Technician: Embroidery

Purpose of the role 

As a Specialist Technician you will provide professional expertise, guidance and advice and contribute to the delivery of Learning & Teaching activities within the College.  

Using your expertise in relation to Textiles Embroidery, you will guide students of multiple levels with questions and quires. You will teach students, adapting your communication style to suit individual needs to a diverse student body, providing students with an education they need to flourish in a changing world. 

You will work in the Embroidery Studio space and will deliver and assist technical workshops. Your knowledge and experience of various embroidery; hand, craft and digital techniques and machines (including Wilcom software) will allow you to offer creative solutions to technical problems. You will also have a close working relationship with the other Textiles department. 

Out of term time you and the Embroidery team will be responsible for termly prep, including workshop planning, asset management, sampling and organisation of the studio.   

Key duties and responsibilities  

• Take responsibility for and oversee the daily running of specific areas and facilities by within the College, including the use and booking of specialist facilities (i.e. darkrooms, studios within and without timetabled teaching sessions) and liaising with the Technical Coordinator/Manager to ensure the safe use of equipment and facilities. 

• Contribute, as a Course team member, with the planning and development of the programme area, the identification of learning outcomes, including curriculum development, research and commercial activities. 

• Contribute and collaborate with Technical Team members as required to ensure the key priorities and levels of service are met successfully, such as compliance with Health and Safety, maintenance and repairs of equipment, liaising with team members, the Technical Coordinator/Manager. 

• Provide feedback to Course Leaders, Technical Coordinators and/or Technical Managers regarding service levels and student requirements to ensure appropriate adaptations are made and contribute to the revision of standards of service delivery. 

• Work at an agreed level within the terms of the glossary of key terms (describing Teaching & Learning relationships between Technicians and students). 

• Contribute to planning, development and delivery of learning activities supporting student learning and research, liaising with Course Leaders and academic staff informally and formally in Course meetings. 

• Supervise learning activities, providing expert guidance and advice to students, helping students to identify and supply appropriate techniques, processes, materials, resources and equipment to meet learning outcomes. 

• Provide formal or informal sessions to students that may include demonstration, instruction with a process/technique, coaching for the development and proficiency of a particular skill, technique or process. 

• Provide detailed feedback to students and contribute critical input to student concept and expressive/creative intention in relation to agreed Course Learning Outcomes and demonstrate a high level of independent responsibility for the diagnosis and resolution of problems and creative/artistic challenges met with the execution of that work. 

• Carry out detailed and extensive research to support the ability to diagnose and resolve problems of a highly technical, complicated nature, which involves testing and re-testing scenarios and processes. 

• Undertake frontline maintenance and repairs, liaising with suppliers and contractors to meet professional procedures and guidelines, as agreed with the Technical Coordinator/Manager. 

• Liaise internally and externally with professionals and recognised practitioners and artists, attend conferences and exhibitions to share and develop ideas, knowledge and expertise that can be used to support academic learning and research activities. 

• Take responsibility for the maintenance of inventories, carrying out risk assessments and appropriate records with regard to equipment, stock lists, ordering of stock, equipment and consumables, reporting servicing and repair of equipment to the Technical Coordinator/Manager. 

• Contribute to the project planning and delivery of exhibitions and events within the College and be involved with the design, production and development of appropriate teaching and learning materials to suit own specific areas of specialist activity and service delivery. 

Key working relationships 

• Students 

• Technical Coordinator  

• Technical Manager 

• Course Leader 

• Academic staff  

• Other staff 

General duties 

These duties below are in addition to the duties and responsibilities listed above: 

• Perform duties and tasks consistent within the scope and grade of your role as reasonably may be expected and assigned to you from anywhere within the university.  

• Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the role.  

• Work in accordance with the University’s Staff Charter and Dignity at Work Policy and anti-racism plans, promoting equality diversity and inclusion in your work.  

• Undertake continuous personal and professional development, and to support it for any staff you manage through effective use of the University’s Planning, Review and Appraisal (PRA) scheme and staff development opportunities.  

• Make full use of all information and communication technologies to meet the requirements of the role and to promote organisational effectiveness.  

• Conduct all financial matters associated with the role in accordance with the University’s policies and procedures, as laid down in the Financial Regulations.  

• Contribute to the University’s Climate Action Plan and Social Purpose Strategy which sets out our principles, commitments and goals towards climate justice and our socio-environmental purpose.