Salary - £36,245 – £42,965
Permanent and Full Time (37 hours per week)
Preferred Location: Wallingford, some hybrid working will be possible with this role. Alternative locations considered: Lancaster/Edinburgh offices. For the first 1-2 years working location will be at the Wallingford head office.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we find the right candidate, so we encourage you to apply early.
Are you technically curious, enjoy tackling challenges, and like the sound of introducing new and innovative engineering solutions to support our environmental science?
We are recruiting for a Lead Field Technician to join our dynamic and multi-disciplinary team of scientists and engineers, and play a vital part in supporting a flagship soil moisture monitoring project ().
You will play an integral role in providing the technical expertise to keep a research grade network of automated environmental monitoring stations operational. This network generates valuable hydrometeorological data used across a range of environmental applications including climate modelling, water resources, flood forecasting and land-surface interactions.
As a technical specialist your role will support the provision of high-quality environmental data to the scientific community. This will involve trouble shooting technical issues in established systems as well as the design, configuration, installation, and maintenance of sensors. You’ll help bridge our skill gap with their expertise in a systems approach to technical and help mentor junior engineers, supporting their training and development.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to gain leadership experience and take the next step in their career. It also presents an exciting opportunity for individuals showcasing a strong grasp of environmental monitoring sensor systems to contribute to the development and deployment of cutting-edge sensors and instrumentation across diverse field locations nationwide.
Your main responsibilities will include:
1. Co-lead responsive and planned maintenance visits for automated field instrument systems (data loggers, sensors, telemetry, and data collection server)
2. Construct, wire, program, test and deploy new systems
3. Become the subject matter expert in the chosen instrumentation
4. Training and mentoring technicians within the team
5. Work collaboratively with lead scientists, to develop new environmental monitoring sensor systems
6. Visit nationwide field sites for new system installations and training, fault resolution and decommissioning (averaging at around 20 field site days per annum, some requiring overnight stays, lone working and team visits)
7. Procurement - of parts and ready-made systems
8. Improve data capture and data quality performance, reducing operational costs and minimising data gaps
9. Keep up with available/emerging innovative technologies and best practice for sensor networks
10. Maintain and write thorough documentation of working procedures, calibrations, inventory etc.
This is a highly collaborative role and would suit someone who enjoys a variable workload and excels independently, resourceful in their approach and are passionate about innovation and problem-solving to investigate and resolve module-level faults. You'll work closely with a team of experts across diverse fields including scientists, field and workshop technicians, and aid in the guidance of junior field technicians, alongside our Procurement team and suppliers. As such this role necessitates adaptability and an openness to embracing varying work styles, approaching challenges with patience and an understanding of differing priorities and focuses.
For the role of Lead Field Technician, we’re looking for somebody who has:
Essential:
11. Previous experience working within an environmental, academic, scientific or research environment, with experience gained in the hydrology field
12. A technical qualification at BTEC level or degree (or equivalent work experience)
13. A broad understanding of field data logger hardware (or similar data acquisition hardware), hydrological or other environmental field sensors, and their maintenance requirements
14. Experience of programming data loggers, interfacing sensors and telemetry networks - including various methods and comms protocols e.g., IoT connectivity, 4G/5G, Satellite, WiFi, Bluetooth, LoRaWAN, MQTT
15. Experience delivering fieldwork activities safely in remote outdoor environments year-round, with experience of Safe Systems of Work in the field/Lone Working Safety
16. An appreciation for the importance of accurate data management and version control
17. Knowledge and experience of workshop and lab safety practices in the UK
18. Comfort with occasional work at heights
19. A full driving licence is essential, as well as a willingness to be occasionally away from home overnight to visit field sites across the UK (some overseas travel may be required)
Desirable Skills:
20. The ability to work with technical drawings, schematics and wiring routing diagrams of a sensor station, network or mesh network
21. Programming in R/C/C++/Visual Basic/Python/CR Basic
22. IP and serial bus networked sensors and basic computer/sensor networking configuration
23. Configuring and deploying telemetry systems (GPRS/mobile and satellite)
24. Sensor network experience
25. Knowledge of quality management systems (i.e., ISO9001)
You will be joining a specialist and diverse team with a wide range of the desirable skills listed above. Whilst prior experience with these skills is not essential, but we would love for you to have an interest in learning and developing them. Hands-on training will be provided to support your growth.
You’ll also be joining a leading independent, not-for-profit research institute that’s committed to recruiting talented people like you, progressing your career and giving you the support you need to thrive at UKCEH.
Our science makes a real difference, enabling people and the environment to prosper, and enriching society. We are the custodians of a wealth of environmental data, collected by UKCEH and its predecessors over the course of more than 60 years.
Working for UKCEH is rewarding
We appreciate the continuous dedication and contributions of our staff, which is why we provide a comprehensive benefits package that includes financial incentives and wellbeing-oriented perks, such as:
26. 27 days annual leave (rising to 29 days after 5 years’ service) plus 3 days for Christmas closure
27. 10% employer pension contribution
28. Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (role dependant)
29. Peer reward and recognition scheme
30. Dental insurance, gym/fitness discounts, retail discount portal
31. Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
32. 24-hour, 365-day support with physical, mental, social, health or financial issues and much more...
Apply today!
If this opportunity resonates with you and aligns with your personal career goals, the team would love to receive your application. Please apply by submitting your CV along with a covering letter that highlights any qualifications, skills or experience you believe are relevant to this role.
At UKCEH, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone—regardless of background, identity, ability, or circumstance—has the opportunity to thrive. As a Disability Confidentemployer, we actively encourage applications from neurodivergent candidates and those with disabilities. We are happy to provide any adjustments or support you may need throughout the application process—please don’t hesitate to reach out. So, if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we’d love to hear from you anyway. You may be just the right fit for this role or another within our wider team.
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position at this time.