• School of Civil Engineering

• Join a university ranked in the world’s top 50 

• Broaden your career within one of QLD’s largest employers

• Full-time (36.25 hours), fixed-term position through to 31 December 2024

• Sponsorship is not available for this role

• Based at St Lucia Campus

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world.

Everyone here has a role to play. As a member of our professional staff cohort, you will be actively involved in working towards our vision of a better world. By supporting the academic endeavour across teaching, research, and the student life, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to activities that have a lasting impact on our community.

Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available, such as:

• 26 weeks paid parental leave or 14 weeks paid primary caregiver leave

• 17% superannuation contributions

• 17.5% annual leave loading

• Flexible working arrangements may be negotiated with your supervisor and the academic lead of the laboratory.

• Health and wellness discounts – fitness passport access, free yearly flu vaccinations, discounted health insurance, and access to our Employee Assistance Program for staff and their immediate family

• On campus childcare options

• Cheap parking (from just $5 a day)

• Salary packaging options

About This Opportunity 

The Fire Laboratory Manager and Senior Research Technologist is a senior leadership role responsible for the technical operation and functional performance of the Fire Laboratory. The purpose of this position is to lead and manage the activities occurring within the Fire Laboratory and to contribute to the ongoing research of the Fire engineering safety research group.

The role also involves building strong and effective relationships with academic and professional colleagues both within the school and university and with external organisations; providing clear technical advice; and managing the laboratory's operation, including responsibility for business management, asset management, equipment procurement; maintenance; financial administration and budgeting; and Health, Safety and Wellness of the lab.

Key responsibilities will include: 

Technical and Functional Laboratory Management

• Lead and manage the technical activities, training programs, and infrastructure related to the operation of the specialised laboratory including induction of new staff and students into the laboratory, equipment training and ensuring HSW requirements are understood.

• Provide leadership in and ensure all users comply with occupational health and safety legislation and guidelines and liaise with the School Manager and the Academic Head of the laboratory to solve any problems onsite.

• Evaluate and lead the implementation of new techniques, technologies and equipment and ensure all procurement (e.g., materials, chemicals, and consumables, etc.) is in accordance with the UQ procurement policy and follows UQ finance protocols.

• Manage and maintain materials and consumable stocks and ensure update of records of purchases and consumable use as required (e.g., Equipment Register; Chemical Register), and develop, manage, and maintain an equipment maintenance and replacement schedule ensuring compliance with manufacturer’s specifications and with University, State and Federal regulations.

• Develop and implement laboratory guidelines and procedures ensuring risk assessments, standard operating procedures and standard training needs analysis for the laboratory and any fieldwork are up-to-date and recorded within UQ Safe.

• Lead the management of audits including assets, equipment and WH&S and act as the primary point of contact for any emergency occurring in the laboratory.

Training and Laboratory Support

• Direct and contribute towards the teaching of laboratory practical classes for coursework courses, including set-up for classes in conjunction with relevant technical, and provide instruction to HDR students.

• Manage student engagement activities designed to promote the laboratory, School and UQ (e.g., Open Day; Student Tours).

Research

• Conduct and contribute towards the research undertaken in the laboratory by the research group including collaboration with other members of the laboratory researcher group in publishing scholarly papers in high quality, high impact journals, and developing and submitting competitive (and non-competitive) research grant applications to research granting bodies (e.g., ARC).

• Oversee the laboratory activities of any research assistants or laboratory technicians employed in the laboratory.

Any other duties under any of the categories above as reasonably directed by your supervisor.

This is a full-time (36.25 hours), fixed-term position through to 31 December 2024.

At HEW level 8, the full-time equivalent base salary will be in the range $105,338.31 - $118,280.70, plus a generous super allowance of up to 17%.  The total FTE package will be up to $123,245.82 - $138,388.42 annually.  As this role is covered by an Enterprise Agreement, you will also receive remuneration increases as per that agreement plus any annual incremental increase.

About You  

We are looking for an experienced Fire Laboratory Manager and Senior Research Technologist to manage the effective and efficient operation of the Fire Laboratory and contribute to the ongoing teaching and research success of the fire safety group.

It is expected the successful candidate will meet the following selection criteria:

• Postgraduate qualifications or progress towards postgraduate qualifications in fire safety engineering or another relevant field and extensive relevant experience; or extensive experience and management expertise; or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and/or education/training.

• Demonstrated experience in the provision of high-level laboratory management and leadership at a senior level.

• Exhibits broad scientific and technical knowledge with some areas of specialist knowledge that are relevant to the activities of the laboratory.

• Evidence of independent contribution to research including grant applications and publications.

• Demonstrated knowledge of Work Health and Safety legislation, the principles and practices of Workplace Health and Safety, and their application to laboratory situations and demonstrated knowledge of risk assessment principles.

• Proven ability to produce detailed reports, training materials and other documents to communicate ideas and concepts related to issues and processes; and to build cooperative working relationships to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.

• Exceptional organisational skills, and proven ability to work collaboratively as well as autonomously, with demonstrated experience working under pressure and establishing own priorities to meet deadlines while maintaining quality outcomes.

• High level interpersonal, written and oral communication skills including an ability to present views credibly, thoughtfully and persuasively and consider diverse ideas to manage competing objectives.

In addition, the following mandatory requirements apply:

• Work Rights: You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment. 

• Background Checks: All final applicants for this position may be asked to consent to a criminal record check. Please note that people with criminal records are not automatically barred from applying for this position. Each application will be considered on its merits. 

 
Questions? 

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Mark Reedman, School Manager -sm@civil.uq.edu.au. For application queries, please contact recruitment@uq.edu.au stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line. 
 

Want to Apply? 

All applicants must upload the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

• Cover letter addressing the ‘About You’ section  

• Resume 

Other Information 

At UQ we know that our greatest strengths come from our diverse mix of colleagues, this is reflected in our ongoing commitment to creating an environment focused on equity, diversity and inclusion.  We ensure that we are always attracting, retaining and promoting colleagues who are representative of the diversity in the broader community, whether that be gender identity, LGBTQIA+, cultural and/or linguistic, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, or people with a disability. Accessibility requirements and/or adjustments can be directed to recruitment@uq.edu.au 

If you are a current employee (including casual staff and HDR scholars) or hold an unpaid/affiliate appointment, please login to your staff Workday account and visit the internal careers board to apply for this opportunity. Please do NOT apply via the external job board.

Applications close 18 October 2023 at 11.00pm AEST (Job Reference Number – R-30926).

In your application, please refer to Polytechnicpositions.com