Job Description

Position Details

College of Medicine and Health – Infrastructure and Facilities

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £30,062 to £31,900, with potential progression once in post to £35,883

Grade: 5

Full Time, Permanent

Closing date: 23rd June 2026

Background

This role is currently based within the Human Anatomy Unit (HAU) within the College of Medicine and Health at the University of Birmingham. The HAU currently comprises facilities for teaching – including embalming, prosection and dissection, plus our 13 HTA-licensed small group teaching rooms within the Medical School. These facilities will be transferring to the Birmingham Centre for Anatomy, Surgical and Clinical Skills (BCASCS) based within the Birmingham Health Innovation Campus (BHIC) Building Number 1 in 2027.

The HAU works with the Professor of Anatomy to maintain and enhance the student experience across all the College Programmes that require specialist anatomical education. The postholder will be part of the professional and technical services support team who manages the facilities, donor material, and preparation for teaching delivery by the academic staff. The team supports and co-ordinates the practical teaching and use of facilities across Anatomy, supporting all users of the College’s specialist teaching facilities.

You will provide specialist technical advice and support to facilitate the University’s Body Donation Programme and teaching delivery in the HAU. You will be expected to prepare anatomical prosections, to assist with classes, student and staff projects, and external course provision. You may supervise a number of technical staff but even where you do not directly supervise staff you will still be expected to act as a role model and coach others as appropriate.

You will need a significant understanding of the requirements to deliver both undergraduate and postgraduate anatomy classes. You will need to have an in-depth understanding of the anatomy of all regions of the body, be able to competently embalm whole donors using a standard formalin-based protocol and be able to gain competency in undertaking a Thiel embalming protocol. You should be able to respond quickly and effectively to changes in the timetable to ensure a positive student experience. You will be required to operate out of normal working hours to accommodate classes and external courses.

In order to flexibly use resource, you may be offered the opportunity to work in different areas of the department or wider university.

Main Duties

The role holder will provide expertise in a range of technical skills to support the academic delivery of Anatomy teaching for the College of Medicine & Health. The role holder will have core duties that apply to all senior technicians but will also undertake specific activity in line with the bespoke regulatory needs of the Academic Unit, and their own expertise and specialisms. This list is not exhaustive and will be subject to change.

• If in a supervisory position, you will supervise the day-to-day activities of a number of other technical staff.
• You will provide support and guidance and work closely with your staff in relation to working requirements, working environment, staff wellbeing, identifying any training requirements as appropriate.
• Even if you are not in a supervisory position, you will still be expected to act as a role model and coach staff in the locality.
• You will discuss the daily programme of work with your manager and other technical staff in the area to ensure the daily programme of work, session protocols and outcomes are clear.
• You will plan, based on the available timetabling information, the most efficient/effective means to turnaround the daily classes.
• Embalm and prepare human cadavers and prosections, apparatus, equipment and other materials for anatomy classes and external training courses facilitated by the HAU. Prepare donors for cremation. Share responsibility, and on occasion assume the lead role, for receiving and preparing donor bodies. Maintain accurate digital and physical records and confidentiality.
• Support the Anatomy Manager where required and deputise for them in their absence.
• Keeping the Anatomy Manager informed as to changes to sessions, content of any discussions with academic leads and other matters relating to the anatomy facilities.
• Work with the wider anatomy academic team to support the security, upkeep and maintenance of anatomy teaching areas, mortuary and body storage facilities and other teaching spaces within BCASCS - and the associated infrastructure, equipment (including servicing and repairs) and supplies.
• Provide technical advice and support student learning at all levels within the anatomy facilities. Provide supervision for staff and students using the facilities for undergraduate research and dissection projects, summer studentships and postgraduate research.
• Prepare preservation and other chemical solutions. Ensure the secure storage and routine periodic maintenance of retained specimens. Maintain and repair anatomical models and skeletons. Ensure anatomical prosections and models are kept in optimal condition for use in teaching.
• Prepare and support Open Days, Applicant Visitor Day events, Continuous Professional Development and other external requirements within the licensed facilities or other areas as and when required. This will involve out of hours working and weekend work.
• Oversee that the teaching facilities are suitably prepared for practicals and the setup/takedown of equipment/materials used during sessions.
• Check practical layouts prior to classes and ensure that all requirements are in place.
• Be familiar with the use of a broad spectrum of general laboratory equipment and specialised anatomy teaching equipment.
• Demonstrate equipment use, high level techniques and procedures to staff and students.
• Trouble-shoot and respond to problems, which may occur during practical sessions, using your in-depth knowledge and your ability to diagnose/resolve problems and suggest solutions. Provide support and maintain optimum performance of AV, ultrasound equipment and teaching-related equipment in anatomy areas.

Health and Safety duties

• Proactive support for health and safety within the laboratory. This may include being required to look after a communal area as part of your duties. Comply with all current rules and ensure all required assessments are in place, approved and up to date.
• Fully understand the safety aspects of embalming and dissecting and be able to demonstrate/train staff (at all levels) on the correct usage of specialist dissection equipment/surgical instrumentation.
• Ensuring that regular maintenance processes are carried out and that appropriate records are maintained.
• Reporting any breaches or non-compliance with H&S procedures to the relevant manager(s).
• Upholding the correct waste disposal stream as governed by College and local policy for the anatomy facilities.
• Postholders may be asked to undergo training as a First Aider and/or Fire Warden.

General Administration and Organisation

• Ensuring all records are accurate and kept up to date. Undertake Human Tissue Act and practical skills training to service provision of the Body Donation programme. Carry out the necessary recording, including audit support, required to comply with the Human Tissue Act. Act as Person Designated (PD) as required.
• Proactively maintain stocks of consumables, and when required generate purchase order requisitions using University systems.
• Receipt and correct storage of consumables/equipment and chemical reagents.
• Ensuring that the facilities are maintained in a clean, functional and safe condition, reporting any problems through the appropriate channels.
• Ensuring that PAT testing, calibration of equipment and locally and centrally held equipment inventories are up to date and maintained.
• Adopt a proactive attitude to assisting with and implementing carbon reduction and energy saving measures.
• Maintain a technical support based teaching laboratory website (how to guides for the preparation of materials, practical setup guides) and keeping these up to date as and when session requirements or protocols change or maintaining relevant research lab databases/records.
• Attend relevant training courses, workshops and conferences as required to stay informed of new methodologies and technologies in line with our regulator’s requirements.

Other Duties

• In collaboration with the relevant manager the post holder will take an active role in the training and mentoring process for junior or newly appointed staff.
• Supports equality and values diversity, moderates own behaviour to avoid unfair discriminatory impact or bias on others.
• Supports equality and values diversity, moderates own behaviour to avoid unfair discriminatory impact or bias on others.
• Any other duties as may reasonably be required.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Extensive relevant workplace experience, equivalent professional qualification or degree in a subject with a significant anatomy component.
• Certificate in Anatomical Technology and Science with a willingness to work towards obtaining a Diploma in Anatomical Technology and Science.
• GCSE Level 2 (A*-C/4-9) or equivalent level 2 qualification in Mathematics and English.
• In-depth practical knowledge of relevant technical and scientific methods.
• Relevant teaching laboratory experience to include previous experience in handling and embalming donated human material.
• Comprehensive knowledge and experience of human embalming procedures with an expectation that you will develop competence in Thiel embalming methods when transitioning to BCASCS.
• Demonstrable proficiency in using standard anatomy laboratory equipment and/or equipment and procedures from a related area (for example, equipment used by a funeral director).
• Well-developed understanding of Health and Safety legislation as pertains to working with donated human tissue.
• Working knowledge of the Human Tissue Act, and the Human Tissue Authority’s Standards and Guidelines for the Anatomy sector (Code C).
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Must be able and prepared to work within a mortuary environment and be able to work with donated human tissue. Must be able to produce prosections from all regions of the human body.
• Proficiency in computer skills, including an excellent working knowledge of using a variety of Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams) – or similar software.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Must be willing to attend both internal and external training courses related to Continuing Professional Development – for example Health and Safety courses, anatomical sciences workshops etc to learn and adapt to new techniques and technologies.
• Significant Manual Handling is required for this post, therefor ability to lift and move laboratory equipment and specimens is essential.
• Ability to organise and manage own workload and demonstrate flexibility in terms of work practices/requirements.
• Ability to work under minimal supervision but function as part of a team.

Informal enquiries to Natasha Russell, email: n.russell.1@bham.ac.uk

Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyoneon our website