Job Description: Technician – Research
Position Purpose: The purpose of this role is to provide technical support to a fully funded
external project in consumer sensory science including the maintaining
procedures for appropriate hygiene, health and safety practices, standard
operating procedures for the lab, data collection software and panel
databases.
Department: Feast
Location: Manawatū
Reports to: Fonterra Riddet Chair
Responsible for:
Delegations: E (Credit card for financial purchases)
Job Title: Feast Project Technician
Key relationships: Internal External
Feast Director Corporate Clients
Research Officers Research Funder
Feast Technician
Finance
Massey University: We are a world-leading university in many academic disciplines and fields
of research. Our point of difference is research that is connected to
community and industry. Our researchers are developing expertise and
skills to advance human knowledge and understanding. Working together
across disciplines and locations, we solve national and global problems
through fundamental, applied and interdisciplinary research, while
culturally and artistically enriching our world.
We are deeply committed to being a Te Tiriti-led university,
demonstrating authentic leadership in contemporary Aotearoa New
Zealand as we uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the founding document of our
nation, and its principles through our practice. We embrace this not just
as an obligation but as a real opportunity for the nation and its people.
Our educators are preparing a new generation of global leaders. Our
students are diverse and are attracted to Massey because they want to
achieve their personal goals or make their mark in the world. They
experience world-class learning that recognises their intellectual and
cultural strengths, expands their horizons and prepares them to
contribute to a rapidly transforming world with skills, critical and creative
thinking and leadership.
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We will be renowned for our passion and caring attitude. All Massey
campuses will be innovation ecosystems, acting as magnets for smart
enterprises. Wherever we are, we will operate in partnerships founded
on respect, trust and mutual benefit. Massey is not only defined by what
we do, but by how we do it.
About this area Feast was established by Professor Hort in 2018 and is based on the
Manawatū (Palmerston North) campus of Massey University to provide a
NZ hub for sensory and consumer research, training and consultancy.
Massey core capabilities
At Massey we are Tiriti-led, upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles through our practice, we:
- Demonstrate awareness of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its contribution to Aotearoa New Zealand society.
- Understand the relevance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in relation to the work of the University and the
- Embracing Te Reo in relevant and practical ways in our workplace interactions and engagement with
external stakeholders, giving expression to Tikanga Māori and protocols that demonstrates that we
respect and value Māori conventions in appropriate settings.
At Massey we work together with mutual respect and caring. we:
- Act with integrity and trustworthiness and give credit to others for the work they do.
- Work cooperatively and inter-dependently to foster and promote the One University approach.
- Share knowledge and communicate professionally with courtesy and mutual respect.
- Are ethical in all transactions, working within the parameters of our policies and procedures.
- Are direct, truthful and maintain confidentiality.
- Seek to understand and appreciate our differences.
- Keep ourselves and others safe; work together to embrace with the University's health, safety and
wellbeing policies, procedures and programmes; display commitment by actively supporting all safety
and wellbeing initiatives: and by actively engaging in health and safety improvement opportunities.
At Massey we are future-focused, results- oriented and strive for excellence. we:
- Take ownership and responsibility for delivering results to support achievement of University objectives.
- Provide the best quality services to our customers (internal and external) ensuring our students/
- Deliver or support world-class research, teaching and learning and citizenship.
- Take personal responsibility for our performance, take pride in doing our job well, and commit to
- Are motivated and create a positive working environment where our values are reinforced.
- Anticipate and respond with agility and resilience to the changing needs of the University and the
- Seek ways to improve our services to deliver in an efficient and effective way.
- Embrace technology and apply this innovatively to better meet the needs of those we serve.
- Challenge ourselves to reach our potential and help bring out the best in others.
- Understand how what we do contributes to the objectives of the University.
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Accountabilities
Technical Support • Support Researchers conducting consumer sensory based
investigations.
- Responsible for continued development and maintenance of safe
procedures) for use in the Feast laboratory, including some for
equipment and software.
- Responsible for Feast laboratory hygiene, safety and hazard
- Induct new researchers, visitors, and students on the project into basic
- Ensure accurate record keeping e.g. ethics and risk assessments for all
• Manage data collection software used in project • Support recruitment
Consumer panels.
- Order consumables and equipment when required.
- Run basic consumer and sensory product evaluation sessions as
- Attend feast team meetings.
- Support researchers in sensory session set up, sample preparation and
- Undertake other relevant duties as requested by the manager
Procurement and • To raise purchase orders for consumables and equipment for research.
Administration • To ensure correct account coding is applied to purchases.
- To receive goods shipments and approve payment thereof.
Qualifications and Experience
Qualifications: Food Hygiene certificate
Experience: Extensive experience providing technical support and running sensory
Essential consumer panels with dairy products.
Experience in writing standard operating procedure for sensory
sciences and clear scientific record keeping.
Experience using Compusense software.
Capabilities - Behaviour
Communication • Written and oral communications that produces clear and complete
Essential communication.
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- Recognises which communications need to be formalised to provide
- Conducts discussions in a respectful manner, that are sincere and
- Adapts listening and facilitation styles to others' communication styles.
Working Together • Works with key stakeholders internally and externally. Knows when to
Essential apply confidentiality. Works with key stakeholders internally and
- Adapts interaction style appropriate to different situations and people.
- Understands the factors for high performance, and creates positive
- Works to understand alternative points of view to guide productive
working relationships.
Delivering Results
Essential • Maintains focus on critical work and expectations.
- Able to track and complete agreed work in planned timeframes.
- Takes responsibility for escalating issues that impact on planned work and
outcomes.
- Documents how results were obtained to support knowledge transfer and
- Supports self during change by remaining flexible, focusing on the
Service Centric
Essential • Acts with the internal/external stakeholder or customer in mind, seeks to
understand and deliver on customer perceptions and expectations.
- Able to respond to common stakeholder queries and problems or escalate
- Responds to unexpected stakeholder requests with a sense of urgency and
- Provides a level of customer centric service excellence that contributes to
Capabilities - Technical
Accuracy and • Identifies tasks or outputs that require accuracy and detail-level attention.
Attention to • Processes large amounts of detailed information with good accuracy.
Detail
Essential • Utilises specific approaches and tools for checking and cross-checking
- Develops and uses checklists to ensure that information goes out error-
- Accurately gauges the impact and cost of errors, omissions, and oversights.
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- Learns from mistakes and applies lessons learned.
Laboratory • Operational knowledge to recognise potential issues and apply appropriate
Practice method to identify cause and manage solutions.
Essential • Able to prepare laboratory and relevant equipment for tasks / activities as
- Ensures laboratory supplies / equipment are stored and used appropriately
- Ensures laboratory supplies are ordered from preferred suppliers and
managed in accordance with good laboratory practice.
Digital Skills • Ability to learn and use core Massey University systems.
Essential • Proficient in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint,
- Performs file management tasks such as folder management and
controlled document administration relevant to research project.
Priority Setting • Understands own role priorities on a day-to-day basis.
Essential • Performs at least 2-3 concurrent activities without reducing productivity.
- Completes current work according to assigned priorities.
- Recognises changing demands and priorities; validates changes with
- Responds to day-to-day operational priorities while still making progress
- Obtains information about how current assignments contribute to
organisational goals.
Technical • Seeks opportunities for continual learning to maintain technical
Management competence in pursuit of technical excellence.
Essential • Provides effective technical solutions to routine functional challenges via
sound technical competence, effectively examining implications of events
and issues.
- Applies current procedures and technologies to help resolve technical
- Effectively performs the technical job aspects, continuously building
components.
- Applies technical operating and project standards based on achieving
- Helps others solve technical or procedural problems or issues.
Technical Writing/ • Implements technical documentation standards, guidelines and best
Documentation practices.
Essential • Completes and maintains technical reference documents.
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- Coordinates and constantly updates system operations, installations,
Pre-employment checks
None required
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