Instrumentation Specialist

Job Posting Title: Instrumentation Specialist

Position Summary:

The Instrumentation Specialist provides essential services to the College's academic departments in performing and/or coordinating the maintenance and repair of a variety of laboratory instruments and electronics equipment that are used for instruction and research. The Instrumentation Technician may assist in the design and assembly of instrumentation as needed.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Maintenance of Instruments and Equipment

• Prior to the beginning of the fall semester, work with department staff to ensure electronic equipment, instruments and their related components are in working order. Perform necessary maintenance and repair work or coordinate the work with external firms or vendors. The following is a sample of the types of equipment and instruments the College currently owns.
• Instrumentation: NMR spectrometer, X-ray diffractometer, Gel Permeation Chromatograph (GPC), mass spectrometer (MS), atomic absorption spectrometer, UV-Vis spectrometers, Gas Chromatograph (GC), GC-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), liquid chromatograph MS (LC-MS), capillary electrophoresis, high performance LC (HPLC), dispersive and FT-IR, atomic force microscope (AFM), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), light scattering photometer, polarizing optical microscope, fluorescence spectrophotometer, fluorescence microscope, ion chromatograph, lyophilizer, and materials testing systems.
• Electronics: basic test equipment such as multimeters, oscilloscopes, signal generators, and computer-controlled electronics.
• Throughout the academic year troubleshoot problems, research solutions to malfunctions, and continue to maintain/repair instruments and electronics equipment as needed with the goal of keeping down time to a minimum and ensure an effective learning environment with students. Recognize and provide diagnosis of major malfunctions and, as appropriate, dismantle and repair or contact external providers as necessary.
• Maintain and diagnose problems with computer interfaces to instruments.
• Assist faculty, when time permits, with providing tutorials and workshops to students on the proper use and maintenance of instruments.
• As needed, assist in the design, fabrication, assembly, modification and/or installation of instruments, consulting with the supervisor or respective Department Chair in managing multiple or conflicting priorities and requests for assistance from faculty, students and other staff.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Ensure all laboratory instruments are safe and comply with applicable Federal, State and College regulations, policies, and laws.
• Provide periodic status reports on maintenance and repairs to the supervisor and, as needed, obtain guidance on establishing priorities and managing workload issues.
• Maintain inventory and records for necessary materials and supplies; ensure that the proper equipment, tools and materials are on hand for maintenance of instruments when needed.
• Maintain inventory of instrumentation, electronics equipment and capital equipment for individual departments. Recommend new and replacement instrumentation or equipment. Purchase necessary components, track orders, and receive and check purchased materials.
• Assist the supervisor in preparing a budget; may control expenditures within established guidelines.
• Stay knowledgeable about the latest instruments and equipment. May provide information for grant proposals.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Relationship with Academic Departments

The Instrumentation Technician interacts with Department Chairs for departments in which services are provided, and is expected to keep Chairs informed about the status of work performed and related issues or concerns.

Required Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• Education: Bachelor's degree or any combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities of the position. Preference given to candidates with a Master's degree and/or who have completed college physics, chemistry, engineering and/or biology courses so as to understand how modern laboratory and electronics instrumentation/equipment are used.
• Experience: At least three years' experience working with and/or maintaining and repairing modern instrumentation and electronics equipment including ordering and inventorying parts and equipment and negotiating with outside vendors for goods and services.
• Licenses: Valid California Driver License and a driving record, as maintained by the DMV, that is acceptable to the College's insurance carrier.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Familiarity with and knowledge of methods, materials, and equipment used in modern laboratories and the ability to learn about and apply knowledge to maintaining and repairing new or different instrumentation and equipment.
• Knowledge of safe work principles and practices.
• Effective organizational skills, detail oriented, and the ability to prioritize workload.
• Ability to read circuit diagrams.
• Ability to perform moderately complex arithmetic computations.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills including the ability to effectively communicate and supervise in a culturally diverse environment.
• Ability to properly use fire extinguishers.
• Ability to work productively with minimal supervisor consultation, make sound decisions and effectively prioritize multiple tasks in a logical progression.
• Must be able and willing to work occasional weekends, evenings or holidays as needed.

Remote Work Eligibility:

Category A: All staff positions, regardless of remote work eligibility, require an initial 30-calendar-day on-campus work period. Based on an evaluation by the Area Leadership Group (supervisor, area leader and area Cabinet member) and HR, this position is classified as Category A as defined in the College's Remote Work Policy, with occasional ad-hoc remote work flexibility (as needed). Your position is essential to on-campus operations and requires you to work exclusively on campus. Additionally, remote work is subject to the College's remote work policy.

Standard working hours for this position will generally be from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, though these hours may vary depending on departmental and College needs.

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, the staff member is regularly required to sit; stand, use hands and fingers and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. The individual must regularly lift and/or carry up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

Hours:

Regular office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. However, days and hours may vary due to the needs of the department or the College.

Classification:

This is an exempt, full-time, regular, benefits eligible position.

Salary:

$80,000-$84,000.

Reports To:

This position reports to the Chair of the Chemistry Department