Design and Technology Technician

About the school

The Royal Grammar School Guildford Qatar is a co-educational British international school for pupils aged 3 to 18. The school provides a broad and challenging British curriculum within an ambitious, inclusive, and supportive learning environment.

We are seeking a skilled, organised, and safety-conscious Design and Technology Technician to support the effective delivery of practical Design and Technology lessons.

The role

The Design and Technology Technician will provide technical and practical support to the Design and Technology Department. The postholder will prepare materials and equipment, maintain workshops and machinery, support teachers during practical activities, manage stock, and help ensure a safe and well-organised working environment.

The successful candidate should have practical experience with workshop tools, machinery, resistant materials, product design processes, and, where available, computer-aided design and manufacturing technologies.

All operation, adjustment, and maintenance of machinery must remain within the postholder’s proven competence, training, and authorisation.

Key responsibilities

Preparation for lessons

Prepare materials, tools, equipment, components, and resources required for Design and Technology lessons.

Set up workshops, machinery, workstations, and practical areas before lessons.

Read teachers’ instructions, technical drawings, cutting lists, and lesson plans to determine resource requirements.

Measure, mark, cut, shape, drill, form, and prepare materials for practical projects.

Prepare wood, metal, plastics, textiles, card, electronic components, and other materials as required.

Produce demonstration pieces, prototypes, jigs, templates, models, and samples when requested.

Test tools, equipment, machines, and project processes before lessons.

Ensure that all required personal protective equipment is available and suitable.

Clear away equipment and materials after lessons.

Return workshops and preparation areas to a safe, clean, and organised condition.

Support the preparation of student work for displays, exhibitions, competitions, and assessments.

Practical classroom support

Provide technical assistance to teachers during practical lessons.

Support students in the safe and correct use of hand tools, equipment, materials, and machinery under the direction of a teacher.

Demonstrate the safe use of tools and equipment when authorised and requested.

Help students understand appropriate workshop procedures and safe working practices.

Provide appropriate technical guidance on construction methods, materials, processes, and manufacturing techniques.

Assist with student projects without completing assessed work on behalf of students.

Support students with differing practical needs, including reasonable adjustments agreed with the teacher and inclusion team.

Monitor workshop activities and immediately report unsafe behaviour, damaged equipment, or other hazards to the teacher.

Help maintain an orderly, purposeful, and inclusive practical learning environment.

Machinery and equipment

Conduct routine checks of tools, machinery, extraction systems, guards, emergency stops, and safety devices.

Ensure that machinery is used only by trained and authorised persons.

Maintain an accurate register of machinery, tools, equipment, and authorised users where required.

Carry out routine cleaning, adjustment, servicing, and minor repairs within the limits of personal competence and authorisation.

Immediately remove unsafe or defective tools and equipment from use.

Clearly label and securely isolate defective equipment until it has been repaired or replaced.

Arrange specialist servicing, inspection, or repair when work cannot be completed safely in-house.

Maintain servicing, inspection, repair, and maintenance records.

Ensure that hand tools are sharp, secure, correctly stored, and fit for purpose.

Support the safe use and maintenance of equipment such as pillar drills, band saws, scroll saws, sanders, lathes, vacuum formers, heat-forming equipment, soldering tools, laser cutters, computer numerical control equipment, and 3D printers, where available.

Ensure that dust and fume extraction systems are functioning correctly before relevant equipment is used.

Never bypass guards, interlocks, emergency stops, extraction systems, or other safety controls.

Digital design and manufacturing

Support the use of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing systems.

Prepare and check digital files for laser cutting, 3D printing, computer numerical control machining, or other digital manufacturing processes.

Operate digital manufacturing equipment only when appropriately trained and authorised.

Monitor machines during operation and respond appropriately to faults or unsafe conditions.

Maintain 3D printers, laser cutters, and other digital equipment according to manufacturer guidance.

Manage consumables such as filament, sheet material, cutting tools, adhesives, and replacement components.

Support teachers and students in understanding suitable file formats, machine settings, material limitations, and safe operating procedures.

Maintain appropriate backups and organised storage of design files where required.

Health and safety

Promote safe working practices throughout all Design and Technology rooms, workshops, stores, and preparation areas.

Support the implementation of the school’s health and safety policies and workshop procedures.

Assist with the preparation and review of risk assessments and safe operating procedures.

Ensure that risk assessments and safety instructions are available for relevant machinery, materials, and processes.

Check that guards, extraction systems, emergency stops, safety signage, and personal protective equipment are in place before practical activities begin.

Ensure that chemicals, adhesives, paints, finishes, solvents, aerosols, and other hazardous substances are correctly labelled, stored, handled, and disposed of.

Maintain current safety data sheets and chemical inventories.

Ensure that flammable or hazardous materials are stored in appropriate secure cabinets.

Monitor dust, fumes, noise, heat, sharp tools, moving machinery, and other workshop hazards.

Ensure that emergency exits, walkways, electrical panels, and access to safety equipment remain clear.

Check the availability and condition of first-aid supplies, fire blankets, eyewash facilities, spill kits, and other emergency equipment.

Report accidents, near misses, hazards, spillages, and damaged equipment immediately.

Assist with emergency procedures and incident investigations when required.

Ensure that students do not enter workshops, preparation rooms, chemical stores, or machinery areas without appropriate supervision.

Maintain secure storage and controlled access to high-risk tools and equipment.

Apply appropriate procedures for the disposal of sharp items, broken materials, chemical waste, batteries, electronic components, and other workshop waste.

Participate in required health and safety training and maintain relevant technical certifications.

Materials and stock control

Maintain an accurate inventory of materials, tools, equipment, components, and consumables.

Monitor stock levels and inform the Head of Design and Technology when resources need to be ordered.

Prepare purchase requests and obtain quotations in accordance with the school’s procurement procedures.

Receive, inspect, label, record, and safely store deliveries.

Ensure that materials are stored securely and in a manner that prevents damage, deterioration, or injury.

Maintain suitable stock rotation and identify damaged, expired, or surplus materials.

Organise storage systems so that resources can be located and issued efficiently.

Keep accurate records of tools and materials loaned to staff or students.

Report losses, breakages, and unusual patterns of material usage.

Help the department use resources efficiently and reduce unnecessary waste.

Support the Head of Design and Technology with budget monitoring and forward planning.

Workshop organisation and maintenance

Maintain workshops, stores, preparation rooms, and practical teaching spaces in a clean and orderly condition.

Ensure that benches, floors, sinks, extraction units, and working surfaces are cleaned appropriately.

Maintain safe and clearly labelled storage for tools, machinery accessories, materials, projects, and hazardous substances.

Complete scheduled workshop safety inspections and report required actions.

Arrange the safe storage of students’ work and unfinished projects.

Support room preparation for open days, exhibitions, inspections, examinations, and school events.

Liaise with the Facilities Department regarding electrical, ventilation, extraction, plumbing, structural, or specialist maintenance requirements.

Ensure that contractors working in workshops follow the school’s visitor, safeguarding, and safety procedures.

Maintain appropriate security arrangements for workshops and equipment.

Examination and project support

Support the preparation and organisation of materials for practical examinations and assessed projects.

Ensure that students have access to authorised materials and equipment.

Work with teachers to plan resources for examination groups and long-term projects.

Maintain confidentiality regarding examination materials, student work, and assessment information.

Support the secure storage of examination projects and controlled assessment materials.

Assist with the preparation of displays, portfolios, exhibitions, and final project presentations.

Follow all relevant awarding-body and school examination procedures.

Departmental and administrative responsibilities

Work closely with the Head of Design and Technology and subject teachers to anticipate technical requirements.

Maintain accurate records of equipment inspections, servicing, repairs, risk assessments, inventories, and orders.

Contribute to departmental planning and resource development.

Attend relevant departmental, health and safety, and staff meetings when required.

Provide technical advice regarding the feasibility, safety, cost, and resource requirements of proposed practical activities.

Assist in developing new practical projects, demonstrations, and enrichment activities.

Support clubs, competitions, school productions, exhibitions, and other activities where agreed.

Participate in appropriate professional development and mandatory school training.

Undertake other reasonable technical duties appropriate to the position.

Safeguarding and professional responsibilities

Promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young people at all times.

Follow the school’s safeguarding, child protection, health and safety, confidentiality, and data protection policies.

Report safeguarding concerns immediately through the school’s established procedures.

Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with students.

Treat information relating to students, families, and staff as confidential.

Ensure that external contractors, suppliers, and visitors follow the school’s safeguarding and visitor procedures.

Work collaboratively with academic, administrative, facilities, procurement, and support teams.

Contribute positively to the professional culture and wider life of the school.

Undertake any other reasonable duties assigned by the Head of Design and Technology, line manager, or Principal.

Person specification

Essential qualifications

A relevant technical, vocational, or academic qualification in Design and Technology, engineering, product design, manufacturing, carpentry, metalwork, electronics, workshop practice, or a related field.

Appropriate training or demonstrated competence in the safe use of workshop tools and machinery.

A good standard of written and spoken English.

Basic competence in using Microsoft Office and electronic record-keeping systems.

Essential experience

Practical experience working in a workshop, school, college, manufacturing, engineering, construction, design, or similar technical environment.

Experience using hand tools, workshop equipment, and relevant machinery.

Knowledge of workshop health and safety requirements.

Experience preparing and working with materials such as wood, metal, plastics, and manufactured boards.

Experience carrying out routine maintenance and minor repairs.

Experience maintaining accurate stock, inspection, or maintenance records.

Desirable qualifications and experience

Previous experience as a Design and Technology Technician in a British curriculum or international school.

Experience supporting Design and Technology at Key Stages 3, 4, and 5.

Familiarity with GCSE, IGCSE, AS Level, or A Level Design and Technology requirements.

Recognised workshop safety, machinery, first-aid, electrical safety, or health and safety training.

Experience using computer-aided design software.

Experience operating laser cutters, 3D printers, computer numerical control equipment, or other digital manufacturing technologies.

Experience with electronics, soldering, textiles, graphics, resistant materials, or product design.

Familiarity with risk assessments, safety data sheets, hazardous-substance controls, and safe operating procedures.

Experience supporting practical examinations and assessed student projects.

Skills and personal attributes

The successful candidate will:

Demonstrate a strong and consistent commitment to workshop safety.

Be highly organised, reliable, and attentive to detail.

Possess strong practical, technical, and problem-solving skills.

Work independently while contributing effectively to a team.

Communicate clearly and professionally with staff and students.

Exercise sound judgement and respond promptly to identified risks.

Manage competing priorities and meet preparation deadlines.

Be proactive in anticipating the technical needs of the department.

Maintain tools, equipment, workshops, and records to a high standard.

Be patient and supportive when working with young people.

Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality.

Demonstrate flexibility and a willingness to support wider school activities.

Respect and support the school’s values, policies, and safeguarding culture.

Safeguarding

RGS Guildford Qatar is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All employees are expected to share this commitment.

The successful applicant will be subject to safer recruitment procedures, including identity checks, qualification verification, employment history checks, professional references, and appropriate criminal-record and safeguarding checks. International applicants may be required to provide police-clearance certificates from countries in which they have lived or worked.

Any offer of employment will be conditional upon the successful completion of all required safeguarding and pre-employment checks.