Lab Coordinator II, Biomedical Engineering

University of Delaware

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Delaware is an Equal Opportunity Employer which encourages applications from Minority Group Members, Women, Individuals with Disabilities and Veterans. The University's Notice of Non-Discrimination can be found at http://www.udel.edu/aboutus/legalnotices.html


Job No: 498410
Work Type: Staff
Location: Newark
Categories: Research & Laboratory, Full Time


Pay Grade: 30E

Context of the Job:

Under limited direction of the Biomedical Engineering Business Administrator, the Laboratory Coordinator is assigned to multiple locations and is responsible for: (1) assisting in the construction, fit-out and startup of the highly-specialized, faculty research and undergraduate instructional laboratories to ensure the projects are on time and within budget; (2) ensuring the effective maintenance, security, and operation of the physical plant and individual research and instructional laboratories in a safe and environmentally sound manner and within budget; and (3) establishing and maintaining a coordinating role between the Program and University Facilities Management; also serves as the liaison with the other lab coordinators in the College of Engineering; central safety administrator for the Program requiring interactions with other campus units outside the College of Engineering to develop and maintain a safe working environment.

Major Responsibilities:

• Oversees all aspects of research and instructional laboratory operations in locations spanning multiple buildings. Orders, receives, monitors, and maintains all department-level research and instructional lab materials, supplies, and equipment. Serves as emergency contact for department research and instructional laboratory facilities. Responsible for the operation and maintenance of shared department laboratory spaces and equipment (e.g., cell/tissue culture facilities and biosafety cabinets (e.g., operation, cleaning, scheduling), laser, microscopes, animal procedure room, autoclave room, etc.). Makes recommendations on placement of new, and removal of older, equipment housed in shared departmental space. Implements and maintains electronic scheduling, log-in, and efficient and safe shared use of multi-user equipment in the department.
• Participates in evaluation and selection of major new, highly-specialized bio-medical equipment and makes recommendation for capital equipment purchases. Directs shop personnel and consultants in servicing, modernizing, and building research and teaching lab equipment. Is the departmental contact for and interfaces with outside vendors of department-level research equipment, supplies, and equipment service technicians, as well as with other relevant industry/research organizations.
• Responsible for monitoring and managing project expenditures for major department level equipment purchases and laboratory/facilities renovations/repairs.
• Coordinates installation of research and instructional laboratory equipment and maintains equipment in safe and working order. Provides design, fabrication, and maintenance assistance to faculty, staff, students, and visiting scientists.
• Initiates contracts with lab equipment brokers for capital recovery of surplus laboratory equipment and coordinate equipment sales with UD Purchasing Department.
• Oversees maintenance, repairs, and operations of the physical plants/facilities that support BME research and instructional labs which are currently spread out across Spencer Laboratory (SPL), the Health Sciences Complex (HSC) on the STAR Campus, the Ammon-Pinizzotto Biopharmaceutical Innovation Center at STAR (AP BPI), and the BME-assigned STAR Cluster modular laboratories/classrooms on the STAR Campus.
• Liaises with Facilities Maintenance & Operations and Facilities Planning & Construction Departments on specific maintenance and laboratory improvement projects, including coordination of utility installations and reviewing plans and construction progress. Coordinates activities of outside vendors during these projects.
• In conjunction with faculty, manages physical space for the department, which includes facilitation of student desk/office assignments (as/if necessary), lab hood assignments (as/if necessary), and equipment placement.
• Acts as the faculty and student resource for day-to-day lab operations and for research and instructional experimental set ups. In conjunction with research personnel, develops and implements Laboratory Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and maintains departmental records of existing SOPs (which should also be maintained in individual laboratories). Coordinates cleaning and maintenance of biosafety cabinets, ensures safe operations with biohazards up to Biosafety Level 2, as well as with laser operation, hazmat explosives, and Class 3 & 4 chemical hazards.
• Acts as a liaison to campus Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS). In consultation with EHS, coordinates formal and informal hazard reviews of all research and instructional laboratory equipment and procedures. Assists research groups and instructional lab faculty with safety inspections and safety planning as well as maintaining a safety reference library. Coordinates annual chemical inventory updates for the department. Alerts UD EHS to the arrival and departure of new faculty members so that appropriate action can be taken to set up and decommission laboratories.
• Serves as Biomedical Engineering's Chemical Hygiene Officer providing a safe work environment for faculty, students, and staff by enforcing Federal, State and UD safety policies. Acts as the Lab Safety Officer. As such, oversees overall laboratory safety compliance, lab orderliness, and lab cleanliness. Maintains liaison with UD Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) to keep Biomedical Engineering's research and instructional laboratories current with regard to safety compliance, conducts quarterly lab safety inspections, is the safety resource for the department, purchases and stocks basic safety equipment needed on a routine basis. Distributes hazard alerts and maintains incident reports. Plans, trains, and maintains equipment for emergency preparedness. Responds to and resolves laboratory safety emergencies.
• Develops and delivers a general orientation program for all BME employees, i.e., faculty, researchers, scientists, and staff of the facility that includes safety rules, a physical plant overview/tour, coordination of appropriate safety training (seebelow), and an overview of emergency evacuation instructions, etc. Coordinates access of research personnel to laboratories (after completion of necessary tours/training), via communication with appropriate building managers in AP BPI and STAR HSC.
• Coordinates and monitors completion of annual, mandatory Right-to-Know, Chemical Hygiene, Biosafety, Bloodborne Pathogen, and Compressed Gas Safety training for Biomedical Engineering's researchers (and others as required by research operations). Maintains training records and relays information to EHS for Federal/State law compliance.
• Supervises technical personnel as required. Trains new laboratory members in all aspects related to safety considerations.
• Serves as a liaison between BME research and instructional labs and other stakeholders (e.g., NIIMBL, DBI, CHS, other departments etc) in SPL, AP BPI, and STAR HSC.
• Serves as standing member and recording secretary of the Department Safety Committee to manage and implement safety guidelines in conjunction with the faculty chair. Recommends space changes to BME Department Chair. Liaises with other COE Lab Coordinators to improve safety training programs, sharing best practices, and networking to share facilities and equipment.
• Remains current with BME-relevant, state-of-the-art technology, equipment, and/or systems and their implementation in a laboratory environment, in order to be a resource to BME research personnel.
• Monitor departmental laboratories on a regular basis (nearly daily at AP BPI), take a hands-on approach by providing ca. 100 graduate students, visiting scholars, and post-doctoral fellows with technical support for BME research projects.
• Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a related technical, scientific, or engineering discipline and four years of experience in managing a multidisciplinary research facility, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to work with faculty, scientists, other staff, undergraduate and graduate students, maintenance contractors, and external vendors.
• Experience in research laboratory management.
• Experience in influencing and leading individuals and groups (academic, industry) that interface with the Biomedical Engineering.
• Knowledge of safety practices in research labs on the industrial/academic level.
• Familiarity with training methods for safe laboratory practices and procedures.
• Leadership skills.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Effective interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community and rapidly changing technical environment.
• Ability to make administrative/ procedural decisions and judgments.
• Ability to analyze and solve problems.
• Ability to prioritize, plan, and organize work, and plan and implement short- and long-range goals.
• Ability to design and implement systems necessary to collect, maintain, and analyze data; generate reports and to develop and deliver presentations.
• Knowledge of organizational development practices.
• Ability to foster a cooperative work environment.
• Knowledge of facilities maintenance and custodial principles, procedures, and standards.
• Ability to use CAD programs for lab redesign as needs arise.
• Demonstrates an understanding and consideration of the differing needs and concerns of individuals with varying identities, cultures and backgrounds.
• Committed to fostering a workplace culture of belonging, where diversity is celebrated and equity is a core value.

Notice of Non-Discrimination, Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
The University of Delaware does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, disability, religion, age, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law in its employment, educational programs and activities, admissions policies, and scholarship and loan programs as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable statutes and University policies. The University of Delaware also prohibits unlawful harassment including sexual harassment and sexual violence.

Applications close:

PI161899001