others
Core responsibilities
- Provide management, motivation and support to the School/Department technical team developing the team to keep pace with changing teaching, research and technology needs
- Contribution to the recruitment process of technical staff
- Manage all space and its allocation ensuring that it is used to maximum effect
- Lead the development of School/Department services and facilities ensuring that they remain fit-for-purpose and deliver maximum benefit
- Lead change-management initiatives at a local level in collaboration with more senior staff
- Hold responsibility for the effective operation of stock control, whole life costings and asset management/inventory systems across the School/Department
- Manage School/Department budgets and those relating to specific projects ensuring that appropriate and compliant systems are in place to deal with purchasing
- •Contribute data to influence budget-setting processes
- •Hold overall management responsibility for designated facilities ensuring that local facility management arrangements are robust and compliant
- Oversee School/Department security and access control arrangements
- Assess, develop, and implement School/Department-wide training/development arrangements
- Mentor/coach junior staff
- Plan and manage the remodelling and design process of new work space to facilitate specialty environments
- Contribute to funding applications for large equipment purchases
- Manage access to TRAC-listed facilities
Personal and professional development
Development options to consider when working towards this level
Learning on the job
- Participate in outreach activities and those which contribute towards Institutional Citizenship
- Liaise with and learn directly from equipment specialists or application specialists
- Provide data analysis for grant applications and manuscripts
- Provide fundamental support to MSc PhD students on a day-to-day basis
- Provide academic input as a thesis committee member or review MSc dissertations
- Understand high value procurement and tender processes
- Contribute to the text of funding applications, or apply for external funding
Learning from others
- Gain knowledge from others by visiting other sites with similar settings
- Attend relevant conferences, presenting where appropriate
- Attend builder user groups
- Attend safety standards meetings for specialist equipment/processes
- Attend and participate in a range of meetings, e.g. Department/Divisional operations, team, strategic, committees (research and other)
- 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
Formal learning
- Line management training
- UCL Leadership and/or Management training
- Apply for training through a mid-career apprenticeship programme
- Accreditation/certification from a recognised Professional body
Transferable skills and competencies
UCL uses the Universal Competency Framework (UCF) to discuss transferable skills. Find out more details on the framework.
Deciding and initiating action
- Making decisions
- Taking responsibility
- Acting with Confidence
- Acting on own initiative
- Taking action
- Taking calculated risks
Leading and supervising
- Providing direction and co-ordinating action
- Supervising and monitoring behaviour
- Coaching
- Delegating
- Empowering staff
- Motivating others
- Developing staff
- Identifying and recruiting talent
Planning and organising
- Setting objectives
- Planning
- Managing time
- Managing resources
- Monitoring progress
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.
4 January 2024
“Career Pathway roles are indicative and are not intended to be a description of the role in terms of responsibilty and duties.
Print versions
Career case studies
Progression can lead to these type of Research roles.
Neil Hughes
Head of Technical Staff for the Department of Earth Sciences