Engineering Shop Manager

Mississippi State University; Starkville (MS); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Mississippi State University seeks an experienced Shop Supervisor for the ABE Machine Shop. You will coordinate labor and activities, oversee equipment operation, and support researchers in design and construction, while also teaching students in shop use.

The role includes building operations of ABE facilities, supervision of space usage, and ensuring safety and efficiency. A valid driver’s license and three years of related experience are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 3 years of relevant experience.
• Valid driver’s license required.

Responsibilities

• Oversee shop operations, labor management, machining, welding and fabrication, scheduling and invoicing, and equipment maintenance.
• Serve as building operator for MSU ABE facilities and related spaces.
• Operate and maintain shop equipment (lathes, CNC, milling, welders, etc.).
• Demonstrate and teach safe operating practices in shop and lab settings.
• Assist with design of equipment and systems.
• Perform shop and lab duties in the ABE Department.
• Manage material lists, procurement, and records for cost and property.
• Assemble and test simple equipment following drawings/plans (mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical).
• Service and adjust instruments/equipment according to standard methods.
• Regularly inspect facilities and coordinate with contractors.
• Oversee vehicle fleet maintenance and logs.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Instructing students

Mechanical/ electrical knowledge

Hydraulic systems

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Lathes

CNC machines

Milling machines

Welders

Fitting machines

Woodworking machines

Job description

Position Function:

The individual filling this position will be responsible for coordination of labor and activities in the ABE Machine Shop, ensuring good organization and safety. The individual will work with researchers’ conceptual designs and provide practical design and construction. The individual will oversee other workspaces belonging to ABE. The individual will also be involved in teaching and overseeing students in the use of shop machines.

Salary Grade

15

Please see Staff Compensation Structure or Skilled Crafts and Service Maintenance Compensation Schedule for salary ranges. For salary grade UC, these positions are "Unclassified" and salary ranges are determined by the hiring department.

Department Profile:

The Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering has 19 on-campus faculty members engaged in teaching, research, and extension, as well as several other faculty members at MSU-affiliated research centers and adjuncts employed elsewhere. The department is co-administered by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Bagley College of Engineering, and it offers undergraduate (B.S.) and graduate (M.S. and Ph.D.) degrees in three distinct program areas: Biomedical Engineering and Bio systems Engineering, which are both accredited by ABET, and Agricultural Engineering Technology and Business. Within these programs, the department has over 400 undergraduates and 40 graduate students. The J. Charles Lee Agricultural and Biological Engineering Building includes more than 6,000 square feet of state-of-the-art instructional and research facilities, and it includes separate labs for sterile tissue culture, bio mechanical testing, environmental and agricultural simulation or modeling studies, electronic/robotic design fabrication and testing, GPS/GIS, renewable bio energy, and student computing resources. More information about ABE can be found at http://www.abe.msstate.edu/

Anticipated Appointment Date:

September 2026.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. 1. Oversee shop operations and projects (to include labor management, machining, welding and fabrication operations, job scheduling and invoicing, and machinery maintenance).
2. 2. Serve as building operator for the J. Charles Lee Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) Building, the ABE North Farm Storage Building, and the portion of the Pace Seed Technology Laboratory Building (Pace) that the ABE Department controls.
3. 3. Operate and maintain machine shop equipment/tools such as lathes, CNC machines, milling machines, welders, fitting machines, and woodworking machines at the journeyman level.
4. 4. Demonstrate and provide instruction on safe operating practices and rules for the shop/laboratory.
5. 5. Assist with design of equipment, instruments, devices, components, and systems.
6. 6. Perform shop and laboratories duties in the ABE Department.
7. 7. Prepare material requirement lists, order/receive materials, supplies and equipment; maintain custody and accounting records and prepare/process necessary paperwork related to cost of and securing materials, supplies, and property.
8. 8. Assemble, construct, install/set up, and test simple or standard equipment, systems, and instruments following specific instructions from oral or written drawings/plans. These systems will include a combination of mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic and/or electrical equipment components and controls.
9. 9. Service/repair, adjust and/or qualify simple, standard instruments, equipment and systems on both a scheduled or recurring basis following standard work methods and using common equipment and tools.
10. 10. Regularly review and inspect ABE and Pace facilities.
11. 11. Occasionally work with contractors to oversee bidding and contract performance on building and renovation projects in ABE and Pace buildings.
12. 12. Oversee and maintain ABE’s vehicle fleet (to include monthly fuel and maintenance logs and scheduled service intervals).
13. 13. Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree.
• Experience: Three (3) years’ experience similar to duties described above.
• Licensure: Valid driver’s license.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
• Experience in hot and cold metal working, machining, and fabrication (to include SMAW, MIG and TIG welding, manual lathe and milling machine operation, and structural steel and sheet-metal layout and fabrication).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. 1. Excellent organizational and communication skills.
2. 2. Ability to operate, maintain and modify farm equipment (tractors, combines, sprayers, planters, etc.)
3. 3. Ability to work with and instruct students and others in the operation and use of shop/laboratory equipment and setting up and implementing individual experiments and projects.
4. 4. Technical experience using mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic skills.
5. 5. Basic computer literacy and ability to use Microsoft Office suite.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

• Regularly involves lifting, bending, or other physical exertion. Often exposed to one of more elements such as heat, cold, noise, dust, dirt, chemicals, etc.
• Job frequently requires sitting, reaching, talking, hearing, and handling objects with hands.
• Job occasionally requires standing, walking, stooping/kneeling/crouching/crawling, and lifting up to 50 pounds (e.g. fertilizer and seed, structural steel, tools, etc.)
• Vision requirements: Ability to see information in print and/or electronically.

Screening Date:

September 10, 2026, until filled.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination is prohibited in university employment, programs or activities based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, or any other status to the extent protected by applicable law. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed to the Office of Civil Rights Compliance, 231 Famous Maroon Band Street, P.O. 6044, Mississippi State, MS 39762, [phone].

What do I do if I need an accommodation?

In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADA), if you have a disability and wouldlike to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with Mississippi StateUniversity, please contact the Department of Human Resources Management at tel: [phone] or [e-mail].

If you have any questions regarding this policy, contact the Department of Human ResourcesManagement at [phone] or [e-mail]. Upon request, sections of thisjob listing are available in large print, and readers are available to assist the visually impaired.