The School has an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic Science Technician who will work closely with all staff across the department, ensuring that they deliver the necessary support to facilitate high-quality teaching experiences across sciences and innovation learning.

Main duties will include setting up equipment in a laboratory environment for practical lessons, the safe disposal of chemicals, stock taking, retrieving and putting away equipment. Ideally, candidates should possess a good working knowledge of COSHH (or CLEAPSS) in order to maintain compliance with Health and Safety Regulations.

Responsibilities and Duties

Preparation of science materials and equipment:

• Trial new practical procedures, prepare and write up risk assessments.

• Proper disposal of waste materials in accordance with COSHH.

• Set up equipment, prepare chemicals/specimens.

• Checking equipment in and out for class use.

• Preparation of chemistry lab stock chemicals and solutions.

• Advise staff of any problems arising, including safety aspects.

• Repairing damages to equipment, where possible, or arranging for this to be done.

Routine maintenance of science laboratories and preparation rooms:

• Maintaining clean and tidy laboratories in conjunction with teachers.

• Ensuring that any scientific debris or hazardous materials/spills are removed from the sinks, bench tops and other areas to provide a safe environment for cleaning staff and others.

• To store materials tidily and safely.

• Keeping all equipment clean including goggles, safety screens and fume cupboards.

• Ensure living materials/organisms are properly procured, stored, labelled, and disposed of.

• Carrying out routine safety checks on equipment, e.g. gas taps, bunsen tubing etc.

Maintaining the stocks of science chemicals and equipment:

• Stock taking of all chemicals, consumables, stationery etc.

• Timely re-stocking of items with the approval of the Science Heads of Departments

• Ensure that first aid kits and other safety items are restocked and replaced as required (See departmental safety documents).

• Checking deliveries on arrival and querying any missing/damaged items with the supplier.

• Maintain accounts of departmental expenditure for equipment and supplies to ensure this remains within the departmental budgets.

• Collect and return resources from and to school stores as required.

Classroom Support:

• Routinely maintain and re-stock pupil kits and PPE consumables in chemistry labs.

• Assist in setting up of routine experiments and practical project working.

• As required, assist in demonstrating the proper use of equipment to pupils, particularly with respect to Advanced Higher sciences project working and experiments.

• As required, prepare ad hoc equipment, chemicals and consumables on request from teaching staff.

Training and Professional Development:

• Pursue further training in areas relevant and appropriate to the requirements of the job, e.g., COSHH training, PAT test training, handling of radioactive materials, glass working, soldering, aseptic technique.

• Keep appraised of courses and resources provided by ASE, SSERC and other relevant bodies. Use these resources as appropriate and share relevant information with the Heads of Department and the other Science Technician.

Other:

• Carry out other reasonable duties as directed by the Heads of Science, Deputy Head (Academic) or Deputy Rector (Head of Senior Years) and commensurate with the general level of responsibility of the post.

Qualifications

• The ideal candidate should hold science related qualifications and be educated to HNC/SVQ level 7 standard minimum.

Essential Skills

• Excellent verbal/written communication and interpersonal skills are essential.

• Ability to use initiative, work unsupervised with excellent organisational skills.

• Excellent ICT skills.

Closing date is 23 June 2024.

Interviews will take place in person at The High School of Dundee week commencing 24 June 2024.

For more information and to apply, please click on the s1jobs APPLY button now.

Benefits

Holidays

37 days paid annual leave per annum pro rata, inclusive of all public holidays. This includes 9 or 10 days’ annual leave pro rata to be kept aside for the School’s Christmas shutdown period. Annual leave should be taken during the designated school holidays.

Pension

Auto-enrolment Defined Contributions (DC) Pension Scheme with The Pensions Trust - this is an enhanced contributory scheme whereby the employer contributes 8% of gross monthly earnings and the employee contributes 4%. The School also offers an alternative and further enhanced scheme whereby the employee can increase their contributions to either 7% or 10% and this scheme the employer will contribute 13.55%. Includes death in Service.

Staff Fee Remission

A discretionary staff fee concession should your children attend the High School of Dundee (currently 40%) or High School of Dundee Nursery (currently 20%)

Sick Pay

Up to 6 months full pay and 6 months half pay – increases with length of service up to the maximum after 5 years’ service

Cycle to Work Scheme

Purchase of a bike or accessories up to the value of £2,500 on completion of probation period. Salary dependent.

HSD Rewards

High School of Dundee Rewards Benefits platform provided by Sodexo

Family Leave

Childcare Days x 2

One day off for each of moving house, graduation, wedding per annum

Maternity Leave – 3 months’ full pay

Paternity Leave – 1 weeks’ full pay

Gym

Access to the School’s Gym based at Mayfield Sports Centre outside School hours.

Counselling

Up to six sessions with the Wellbeing Academy

About the High School of Dundee

At the High School of Dundee, our unique location in the heart of the city is a major strength, helping our pupils feel connected to the real world, creating fully rounded and grounded young people. The school currently has over 900 pupils, from age 3-18, who divide their time between our main city centre campus and our extensive sports facility, Mayfield.

Our approach is built on a profound belief that if young people are valued, supported known, and engaged in their learning, they can achieve amazing things. We have a long track record of outstanding exam results, which we owe to our rigorous approach, expertise built up over many years and a genuine desire to see our pupils realise their potential.

In our Primary School, the children work daily on the crucial building blocks of literacy and numeracy, but the focus is also on making learning fun, engaging and wide-ranging. And in the Senior Years, choice is paramount. In S3, our pupils can choose eight subjects to focus on, while in S5 they can select from 25 subjects at Higher level. At Advanced Higher, 23 subjects are available.

The timetabling of exciting new interdisciplinary STEM Innovation and Business Enterprise courses, in addition to computer science for all, has embedded Future Skills into our curriculum. In tandem, the development of partnerships with local businesses is allowing us to provide real world learning opportunities which further enriches our pupils’ learning.

A focus on the essential importance of Pastoral Care and on encouraging all pupils to make the most of the opportunities presented by our vibrant and extensive co-curriculum, helps create an environment in which the School’s Core Values are ever-present and where the desire to learn, support one another and grow is embraced by all.