Senior Laboratory Technician (Paleoceanography)

Role: Senior Laboratory Technician (Paleoceanography)

Grade and Salary: Grade 6: £31,236 - £36,636 per annum

FTE and Working Pattern: The position is available for 5 months full time (1FTE) or 6 months at 0.8 FTE; flexible working is possible.

Holiday Entitlement: 33 days annual leave plus 9 building closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)

Purpose of Role

The role will support a UKRI funded Future Leaders Fellowship 'Fate of ocean oxygenation in a warming world' project with Professor Babette Hoogakker (Lyell Centre, Heriot Watt University). The project involves proxy reconstructions of seawater oxygen levels and outreach work. The individual will provide technical and logistical support, processing and analysing samples from marine sediment cores. Minimum requirement: a first degree (MSc desirable) in earth and ocean sciences (including marine geology, oceanography, or marine biogeochemistry) and laboratory experience.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

To support ongoing research on oxygen levels in the oceans and provide specialist technical support in paleo oceanographic research, liaising directly with the line manager. Duties will involve:

• Sample preparation (weighing, sieving, drying of sediment samples)
• Identifying and picking of foraminifera
• Carrying out sedimentary and specialist foraminifera geochemical analyses in laboratory

Essential & Desirable Criteria Essential

• A degree in environmental/earth and ocean sciences, including oceanography, marine biology, geology, biogeochemistry
• Analytical and technical problem solving skills
• IT skills, proficient in the use of computers and general software
• Good communication and presentation skills
• Team player with good interpersonal skills
• Demonstrate self motivation and desire to achieve objectives agreed with managers working towards the strategic goals set by the School
• Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment
• Demonstrable professional and proactive approach
• Willingness to travel and perform laboratory work with partner institutes

Desirable

• A MSc degree in palaeoceanography
• Experience in identification of benthic and planktonic foraminiferal species
• Working experience in applying palaeoceanographic proxies, including running specialist laboratory equipment
• Working towards deadlines
• Analytical and technical problem solving skills
• Experience of relevant health and safety protocols

How to Apply

Applications can be submitted up to 11:55pm (UK time) on Wednesday 17 June 2026. Interviews are expected to take place across Wednesday 24 June 2026. Please submit your CV & covering letter via the Heriot Watt online recruitment.

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g., part time working and job share options.

Heriot Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised, and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.