Instructional Lab Support Specialist - Physics

Overview

Reporting to the Director, Instructional Labs and involved faculty, this position will support all aspects of the Instructional Lab team by working across facilities, equipment fabrication and maintenance, instructional development and innovation, safety, compliance, and exciting community outreach. Essential duties include, but are not limited to:

Operations and Compliance

Teaching Support

• Support the teaching of department lab and lecture courses (including equipment prep, breakdown, storage, routine and on-demand repair, and fabrication).
• Identify new approaches to teaching for use in the instructional lab curriculum
• Provide on-demand assistance to lab instructors, teaching fellows, and students during class times
• Assume lead role in the development, innovation, organization, maintenance, and construction of physics demonstrations; partner with faculty to furnish their demonstration requests, including procurement

Safety and Compliance:

• Regularly complete required safety, training, and certifications; maintain as necessary
• Assume leadership and ownership of laboratory safety for students, and ensure compliance, including the maintenance and safe operation of the student Van der Graaff proton accelerator
• Provide annual safety training to matriculating students

Facilities Management

• Maintain and organize instructional lab storage spaces and repair facilities

Leadership/Development/Administration

• Serve as Vice-Chair, Outreach Committee, with a focus on developing and coordinating STEM-focused events for the Greater New Haven community, some of which may require evening and weekend commitments
• Attend training and informational conferences; develop relationships and connections externally

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Demonstrated experience teaching introductory physics, with an emphasis on experimental equipment and apparatus.
2. Demonstrated ability to problem solve, employing sound judgment and critical-thinking skills, especially with respect to experimental apparatus and effect repairs of mechanical or electrical nature.
3. Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and concisely in written and oral form, with excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
4. Ability to work independently, within a team/group, and with diverse populations, both internal and external Intermediate or expert level technical knowledge (Mac, PC), specifically word processing, spreadsheets, computer interfacing, and data acquisition techniques and packages.
5. Ability to walk between multiple locations across campus Ability to lift up to 35 lbs.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

• Hands-on instrumentation or equipment-building experience
• Introductory teaching or lab instruction experience
• Basic coding/software skills (Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB)
• Physics or engineering background
• Interest in education and student engagement
• 1.BS or MS in Physics, Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Extensive experience with equipment maintenance and repair, familiar with the construction and operation of scientific apparatus and instruments.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Acts as a project leader for Instructional Technology projects. 2. Provides consultation and makes recommendations for allocation of resources, product selection, and priorities. 3. Delivers technical expertise and provides recommendation in researching, evaluating and implementing new instructional technologies. 4. Provides high-level service for existing instructional technologies and projects, as well as high-end support for all instructional technology systems and other multimedia activities. 5. Manages operating systems, applications, web services, and content on the department’s servers. 6. Maintains in depth knowledge of existing and emerging instructional technologies. 7. Develops and reports on metrics that measure usage, reliability and client satisfaction for all technology services provided. 8. Manages relationships with internal and external clients, outside vendors, consultants and peer institutions. 9. Maintains highest possible degree of service and responsiveness in complex, multi-vendor, multiplatform environment. 10. Consults with faculty to assess instructional technology needs. Develops and implements solutions to meet those needs. 11. Provides training on the usage of instructional technologies, and other software and hardware. 12. Manages assigned project tasks to ensure timely and high quality outcomes. Provides regular status reports on assigned projects. 13. Supervises temporary and student workers. 14. May perform others duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Bachelor's Degree and at least three years of related work experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.