Laboratory Manager

Lehigh University's Department of Materials Science & Engineering is home to research that advances everything from structural alloys to next-generation functional materials. Underpinning that work are shared laboratory facilities across the Whitaker and HST buildings — and this full-time Laboratory Manager role exists to ensure those spaces run safely, efficiently, and in service of the researchers who depend on them every day.

Position Number: S80080

This position is a Grade: 10 - 40 with an approximate salary range of $67,270-$81,830 and is subject to change based on experience, skills and qualifications.

Key Accountabilities

• Develop and execute schedules for preventative and corrective maintenance, calibration, and vendor-coordinated repairs to ensure all laboratory instruments align with teaching and research needs.
• Evaluate, source, and procure high-quality, cost-effective equipment and consumables while maintaining precise inventory controls and detailed records of purchases and usage.
• Oversee the long-term performance of laboratory assets and actively identify and pursue funding opportunities to acquire new instrumentation and modernize the facility.
• Supervise and manage shared MSE department laboratory spaces across multiple locations (Whitaker and HST), developing and enforcing facility policies and operational procedures.
• Lead comprehensive safety programs, including conducting annual inspections and audits, maintaining precise training compliance records for all users, and ensuring strict adherence to safety standards.
• Conduct safety and operational training for students, staff, and researchers, while serving as the facility liaison to provide tours for visitors, vendors, alumni, and external partners.
• Provide hands-on technical expertise and operational coordination for undergraduate teaching labs and graduate research activities to advance the department's educational mission.
• Train and mentor students, staff, and researchers on proper equipment operation, safety protocols, and advanced experimental techniques.
• Diagnose and resolve complex instrumentation and experimental issues to minimize downtime and ensure the continuity of research and instruction.
• Manage laboratory operating budgets, oversee equipment usage billing, track expenses, and prepare financial reports and forecasts to support new lab initiatives.

Qualifications

• Associate's or Vocational/Technical Degree in Engineering or related field
• One to three years of related work experience
• Demonstrated experience managing shared or multi-user research laboratory facilities in an academic, engineering, or industrial setting
• Sound knowledge of laboratory safety regulations, hazardous material handling, and institutional compliance frameworks
• Experience with budget management, billing systems, or cost-recovery models in a research environment
• Meticulous record-keeping practices and the organizational discipline to manage multiple equipment systems simultaneously