Principal Technical Officer (Job Level 9.1) at Stellenbosch University

Duties    

• Responsible for the management and maintenance of various undergraduate and postgraduate laboratories, storerooms and preparation areas;
• Responsible for coordinating the preparation of and support to undergraduate practicals with an emphasis on instrumental techniques and synthetic techniques;
• Providing technical research support to academic staff and postgraduate students;
• Responsible for maintaining the laboratory equipment;
• Managing support staff assigned to the hub;
• Controlling and managing stock storerooms (chemicals, gas and glassware);
• Coordinating health and safety measures within the hub and reporting risks;
• Liaising with service providers for obtaining quotations and purchasing chemicals and laboratory equipment;
• Liaising with the University's service departments.

Job Requirements    

• A BSc-Honours degree in chemistry, or an equivalent technical qualification with appropriate work experience;
• Good working knowledge of a variety of analytical equipment;
• At least five years' practical work experience in a comparable laboratory environment;
• Experience of managing laboratory infrastructure;
• Proven computer skills in the use of the Microsoft Office package (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook);
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English;
• Evidence of effective management of staff and the ability to work as part of a team.

Recommendation    

• A MSc in chemistry;
• In-depth knowledge of and work experience in advanced instrumental techniques;
• Good communication skills in Afrikaans.