Director of Engineering Labs

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Lynchburg (VA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Tuition assistance

Retirement plans

Job summary

Liberty University seeks a Director of Engineering Labs to provide strategic leadership for engineering laboratory operations, facilities, and infrastructure across the School of Engineering. The role oversees lab managers, staff, and student employees, ensuring safe, compliant, and efficient lab environments that support teaching, research, and innovation.

Responsibilities include capital planning, budget management, and technology integration to advance the university's engineering

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in engineering and five years of related field experience required. Master’s preferred.
• Knowledge of local, state, and federal safety regulations is required.
• Experience with capital planning, facility development, and budgeting is essential.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive, multi-year strategic plan for engineering lab operations aligned with university priorities.
• Serve as a thought partner to Deans and senior leadership on research growth and infrastructure investment.
• Lead long-term capital planning, lab expansion, modernization, and technology integration.
• Establish and monitor KPIs and performance metrics to evaluate operational effectiveness.
• Provide leadership over multiple levels of management (lab managers, staff, students).
• Direct and approve large-scale operating and capital budgets and ensure alignment with priorities.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Facilities management

Lab operations

Budget management

Vendor management

Contract negotiations

Safety compliance

Staff development

Performance management

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Master’s preferred

Tools

Facility planning software

Data analytics

Safety systems

Job description

The Director of Engineering Labs provides strategic leadership forengineering laboratory operations, facilities, and infrastructureacross the School of Engineering. This position oversees labmanagers, staff, and student employees while ensuring safe,compliant, and efficient lab environments that support teaching,research, and innovation. The Director leads capital planning,facility development, budget management, and technology integrationinitiatives. Working closely with academic leadership and industrypartners, the role advances the university's engineeringcapabilities and aligns laboratory operations with theinstitution's mission and long-term strategic goals.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and execute a comprehensive, multi-year strategic planfor engineering lab operations aligned with university andschool-level priorities
• Serve as a thought partner to Deans and senior leadership onresearch growth, infrastructure investment, and academicinnovation
• Lead long-term capital planning, including lab expansion,modernization, and emerging technology integration
• Establish and monitor KPIs and performance metrics to evaluateoperational effectiveness
• Provide leadership over multiple layers of management (e.g.,lab managers, staff, and students)
• Build and sustain a high-performing leadership team, includingsuccession planning and leadership development
• Direct all aspects of performance management, workforceplanning, and organizational design
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuousimprovement
• Oversee enterprise-wide lab operations across multiplecampuses/locations
• Direct and approve large-scale operating and capital budgets,ensuring alignment with strategic priorities
• Ensure effective stewardship of resources through data-drivendecision-making and financial forecasting
• Provide executive oversight of procurement, vendor management,and contract negotiations
• Establish and enforce institution-wide safety, compliance, andrisk management frameworks
• Ensure adherence to all federal, state, and regulatoryrequirements, including environmental and safety standards
• Lead high-level audit readiness, inspections, and riskmitigation strategies
• Serve as the primary escalation point for critical incidentsand compliance issues
• Partner with faculty and research leadership to enhance labcapabilities supporting advanced researched initiatives
• Represent the School of Engineering in external partnershipswith industry
• Lead initiatives that position the university as a leader inengineering education and applied research
• Oversee the design, development, and build-out of new labfacilities in partnership with Engineer Leadership and Planning& Construction when applicable.
• Ensure all lab environments meet future-focused academicneeds
• Drive innovation in lab design, utilization, and technologyintegration
• Works effectively as a team member, embracing and fosteringLU’s Christian model and Mission – Training Champions forChrist.
• Other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Oversight of 3 Lab Managers

Oversight of 50+ Student Engineering Lab Assistants

QUALIFICATIONS AND CREDENTIALS

A bachelor’s degree in engineering and five years of related fieldexperience required. Master’s preferred. Preference will also begiven to a candidate who is a creative problem solver who thriveswhen presented with a challenge and possesses an in-depthunderstanding of engineering testing equipment and systems,materials processing and testing, and relevant industry practices.Knowledge of local, state, and federal property and safetyregulations is required

ABILITIES AND COMPETENCIES ESSENTIAL TO THE FUNCTION OF THEJOB

Communication and Comprehension

• Ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writingto convey clear, well articulated information.
• Ability to understand, speak, and write English in order toconvey messages and correspond in an articulate and professionalmanner.
• Possess public communication skills that allow professionalrepresentation of Liberty University.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Computer skills.

Problem Solving

• Intuitively able to reason, analyze information and events, andapply judgment in order to solve problems of both a routine andcomplex nature.

Physical and Sensory Abilities

• May be required to travel
• May be required to sit to perform deskwork or type on akeyboard.
• Regularly required to hear and speak in order to effectivelycommunicate orally.
• Regularly required to stand, walk, and climb stairs to moveabout the campus.
• Handle materials, reach overhead, kneel or stoop in order toconduct business.
• Regularly lift 10 or fewer pounds.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work Environment

The working environment in which one will typically perform theessential functions of this position is a climate-controlledsetting. It is well lighted, and the noise level is moderate.Working environment may include facilitation of events outdoorsoccasionally.

Driving Requirements

If the employee is required to travel in performing the duties andresponsibilities of the position, the use of one’s personal vehicle(or LU vehicles) may be required for travel. Proof of a validdriver’s license, an acceptable DMV record, LU Driving Approval,and liability insurance is required when driving in the performanceof the employee’s position.

Time Type

Full time

Location

Onsite

Pay Range

Compensation is determined based on factors such as qualifications,experience, education, skills, and certifications, along withUniversity needs and external market conditions. Market benchmarksmay be used, as appropriate, in combination with internal equity toensure pay is fair and aligned with the broader compensationstructure.

The position may also be eligible for comprehensivebenefits , including health insurance, retirement plans, andtuition assistance.

$95,000.00 - $125,000.00

The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe it is our moral and legal obligation to meet the responsibility of ensuring that all management practices regarding employees are conducted in a nondiscriminatory manner. In compliance with Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and other applicable federal andstate statutes, all recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting for all job classifications will be administered without regard to race, color, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability, military veteran status or other applicable status protected by law, including state of employment protected classes. It is, therefore, our policy and intention to evaluate all employees and prospective employees strictly according to the requirements of the job. All personnel related activities such as compensation, benefits, transfers, job classification, assignments, working conditions, educational assistance, terminations, layoffs, and return from layoffs, and all other terms, conditions and privileges of employment will be administered without regard to race, color, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability, military veteran status or other applicable status protected by law, including all applicable state of employment protected classes. The University is a Christian religious-affiliated organization; and as such, is not subject to religious discrimination requirements. The University’s hiring practices and EEO discrimination practices are in full compliance with both federal and state law. Federal law creates an exception to the "religion" component of the employment discrimination lawsfor religious organizations (including educational institutions),and permits them to give employment practice preference to members of their own religious beliefs.