"I am delighted to be leading the Technician Commitment at King's College London and the important work it does to recognise, develop and celebrate the contribution of technical professionals. Technicians are at the heart of our research, education and innovation, bringing specialist expertise, creativity and dedication that enable the university to achieve its ambitions. Their work underpins discoveries, supports student learning, drives technological advancement and ensures that facilities, equipment and services operate to the highest standards.

The Technician Commitment provides an invaluable framework for improving visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technical staff. By supporting our technical community, we enhance not only the professional experience of technicians but also the quality and impact of the work they make possible across King's. I am passionate about creating opportunities for technical colleagues to thrive, share expertise, develop their careers and be recognised as essential partners in delivering excellence.”

Jane Hubble, Technical Staff Development Manager

King’s College London is very proud to be a founding signatory of the Technician Commitment. 

The Technician Commitment is a sector-wide initiative recognising the crucial role of technicians in supporting education and research. Technical staff are a large diverse group working across all disciplines and at all levels, from apprentices to highly skilled professionals. The Technician Commitment acknowledges the wider role of technical staff in supporting efficient operations, keeping staff and students safe, engagement activities, and community building which make them an important part of the team. Their commitment to staying up to date with the latest developments and ability to work both independently and collaboratively are key assets to universities and research institutions. King’s College London is proud to support the Technician Commitment.

The Commitment includes 4 key areas:

• Visibility - Ensure all technicians within the organisation are identifiable and that the contribution of technicians is visible within and beyond the institution.
• Recognition - Support technicians to gain recognition through professional registration and external awards schemes.
• Career Development - Enable career progression opportunities for technicians through the provision of clear, documented career pathways
• Sustainability - ensure the future sustainability of technical skills across the organisation and that technical expertise is fully utilised.

Our current action plan report and summary can be viewed here:

King’s Technical Services Network was launched in 2016 as a testament to the university’s strong commitment to supporting this community of staff. The Network acts as a way for technical services staff to meet each other, get involved in projects and programmes across the university, and participate in key decision-making and strategic processes.

The Network is regularly consulted as a key forum to gather views on university-wide developments and proposals.

The Network also plays a key role in driving and promoting relevant development opportunities and career pathways through the Centre for Research Staff Development & Organisational Development.

The Network is open to all technical services staff – and we also warmly welcome supporters and friends from across other staff groups at King’s. We hold regular workshops, training sessions, and away days. If you are interested in joining the Network, or have any questions about it, please email research-staff@kcl.ac.uk.

We offer a suite of development and learning opportunities for all levels and categories of staff. We explicitly include technical staff within our delivery of the Researcher Development Concordat and expect them to receive at least 10 days development time per year. Technical Services staff are well represented in cohorts for leadership development programmes, as well as on short courses and bitesize sessions.

Technical Services staff are supported to attend external professional development, scientific and fact-finding events and activities.

King’s has actively encouraged our technical services staff to invest in their development through professional registration with the Science Council.

King's covers the cost of professional registration year on year.

Technician Commitment Signatory and Technical Network Sponsor

Professor Maddy Parsons
Dean of Research Excellence Frameworks
King's College London

Technician Commitment Signatory Institutional Lead

Jane Hubble CSci
Technical Staff Development Manager
Research Management & Innovation Directorate

Centre for Research Staff Development
Research Management & Innovation Directorate