Research Instrumentation Team and Safety Manager

University of Colorado System; Allenspark (CO); On-site; USD 115,000 - 142,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

On-site position

Job summary

University of Colorado System's JILA seeks an experienced and collaborative Research Instrumentation Team and Safety Manager to oversee its shops, ensuring safe, efficient operation aligned with our scientific mission. This role connects shops to the Boulder community and supports the Safety Plan.

The position supervises Instrument Shop, Electronics Shop, and Keck Lab staff, leads safety initiatives with CU EH&S and NIST partners, and partners with finance and Fellows to ensure sustainable shop

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, applied physics, or related technical field.
• 4+ years of experience in technical operations, engineering management, or research support environments.
• Experience supervising professional staff.
• Experience in project coordination, budgeting, and compliance in a research/academic environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and coordination across Electronics Shop, Instrument Shop, and Keck Lab/Clean Room; undertake performance evaluations; and facilitate professional development for shop staff.
• Be responsible for project management, work distribution, and prioritization for shop activities to balance workload and meet PI and research needs.
• Maintain effective communication and alignment with PIs, acting as a buffer to protect shop staff from conflicting demands and unbalanced workloads.
• Represent shop operations in meetings with JILA Fellows and leadership, providing technical, fiscal, and operational updates as needed.
• Coordinate functions, roles, and responsibilities for labsafety in conjunction with PIs and lab safety proctors.

Skills

People management

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Project coordination

Budgeting

Instrumentation knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or physics

Tools

CAD/CAM

Microsoft Office

Electronics fabrication

Job description

Job Summary

JILA seeks an experienced and collaborative ResearchInstrumentation Team and Safety Manager to oversee and support itsresearch production shops, which include the Electronics Shop,Instrument Shop, and the Keck Metrology Lab and Clean Room. Thisposition plays a critical role in supporting world-classexperimental research by ensuring these shops operate efficiently,safely, and in alignment with JILA’s scientific mission. As JILA’ssafety manager, this role guides program development, monitorssafety practices, and supports implementation of safetyinitiatives.

The position will provide leadership, coordination, and strategicoversight for the technical staff who support JILA’sinstrumentation, fabrication, and research infrastructure needs. Akey strategic role will be to connect the shops to the broaderBoulder scientific communities to enhance efficiency and makeimprovements that maintain our leading edge.

The position further serves as JILA’s Safety Manager, providingleadership and resources for the institute’s safety program, andguiding the development and implementation of JILA’s Safety Plan.The role will include chairing the Safety Committee (a committee ofmainly JILA fellows that oversee the JILA culture of safety) andaiding compliance with university and federal safety requirementsthrough collaboration with CU EH&S and NIST safety partners. Inshared resource spaces of the Scientific Shops, the JILA SafetyManager will oversee all aspects of safety. In the context ofindividual PI laboratories, the JILA Safety Manager will assist andcoordinate to provide knowledge and support for PIs and studentsafety proctors.

The position will partner with the JILA finance team and shopFellow advisors to ensure accountable and sustainable shopsoperations, including budget monitoring, equipment repair andacquisition cost options, and staffing coverage and costs.

This is not a hands-on design or fabrication role; rather, itfocuses on management, communication, prioritization, and supportfor highly skilled technical personnel and the researchers theysupport.

The Instrument Shop offers JILA researchers and staff a variety ofservices, including precision machining, welding, as well as thedesign and fabrication of custom laboratory devices and equipment.JILA’s secret to making custom equipment is one-on-onecommunication between scientists and instrument makers. Thiscommunication strategy makes it possible for Instrument Shop staffto create just about anything scientists need for theirresearch.

The JILA Electronics Shop provides a full suite of electronicsengineering expertise in support of JILA’s scientific mission.Their services are available to all JILA personnel, includingfellows, students, and faculty. We are available for quick on-siteconsulting, repairs, troubleshooting, as well as world classinstrumentation and circuit design.

The Keck Lab and Clean Room Shop is an optical metrology laboratorywith advanced capabilities for (1) precision measurement, (2) microand nano fabrication in a Class 1000 clean room, and (3) atomicforce and optical microscopy. Keck Lab staff offers tutorials onusing the lab measuring instruments and software, includinginstruction on photolithography, ellipsometry, E-beam lithography,and spectrophotometry.

Supervision: This position supervises the Instrument Shop (5employees), the Electronics Shop (3 employees), and the Keck lab (1employee), responsible directly and indirectly for 9 FTEtotal.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with allapplicable federal, state, and local laws governingnondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating aworkplace where all individuals are treated with respect anddignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds toapply, including protected veterans and individuals withdisabilities.

Who We Are

JILA is a joint institute of the University of Colorado Boulder andthe National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) locatedon the beautiful CU Boulder main campus at the base of the RockyMountains. Led by the roughly 30 research Fellows, JILA supportseclectic and innovative research programs that foster creativecollaborations. The wide-ranging interests of our scientists havemade JILA one of the nation's leading physical sciences researchinstitutes. JILA has a total annual budget of $50 million, with 297members (including faculty, staff, students, and postdoctoralresearchers).

JILA offers a uniquely collaborative and mission-drivenenvironment. The institute has a strong culture of intellectualcuriosity, community, and inclusiveness, which provides ameaningful and engaging workplace.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Operational Management and Outreach

• Provide leadership, guidance, and coordination across theElectronics Shop, Instrument Shop, and Keck Lab/Clean Room;undertake performance evaluations; and facilitate professionaldevelopment for shop staff.
• Be responsible for project management, work distribution, andprioritization for shop activities to balance workload and meetPrincipal Investigator (PI) and research needs.
• Maintain effective communication and alignment with PrincipalInvestigators (PIs), acting as a buffer to protect shop staff fromconflicting demands and unbalanced workloads.
• Represent shop operations in meetings with JILA Fellows andleadership, providing technical, fiscal, and operational updates asneeded.

JILA Safety Manager

• Serve as the JILA Safety Manager, helping observe compliancewith all safety policies in partnership with CU EnvironmentalHealth & Safety (EH&S), PIs and lab safety proctors.
• Chair the JILA Safety Committee, and guide the development,implementation, and upkeep of the JILA Safety Plan.
• Coordinate functions, roles, and responsibilities for labsafety in conjunction with PIs and lab safety proctors.
• Work with the NIST Safety Embed to observe Federal NIST safetyrequirements and best practices.

Administrative, Strategic and InstitutionalCollaboration

• Collaborate with Facilities and Administrative staff and CUFacilities Management, with input around shared infrastructureneeds (e.g., utilities, shop infrastructure, maintenanceissues).
• Work collaboratively with internal and external partners, guideand advise JILA Fellows in areas of expertise, with openness andgoals of the institution in mind.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance shopefficiency, scheduling, and responsiveness. Assess equipment,practices, and maintenance needs for improvement and costsavings.
• Explore business development opportunities, networking withinCU and with external research and industry partners, following upon potential collaborations or service leads.
• Support long-term planning and budgeting for shop equipment,maintenance, and capital improvements.
• Budget coordination and oversight with Fellow guidance andapproval.
• Personnel actions, performance management, leave management,and professional development.
• Compliance, finance, and budgeting in coordination with JILAand CU offices.

What You Should Know

• This is a fully on-site position.

What We Can Offer

The annual hiring range for this position is $115,000-$142,000.Relocation is available for eligible candidates.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder , we arecommitted to supporting the holistic health and well-being of ouremployees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical,dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuitionassistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for localtransit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulderoffers an inspiring academic community and access to world-classoutdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs throughthe CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be ambitious. Be groundbreaking. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, applied physics, or a relatedtechnical field and 4+ years of experience in technical operations,engineering management, or research support environments.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience maysubstitute.
• Experience supervising professional staff.
• Experience in project coordination, budgeting, and compliancein a research or academic environment.

What You Will Need

• Strong people management, communication, and interpersonalskills; approachable and effective working across administrativeand technical boundaries.
• Familiarity with research instrumentation, electronics, andfabrication workflows, with enough technical understanding toengage with staff and PIs.
• Proven ability to manage multidisciplinary technical teams andbalance complex project priorities.
• Exemplary interpersonal, written, and verbal communicationskills.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive and cooperativeworking relationships.
• Ability to organize and successfully manage multiple projectsoccurring at the same time and to keep detailed and accuraterecords.
• Ability to work effectively in a working environment withmultiple interruptions.
• Willingness to mentor and aid research students, postdoctoralscholars, staff, and faculty.
• Familiar with various fiscal business applications forproductivity, reporting, and data record keeping andintegrity.
• Dedication to fostering a collaborative, inclusive, andrespectful workplace.
• Internal motivation with the ability to work independently aswell as in partnership with an interdisciplinary team.
• Ability to anticipate the needs of the broader team anddevelop/recommend policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of safety practices and regulatory compliance intechnical shops or lab environments.
• Skilled using Microsoft business suite applications, includingOutlook, Excel, and Word.

What We Would Like You to Have

• Advanced degree in engineering, applied physics, or a relatedtechnical field.
• Experience working in a university research environment,research institute, or national laboratory setting.
• Familiarity with vacuum systems, cleanroom operations, CAD/CAMprocesses, or electronics fabrication.