Research Technical Professional retraining and reskilling opportunity with a Daphne Jackson RTP Fellowship hosted by Durham University (Job Number: 26001162)
Science Faculty Office
SPOT: - Subject to the grade of the post
Fixed Term - Part Time
Contract Duration: One-year full time, 18-month part time at 0.75FTE or a two-year, part-time at 0.5FTE or another combination to suit the applicant.
Contracted Hours per Week: 17.5
Working Arrangements: The roles could be either at one-year full time, 18-month part time at 0.75FTE or a two-year, part-time at 0.5FTE or another combination to suit the applicant. This opportunity is open to people looking to return to work within an area of technical expertise and will be based in Durham.
Closing Date: 14-Sep-2026, 5:59:00 PM
Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement: Not Applicable.
The Daphne Jackson Trust has launched a new fellowship for Research Technical Professionals (RTP) who have taken a career break of at least two years for family, health or caring reasons and want to return to a technical role in research. This fellowship offers a personalised retraining and reskilling programme for the successful applicant.
Applications are now being invited for part-time flexible fellowships at Durham University. These could be either at one-year full time, 18-month part time at 0.75FTE or a two-year, part-time at 0.5FTE or another combination to suit the applicant. This opportunity is open to people looking to return to work within an area of technical expertise and will be based in Durham.
Durham University is excited to be working with the Daphne Jackson Trust to enable skilled Research Technical Professionals to retrain and reskill. As an institution, we recently received an Award of Merit for our work embedding our Technician Commitment action plan within university operations, hold a Silver Athena Swan award and were placed 85th in the QS world rankings based on our outstanding international reputation for research and teaching.
The University has four faculties, three of which are home to research technical professionals (Science, Social Science and Arts and Humanities). Across the institution, six departments and facilities have indicated that they could host Daphne Jackson RTP Fellows who have some familiarity with the type of technical work that they undertake.
About the roles
We are looking for research technical professionals who have taken a career break of two or more years for caring, health or family reasons and who are now looking to return to their career. They will update their technical skills and experience to support the activities of the host team and may be supporting a broad range of internal and external partners. We would be happy to consider applications from potential RTP fellows who would be interested in working in one of the following teams, and who have the type of skills, experience or qualifications that the teams have identified as being important for a successful fellowship in their areas. We are also keen to be as flexible as possible and are open to applications to work in other technical areas if a suitable host team is able to accommodate them.
Fellowship roles requiring a degree (undergraduate or postgraduate) or an equivalent level of experience
The following roles require the fellows to have experience of the area of technical specialism, evidenced by either a degree (undergraduate or postgraduate) or equivalent experience within the subject area, more details are provided on this in the opportunities below. These roles require fellows, with excellent written and spoken communication skills and the ability develop effective working relationships both internally and externally.
The Department of Archaeology could host a fellow within the North East Material Culture Analytical Suite, (NEMCAS) team focussing on thin-section production and microscopy. This role would suit a fellow who has a degree or postgraduate equivalent experience in Archaeological Science, Soil Science, Earth Science, or Materials Science, especially soil or sediment micromorphology, petrography, geoarchaeology, and/or thin-sectioning. The role will provide training on soil thin section production, and analysis.
The Department of Chemistry could host a fellow with postgraduate experience in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering with previous expertise in gas chromatography, reactor design and operation, and the safe handling of toxic, hazardous, and high-pressure gases.
The Department of Geography could host fellows with a postgraduate qualifications or related experience in Physical Geography, Earth Sciences, Chemistry or Engineering to retrain in the areas of Organic Geochemistry/Biomarker analysis using GC systems or Geotechnical characterisation and testing.
The GJ Russell Electron Microscopy Facility in the Department of Physics could host a fellow with a background in materials science, geology, earth sciences (including structural geology, sedimentology, or mineralogy) who is keen to develop expertise in advanced electron microscopy and microanalytical techniques including Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy, (EELS).
Fellowship roles not requiring degree level experience
These roles do not require the fellow to have degree level experience. These roles require fellows to have experience of working within a team and working within a technical environment setting up resources and equipment. As well as time management and problem solving abilities. Further details are below specific to each fellowship role:
The Department of Engineering could host a fellow in environmental engineering within the Smart Soils Team and who has experience at any level in analysis of environmental samples (soils, waters, microbes) using laboratory equipment.
The fellowships are mainly practical laboratory or similar facility-based roles including retraining in relevant techniques, although for suitably experienced or interested fellows, some fellowships could have administrative and project management, lab management components too. Examples might include liaising with equipment service teams or developing commercial operations.
Critically, fellows will be working with positive minded, friendly teams that will help support them throughout the fellowship.
Further details
For further information about these opportunities at Durham University or to discuss the potential for fellowships in other technical areas / disciplines please contact Steve Robertson ([email protected]) and Beth Upex ([email protected]) who can answer general questions and put you in touch with the host teams.
For further details about the RTP fellowship role, eligibility criteria and application process please email [email protected].
Details on how to apply can be found here Applying for a Research Technical Professional Fellowship - Daphne Jackson Trust
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Please do not apply within this application portal.
Closing date for applications is Monday 14th September
Once eligibility has been confirmed and following shortlisting by the Daphne Jackson Trust, Durham University will undertake an internal selection process to identify the preferred candidates.
