Domestic Services is one of the largest Professional Services departments in the University, comprising a diverse range of colleagues who share the same passion for delivering a high standard cleaning service to the University's community and estate. 

We are looking to recruit a number of Domestic Assistants, with good experience of cleaning in professional environments, to join our team, across several of our campuses. You will work closely with the Domestic Supervisor, Assistant Domestic Services Manager, Domestic Services Manager, as well as colleagues across the Estates & Facilities Directorate and the wider University, to ensure effective and professional support for all aspects of the team’s activities.

What we can offer you

We support a flexible approach to work, as well as additional benefits that will make your life easier, such as a generous holiday allowance, access to a university pension scheme, subsidised health and fitness facilities, and a range of discounts. Furthermore, the University is a fantastic place to work – regardless of what life stage you are at, you will be a valued member of our team.

The following shift pattern is available:

05:30 – 08:30 Monday to Thursday, 

05:30 – 08:15 Friday

This vacancy is available on a part-time, permanent basis. 

For an informal discussion please contact Sue Wareham, Assistant Domestic Services Manager on +44 (023)8059 7164

Closing Date: 29 Sep 2026

Section: Community & Operational

Salary: £23,984 Pro rata per annum
Part Time Permanent (14.75 hours per week)

The post will work on a collaborative project between the University of Southampton and the University of Oxford investigating the potential of magnetic reconnection for space propulsion, as part of a three year long research project funded by the Leverhulme Trust.

The overall project is to broadly investigate the potential of magnetic reconnection as a method to accelerate plasma in future space propulsion systems. Various recent studies have suggested magnetic reconnection as a potential space propulsion method (DOI's: 10.1063/5.0320433, 10.2514/6.2023-0448, 10.1017/S0022377820001476), suggesting it has some promise in particular to achieve high specific impulse at high powers. The project is a collaboration between Southampton, led by Professor Charlie Ryan, and Oxford, led by Professor Dmitri Uzdensky. Oxford will develop the theoretical and analytical basis of the magnetic reconnection for space propulsion applications, whilst Southampton will focus on the experimental aspects. Using the world class vacuum facilities at Southampton we will develop a magnetic reconnection test article that can investigate magnetic reconnection at the small scale.

You will join a group of eight researchers working on different aspects of space propulsion, with the team based in the David Fearn Electric Propulsion Lab at the University of Southampton. It will be expected that the researcher actively engages with academic partners and with the research team through collaborative meetings, with opportunities to travel to conferences during the project duration.

It is desirable that the person has experience in designing and testing ion thruster technology, magnetic reconnection, or experimental testing of plasma devices within vacuum chambers, and a demonstrated aptitude for learning new fields of research. The person should have a PhD, or equivalent qualifications and experience, in aerospace engineering, experimental plasma physics in particular reconnection, or other ion beam uses. It is desirable that the person has experience of operating large vacuum chamber facilities, and a strong aptitude towards experimental testing. A strong track record of high-quality journal publications is an advantage.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact Dr Charlie Ryan: c.n.ryan@soton.ac.uk

At the University of Southampton, we value diversity and equality. The University recognises that employees may wish to have working patterns that fit with their caring responsibilities or work-life balance. Due consideration will also be given to applicants who have had career breaks for reasons including maternity, paternity or adoption leave, disability or illness. The University of Southampton is proud to hold Athena Swan Silver Awards.

Closing Date: 05 Oct 2026

Section: Education, Research & Enterprise

Salary: £41,064 to £44,746 per annum
Full Time Fixed Term until 30/09/2029