Laboratory Manager

Johns Hopkins, founded in 1876, is America's first research university and home to nine world-class academic divisions working together as one university.

We are seeking a Laboratory Manager to support experimental facilities and activities within the Department of Civil and Systems Engineering (CaSE) in the Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). The Lab Manager will oversee laboratory operations, including training and safety, equipment operation, procurement, and maintenance, while providing broad support to experimental facilities in CaSE. The ideal candidate is curious about advancements in manufacturing, actuators and sensors, controls, and mechanical, structural, and electrical testing. They should be enthusiastic about training students, collaborating with faculty, and engaging with professionals and other facilities across the university, in support of CaSE’s research and educational mission.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

Laboratory Management and Technical Responsibilities

• Maintain and enhance the capabilities of CaSE facilities in collaboration with faculty.
• Provide technical expertise for use of CaSE equipment and facilities, including installation, design, operation, training, and maintenance.
• Manage the design, procurement, assembly, installation, and implementation of new equipment and instrumentation.
• Manage the development, implementation, and maintenance of computational programs for equipment operation and data acquisition, including the management of IT licenses required for lab operations.
• Oversee the receipt and handling of laboratory supplies and equipment deliveries, including picking up, storing, and distributing items as needed.
• Coordinate the scheduling and access to experimental resources and manage laboratory inventory.
• Actively participate in and assist students with experimental testing using a variety of equipment.
• Stay informed on testing standards and protocols relevant to CaSE activities and provide trusted subject matter expertise.
• Serve as a technical resource for staff and researchers at the university, fostering collaboration and integrating input from other parts of university facilities into CaSE laboratories.
• Manage facility maintenance and coordinate renovations as needed.
• Ensure the proper disposal of trash and chemical waste, fostering a clean, sustainable, and compliant laboratory environment.

Budgetary

• Purchase equipment and supplies directly from vendors as needed, including inquiring about technical specifications and prices, obtaining quotes, and identifying suitable equipment and suppliers.
• Monitor inventory of consumables for laboratory use and order supplies as necessary.
• Maintain accurate and detailed records of purchases and other laboratory expenditures.
• Assist faculty in developing budgets and proposals for research equipment facilities, including cost estimates for supplies, materials, and equipment.

Laboratory Safety

• Develop, implement, and maintain laboratory safety protocols.
• Train researchers and students on safety procedures, proper equipment use, and incident response.
• Promote and enforce safe practices, ensuring compliance with all laboratory safety rules and regulations.
• Serve as the primary CaSE contact for the various safety groups on campus, including the Whiting School Safety Office, JHU Safety Office, JHU Security, and the JHU Department of Health, Safety and Environment.

Education Contribution

• Maintain up-to-date training materials and usage documentation for laboratory instruments.
• Train students and researchers on the proper use of equipment in CaSE facilities
• Facilitate access to and utilization of campus-wide facilities by CaSE students and researchers, promoting awareness of available resources in other laboratories.
• Collaborate with faculty to develop and refine educational laboratory exercises; recommend and implement modifications or additions as approved.
• Provide technical and logistical support for teaching laboratories in areas including, but not limited to, statics, mechanics of materials, dynamics, soil mechanics, and fluid dynamics.
• Supervise and assist undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral researchers as needed with laboratory tasks and projects conducted in CaSE facilities.

CaSE Experimental Facilities Include

• Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory.
• Geotechnical Engineering Teaching Laboratory.
• Structural Testing Laboratories.
• Additive Manufacturing Laboratory.
• Wet Lab for Materials Synthesis.
• Other laboratories and facilities currently in operation or under development in collaboration with CaSE faculty.

CaSE Critical Equipment Includes

• Mechanical universal testing machines in multiple configurations and sizes.
• Mechanical sensors for strain, position, load, and acceleration.
• Data acquisition devices and related teaching stations.
• Tabletop shake table and custom teaching demonstration equipment.
• CNC machines, tabletop waterjet, laser cutter, and other machining tools.
• Commercial 3D printers, including material extrusion and vat photopolymerization.
• Custom additive manufacturing platforms, gantry stages, and robotic arms.
• Custom large-capacity actuators and testing frames.
• Furnaces and electric apparatus for high-temperature testing.
• Additional equipment supporting teaching and research activities within CaSE.

Special Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Ability to proactively communicate with key stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students, and vendors, to resolve issues and ensure the smooth operation of all lab activities in a timely manner.
• Ability to foster and maintain cooperative working relationships with faculty, staff, and students.
• A self-starter with the ability to work independently and with minimal supervision, demonstrating initiative and reliability in managing responsibilities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Biology, Chemistry or related engineering field.
• Five years related experience, including proven technical knowledge and laboratory experience.
• Master's degree, with related graduate research, may substitute for experience to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD Degree in Engineering or a related science field.
• Hands-on experience with mechanical and/or structural test equipment, data acquisition systems, and control systems.
• Demonstrated experience working in a laboratory setting within a research and teaching environment.

Classified Title: Laboratory Manager
Role/Level/Range: ACRP/04/MD
Starting Salary Range: $55,800 - $97,600 Annually (Commensurate with experience)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Monday – Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Exempt Status: Exempt
Location: Homewood Campus
Department name: ​​​​​​​Department of Civil Engineering
Personnel area: Whiting School of Engineering

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check.

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the HR Business Services Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711.

The following additional provisions may apply depending on which campus you will work. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

During the Influenza ("the flu") season, as a condition of employment, The Johns Hopkins Institutions require all employees who provide ongoing services to patients or work in patient care or clinical care areas to have an annual influenza vaccination or possess an approved medical or religious exception. Failure to meet this requirement may result in termination of employment.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.

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