Critical Services Technician

The NBI Partnership (NBIP) provides non-scientific services to research institutes based on the Norwich Research Park, a globally recognised centre for bioscience innovation.
The park is home to leading research institutes, including the John Innes Centre (JIC), Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB), Earlham Institute (EI) and The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL), supporting cutting-edge research in food security, health and environmental sustainability. NBIP provides the facilities management (FM) services to the JIC's, TSL's and EI's estates and buildings.
The Critical Services Technician is a pivotal role within the Facilities team at NBIP, responsible for maintaining, repairing, monitoring and ensuring the safe and efficient operation of critical building infrastructure and essential services. With a mechanical bias, the post-holder will specialise in the maintenance, servicing and repair of pressure systems and pressure equipment, laboratory autoclaves, pumps, plate heat exchangers and associated pipework and plant.

They will also support Horticulture Controlled Environment Rooms (CERs), Data Centres, Energy Centre equipment, Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units, Medium Temperature Hot Water (MTHW) systems, Life Safety systems and Building Management Systems (BMS), with the electrical and controls competence to work independently across these systems.
The post-holder will have expertise in technical fault diagnosis, preventive maintenance and reactive repairs, ensuring all critical equipment performs at optimal levels. They will also play a key role in supporting compliance with statutory regulations, safety standards and operational best practice.
Working closely with the wider Facilities Maintenance Operations Team, the Critical Services Technician will ensure the availability and reliability of critical systems that support scientific research and operational needs s role requires a proactive, solution-focused approach, contributing to continuous improvement and operational resilience. The post-holder will be expected to deputise for the Critical Services Supervisor.

Reports to: Critical Services Supervisor
Internal: Maintenance Operations Manager, Facilities Operations Manager, Maintenance Operations team, Facilities Operations Coordinator, Facilities Helpdesk Supervisor, Energy and Environment Manager, Operational and Laboratory Managers, Compliance Manager
External: Contractors, service providers and statutory inspection bodies (including insurance engineers / competent persons)

1. Critical Systems Maintenance & Operation
Perform planned preventive maintenance (PPM), monitoring through the BMS and reactive repairs on a range of critical systems, including:

• Pressure systems and pressure equipment, including pressure vessels, receivers, safety valves, pressure gauges and associated pipework, supporting the site's written schemes of examination

• Laboratory autoclaves, including door seals, interlocks, safety valves, steam supply, traps, vacuum systems, instrumentation and pressure/temperature controls, plus supporting validation and calibration activities

• Pumps, including strip-down, repair and rebuild of centrifugal, positive displacement, vacuum and other pump types, covering mechanical seals, bearings, couplings, impellers and shaft alignment

• Plate heat exchangers, including opening, inspecting, cleaning, replacing gaskets and plates, pressure testing and reassembly

• Pipework, valves and distribution systems, including steam, condensate, MTHW, chilled water, compressed air and process fluids

• Horticulture Controlled Environment Rooms (CERs), including refrigeration, humidification, lighting and environmental controls

• Data Centres and…