Instructional Support Technician

State University of New York at Buffalo; Buffalo (NY); On-site; USD 51,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

University at Buffalo's Department of Earth Sciences seeks an Instructional Support Technician to support student instruction and faculty research. Responsibilities include inventory, loaning gear, and maintaining lab facilities and equipment for teaching labs.

The role trains students and staff, oversees the departmental van fleet, and prepares spaces for new personnel and summer field training activities. A geology degree and driver’s license are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in geology or related field with 2 years experience in a research or instructional setting.
• A valid Class D driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle is required.
• Ability to move and transport materials weighing up to 50 pounds.

Responsibilities

• Manage department asset inventory including rock samples and GPS units.
• Surplus old equipment and sort gear for field training.
• Manage loan process for equipment to faculty, post-docs, students and staff.
• Oversee lab facilities and equipment: table saw, band saw, drill press, Trimble GPS, GPR, EM sensor, pH meters, centrifuge, balances.
• Maintain petrographic microscopes for teaching labs.
• Train students, postdocs, faculty and staff to use facilities.
• Manage department van fleet and scheduling; ensure proper return and maintenance.
• Assemble data and write reports on resource use and condition for the Chair.
• Assist with sorting teaching rocks/maps and preparing spaces for new personnel.
• Collaborate with other technicians on summer field training preparations.

Skills

Inventory management

Equipment handling

Training others

Driver's license

Lab safety

Education

Bachelor’s degree in geology

Master’s degree in geology / earth sciences

Tools

Table saw

Band saw

Drill press

Trimble GPS

GPR

EM sensor

pH meters

Centrifuge

Job description

The Department of Earth Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences at UB is seeking an Instructional Support Technician. This valued colleague is essential to support student instruction and faculty research.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Department asset inventory (including small items such as rock samples and hand-held GPS units). This includes surplussing old equipment and computers and sorting through tools and gear specific to field training.
• Managing loan process for equipment and tools to faculty, post-docs, students and staff.
• Manage the following departmental facilities and lab equipment:
  • Table saw, band saw, drill press, Trimble GPS , Ground-penetrating radar ( GPR ), electromagnetic induction sensor, electrical resistivity equipment and seismic equipment, pH meters, centrifuge, and balances.
• Oversee and help maintain the petrographic microscopes for our teaching lab
• Trains students (graduate and undergraduate), postdocs, faculty and staff who want to use these facilities.
• Manage departmental van fleet (including scheduling, issuing keys, ensuring vans are returned in the condition that they were issued, etc.). Manage van maintenance and booking using shared calendar.
• Assemble technical data and write reports as requested by the Chair about use and condition of departmental resources.
• Help with cleaning up and sorting teaching collections of rocks and maps.
• Work collaboratively with other instructional support technician to manage department spaces (including getting offices ready to host new people; making sure departmental classrooms are ready and working).
• Work collaboratively with other instructional support technician on preparations for summer field training course.

Learn more:

• Our benefits , where we prioritize your well-being and success to enhance every aspect of your life.

University at Buffalo is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and, in keeping with our commitment, welcomes all to apply including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in geology or related field (physics, bio, chemistry) with 2 years experience in a research or instructional setting.
• A valid Class D driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle is required or candidate must otherwise demonstrate their capacity to meet the transportation requirements of the position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in geology / earth sciences/
• Knowledge of geochemistry

Our University Community

Executive Position

Executive Position No

Physical Demands

• Must be able to move and transport materials, equipment, or supplies weighing up to 30 pounds across distances of up to 30 feet and occasionally move items weighing up to 50 pounds.
• May need to travel to locations off campus to support field education and research.

Driving Requirements

Driving Requirements A Class D driver’s license is a required minimum qualification for this position. Employees must operate university owned vehicles for business purposes and be enrolled in the LENS program to verify license validity.

Salary Range

Salary Range $60,245

Additional Salary Information

Additional Salary Information The salary range reflects our good faith and reasonable estimate of the possible compensation at the time of posting, the role and associated responsibilities, and the experience, education, and training of the selected candidate.

Job Type

Job Type Full-Time

Campus

Campus North Campus

Additional Information

Is a background check required for this posting?

Is a background check required for this posting? Yes

Background Check Notification For non-internal applicants: a selected candidate will have to complete and pass a background check prior to appointment.

Contact Information

Contact's Name

Contact's Pronouns

Contact's Pronouns she/her

Contact's Title

Contact's Title HR Officer

Contact's Email

Contact's Email [e-mail]

Contact's Phone

Contact's Phone [phone]

Posting Dates

Posted 09/22/2026

Deadline for Internal Applicants

Deadline for Internal Applicants 10/06/2026

Deadline for External Applicants

Deadline for External Applicants 10/21/2026

Date to be filled

Date to be filled 11/05/2026

References

Number of References Required

Number of References Required 3

Reference Cutoff Date

Instructions to Applicant

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * Please indicate your current employment affiliation with the University at Buffalo.
  • Faculty
  • Faculty Student Association (FSA)
  • Research Foundation Employee
  • State Classified
  • State Professional
  • UB Foundation
  • TA/GA
  • Student
  • No Current Employment Affiliation
• * How did you first hear about this employment opportunity?
  • AcademicKeys.com
  • CareerExposure.com
  • CareerWomen.com
  • Chronicle of Higher Education
  • DiversitySearch.com
  • GoogleJobs.com
  • HERCjobs.org
  • HigherEdJobs.com
  • IMDiversity.com
  • Indeed.com
  • LinkedIn.com
  • MBACareers.com
  • Conference
  • Personal Referral
  • UBJobs.buffalo.edu
  • Other
• * Are you a SUNY employee eligible for special consideration as a result of retrenchment?
  • Yes
  • No

UB is an AA/EOE and welcomes all to apply including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Arrangements will be made if an applicant has a disability in order to provide access to the application, interview and selection process upon request. Reasonable accommodation requests must be made in a timely manner by email at [e-mail] or by phone [phone].