Senior Technical Team Manager (Cryo-EM Facility)

Role Description

Department

The Department of Chemistry and the York Structural Biology Laboratory (YSBL) are seeking to appoint a Senior Technical Manager to lead on all key aspects of their specialist skills in Cryo-EM, and undertake significant project collaborations with, and provide support for  our academic group leaders within the Department. 

The Department of Chemistry is one of the largest and most successful departments at York and we are renowned internationally for our research. As a department, we strive to provide a working environment that allows all staff and students to contribute fully, to flourish, and to excel. We are proud of our Athena SWAN Gold Award.

As a signatory of the Science Council’s Technician Commitment, the University of York strongly supports technical career development, and part of this programme is the drive to recruit new talent into the technical profession in higher education.  

Role 

The York Structural Biology Laboratory (YSBL) has been recognised worldwide in prominent publications, healthy grant income sustained over many years, and awards to YSBL researchers including the Queen’s Award in 2020 recognising the collective achievements in ‘understanding and exploiting proteins’. Cryo-EM is an essential experimental pillar of YSBL. In 2021, a 200 kV Glacios electron microscope was installed in the custom-built Eleanor and Guy Dodson Building; in 2024 the Glacios was upgraded with a Selectris Energy Filter using funds from the BBSRC. The cryo-EM facility user base has rapidly grown and is carrying out exceptional science (see Bayfield et al, Nature 2023; Nam et al, Cell, 2024; Helena-Bueno et al, Nature, 2024). Future expansion of the cryo-EM facility to explore the exciting frontier of cryo-ET is an essential part of YSBL’s and the wider university’s research strategy 

The success of YSBL’s x-ray and cryo-EM facility has relied on exceptional staff. This role holder will lead the cryo-EM facility, being responsible for ensuring optimal microscope performance, developing the user base, and long-term financial planning. They will be experts in both data collection and processing. They will report to Dr Johan Turkenburg, the manager of the wider facility, and work closely with Professor Jamie Blaza, the academic lead for cryo-EM and Mr Sam Hart, the senior technical specialist. 

The role holder will be required to work collaboratively with technical, academic, and research colleagues, as well as external academic and industrial stakeholders, providing in-depth knowledge and leadership in the areas of Cryo-EM and structural biology. They will be expected to support the applications for external funding made by colleagues and lead their own, particularly around infrastructure.

The University is a founding signatory of the Technician Commitment and is dedicated to increasing the visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability of technical staff, and Lead Technical Specialists are regarded internationally as experts in their field. 

Skills, Experience & Qualification needed

• Postgraduate degree, or equivalent significant experience in Cryo-EM
• Skills and knowledge to implement the technical specialist requirements of experimental work across a number of instruments or areas
• Proven ability to work at high levels of skill and accuracy
• Competent in the operation and maintenance of complex microscopy  equipment
• Manage the space occupied by the Cryo-EM ensuring it is deployed to maximum effect.
• Flexible attitude towards work, willingness to respond to time led demands
• Dependable, reliable and self-motivated

Interview date:  14 July 2026

For informal enquiries: please contact Prof Jamie Blaza (jamie.blaza@york.ac.uk), Dr Johan Turkenburg (johan.turkenburg@york.ac.uk) or Dr Graeme McAllister (graeme.mcallister@york.ac.uk)

The Department of Chemistry values all employees for the qualities and skills they bring to the workplace and aims to be a diverse and egalitarian community in which all can thrive.  

The University strives to be diverse and inclusive  – a place where we can ALL be ourselves.

We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented at the University. 

We offer family friendly, flexible working arrangements, with forums and inclusive facilities to support our staff. #EqualityatYork

As a Disability Confident employer, we will ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum (essential) criteria for each position will be offered an interview.  Read more about the University of York’s commitments under the Disability Confident scheme.