Structures Technician

You will be based in the Aeronautics Structures section and associated laboratories and workshops. These busy and vibrant laboratories some of which are shared with Mechanical Engineering are part of a number of Aeronautics facilities supporting experimental research along with undergraduate and postgraduate practical study. The department has a team of technicians involved in the production and testing of sophisticated models and samples for Aeronautics research and teaching. In recent years, the Structures laboratories have embraced new machines, software and technologies including drop-towers, fatigue machines and a range of Instron extension and compression test machines.

Working under the supervision of the laboratory manager, you will respond to day-to-day laboratory requests, contribute to general lab activity and meet with academic staff, researchers and students to help develop requirements for training and testing in the laboratory.

Ideally you will have some experience of structures or materials testing but initially, you should possess a good understanding of the function of engineering laboratories with knowledge of traditional workshop equipment. An understanding or willingness to learn aspects of applied electronics and instrumentation including use of computer software and hardware in applied environments and the ability to offer engineering assistance based on verbal or written outline ideas would be desirable. You must be willing and able to receive training to develop competency on the range of specialised machines associated with the Aeronautics structures research environment.

Duties and responsibilities

Duties and responsibilities include the following:

• To work as part of a team providing machine tool skills using a wide range of workshop machines and equipment.
• To competently use all types of traditional engineering workshop machines and tools, including working in a wide range of materials.
• To work from drawings, sketches and verbal instructions to develop experiments and testing methodologies.
• To produce engineering drawings in a CAD format.
• To provide technical support to the Structures laboratories and across the department as the need dictates.
• To undertake basic maintenance and cleaning of structures machine equipment and tools.
• To keep the work area in a clean and tidy condition.
• To comply with health and safety regulations and undertake risk and other assessments for laboratory processes and apply/enforce them within the workplace.
• To continue to develop own engineering skills and expertise sufficient and consistent with the needs of the structures section and department.
• Any other reasonable duties as requested by the Structures Supervisor or those delegated by him.

Essential requirements

You should have achieved the following:

• Satisfactory completion of a recognised apprenticeship programme in engineering including working in an engineering workshop as part of an approved training scheme.
• HNC in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent
• NVQ to level 3 in a relevant accredited workplace

In addition, you will have a good understanding of safety and safe working processes, traditional workshop equipment and some knowledge of the use and storage of chemicals within a laboratory environment. An understanding of a range of laboratory instrumentation, computers and computer aided design (CAD) techniques and the ability to work from rough details or initial ideas will be required.

Further information

This is a full time, open-ended post based at South Kensington Campus.

Informal enquiries regarding the position can be made to Dr Nigel MacCarthy (n.maccarthyl@imperial.ac.uk)

Should you have any queries relating to the recruitment process please contact: Lisa Kelly: [email protected]

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