Job Description

Classification: Administrator I

Hours: Full-time / 40 hours per week

FLSA: Exempt

Anticipated Hiring Salary Range: $7,500 to $9,583 mo. CSU Salary Schedule

Priority Screening Date: October 31, 2025

Recruitment Status: Open Until Filled

About CSUMB

California State University, Monterey Bay is a mid-sized university in California's Central Coast that grants undergraduate and graduate degrees. Powered by an inspiring Founding Vision Statement, CSUMB is part of the nation's largest four-year public university system, California State University, which educates nearly 460,000 students every year.

With a vibrant, diverse student body of over 7,000 students, CSU Monterey Bay is both a Minority Serving Institution and a Hispanic Serving Institution. Our staff and faculty transform students' lives with a focus on student success and engagement through experiential learning, service learning, and a strong emphasis on multicultural and global perspectives. CSUMB's sustainability goal is to be carbon neutral by 2030.

The university's Strategic Plan prioritizes inclusive excellence through recruiting and investing in developing a diverse body of faculty, staff and administrators. Many appreciate living and working close to the shores of beautiful Monterey Bay, with easy access to recreational areas from Big Sur to Santa Cruz. Nearby opportunities for collaborative research include working in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Silicon Valley, and with colleagues at local research universities, including UC Santa Cruz and Stanford University.

As one of the 23 campuses in the CSU system, CSUMB offers excellent benefits, including access to below-market-rate rental housing on East Campus, and competitive salaries for faculty and staff. With proximity to the San Francisco Bay Area and San Jose, opportunities for faculty, staff and students are as endless as the shores of the nearby Pacific Ocean.

Purpose

Under the general direction of the Dean and in collaboration with the Associate Dean, the Assistant Dean of the College of Science supports the effective and equitable operation of the College. The Assistant Dean provides leadership for technical and laboratory services, supervises support staff, manages instructional infrastructure, and ensures regulatory compliance related to laboratory safety and facilities. This position contributes to strategic planning and the implementation of capital improvement projects, manages procurement and equipment lifecycle, and supports instructional innovation. The Assistant Dean collaborates with campus partners to support student learning, promote inclusive excellence, and ensure alignment with the College's and the University's mission and goals.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Leadership & Supervision of Technical Staff
   • Serves as the lead MPP for the College of Science's technical and laboratory support personnel.
   • Supervises performance management of all college staff, including oversight of annual evaluations, training, and professional development planning.
   • Establishes staff goals, monitors work outputs, and implements performance improvement plans in collaboration with Human Resources as needed.
2. Laboratory Instructional Support Management
   • Leads the strategic and operational planning of instructional laboratory support, ensuring timely coordination of semester, annual, and long-range schedules.
   • Supervises the deployment and quality of technical support for laboratory and field-based instruction, maintaining instructional continuity and safety.
   • Coordinates cross-departmentally with faculty, department chairs, and schedulers to optimize laboratory resource allocation.
3. Facilities and Infrastructure Operations
   • Serves as the College's Point of Contact for facility systems requiring specialized technical knowledge, including HVAC, refrigeration, power systems, digital access/security, and sensitive scientific equipment with 24/7 monitoring needs.
   • Ensures proactive monitoring and timely maintenance of laboratory infrastructure by supervising technical staff.
   • Oversees collaborations with Facilities Services and external contractors and coordination repair schedules, and ensures minimal instructional disruption.
4. Project Management & Planning for Capital Improvements
   • Manages the planning, development, and operational readiness of existing, new, or renovated teaching and research spaces.
   • Prepares scope documents, reports, and presentations for internal review and external engagement with contractors, architects, and granting agencies.
   • Represents the College of Science in facilities and capital project planning meetings and other relevant areas as needed.
5. Procurement and Equipment Lifecycle Management
   • Oversees procurement, maintenance, and repair of scientific equipment and materials, including those requiring unique sourcing or regulatory compliance.
   • Oversees and approves funding and manages electronic inventories of capital assets, including software, instrumentation, and instructional hardware.
   • Oversees vendor agreements, warranties, and service-level compliance.
   • Coordinates and monitors vendor agreements, warranties, and service-level compliance.
6. Compliance, Risk, and Safety
   • Ensures compliance with CSU, Cal OSHA, and campus regulations related to laboratory safety, chemical storage, equipment operation, and hazardous waste.
   • Liaises with Environmental Health and Safety, Risk Management, and University Police to support risk mitigation planning and incident response.
   • Coordinates required technical safety training for staff, faculty, and student workers following applicable mandates.
7. Instructional Innovation & Program Support
   • Serves as a consultant to faculty and technical staff regarding facilities and equipment needs in support of the design and implementation of new science curricula that require innovative instructional setups or specialized equipment.
   • Supports interdisciplinary and inter-institutional teaching and research initiatives by aligning technical services and infrastructure.
8. Strategic and Operational Advising
   • Provides strategic input to the Dean, Associate Dean, and College leadership regarding technology, staffing, and facilities planning in support of college and university goals.
   • Manages policy development affecting laboratory operations, technical support services, and instructional infrastructure.
   • Participates in CSU-wide committees or communities of practice related to technical or laboratory management as needed.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Principles and methods related to providing administrative and technical support services in an academic science environment.
• Instructional laboratory operations, including safety standards, infrastructure systems (e.g., HVAC, refrigeration, digital security), and equipment lifecycle management.
• Applicable federal, state, and CSU regulations, including Cal/OSHA, environmental health and safety, chemical and hazardous materials handling, and laboratory compliance standards.
• Materials, supplies, instrumentation, and digital systems relevant to science curricula, their characteristics, sourcing, and instructional uses.
• Capital project planning, facilities design processes, and vendor management in academic or research settings.
• Strategic planning, performance management, and supervisory practices in a unionized public higher education setting.

Skills in:

• Project management and planning, including preparing reports, scope documents, and budgets for internal and external stakeholders.
• Performance supervision, including conducting evaluations, setting expectations, and coaching for professional development.
• Building cross-functional collaboration with faculty, staff, campus units, and external contractors to achieve operational goals.
• Analyzing and resolving complex operational problems involving facilities, equipment, staffing, or risk.
• Communicating clearly and professionally in written, verbal, and presentation formats for diverse audiences.

Ability to:

• Plan, organize, and schedule support operations to meet a comprehensive range of instructional and technical needs.
• Operate, troubleshoot, and coordinate repair or replacement of technical and scientific equipment.
• Coordinate college-wide laboratory support services that ensure instructional continuity, student safety, and equipment availability.
• Develop off-campus and inter-institutional resources for specialized equipment, facilities planning, or interdisciplinary initiatives.
• Interpret and apply campus policies and external regulations in laboratory operations and capital project management.
• Exercise sound independent judgment and decision-making in a dynamic, multi-department academic environment.
• Promote equity, inclusion, and student success through strategic planning and culturally responsive services.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in a scientific or engineering-related field.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience supervising a laboratory, including direct oversight of technical staff, instructional support operations, or scientific facilities.
• Demonstrated experience in coordinating laboratory safety, equipment maintenance, and compliance with applicable regulations.

Preferred Qualifications/Desirable Experience

• Ph.D. in a scientific or engineering-related field.
• Commitment to transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and be self-directed in prioritization of tasks and initiatives.
• Technical fluency with Oracle/PeopleSoft, CSU Common Management System, or equivalent student information system; Microsoft Office Professional Suite, and Google mail and calendaring programs.
• The ideal candidate will have skills, knowledge, and leadership experience in the following areas that are aligned with CSUMB's core values and vision: Collaborative, ethical, effective, timely, and solutions-oriented communication and decision making; Outcomes-based education and assessment of student learning; Service learning, reciprocal community partnering, and/or field-based experiences in teaching and learning; Promoting and fostering global awareness throughout the College and the campus capacity to value an interdisciplinary approach; Enhancing community relations and promoting the role of the College to the campus and externally; Implementing innovative technologies in learning environments, and utilizing technology for the improvement of teaching and learning; Involvement in strategic planning and policy development, advocacy, and management skills.