Department:
Ctr for Injury Bio, Mat & Medicine

Reports To:
Professor and Chair, Biomedical Engineering

Position Type:
Staff

Position Summary:
This position performs a wide range of duties related to operations of the NJIT Center for Injury Biomechanics, Materials and Medicine (CIBM3) including facilities management, equipment operation and maintenance, technical support, and training of student users on research equipment. The position will also involve participation in experiments, data collection and analysis. Must have knowledge and experience in testing, the ability to develop experimental set-ups and willingness to handle biological specimens. This position will require the ability to manage laboratory personnel, work with students at all levels, and communicate with facilities management.

Essential Functions:
Laboratory/Operations Manager
Manages CIBM3 shared research lab spaces in coordination with faculty and lab personnel. Operates and provides instruction to researchers on proper laboratory techniques, general laboratory equipment, specialized laboratory instrumentation and software. Trains and supervises users of the research lab space. Manages scheduling laboratory and equipment time and assists with reviewing and determining usage fees. Assists with supervising graduate and undergraduate students for lab operations and safety.

Ensures compliance with all regulatory requirements including laboratory inspections, reviewing laboratory protocols, Institutional Review Board (IRB), and animal (IACUC) protocols of all research groups in the CIBM3. Overseeing all equipment and instruments function correctly and initiating repair or maintenance of equipment as necessary.

Orders instrumentation, equipment, consumable lab supplies, and chemicals in consultation with CIBM3 faculty, staff, and Research Assistants. Responsible for inventory control including consumables (calibration gases, test samples, pressure and temperature sensors, cabling, etc.).

Develops and maintains written laboratory protocols, lab manuals and preventative maintenance program for the CIBM3 facilities in accordance with manufacturer guidelines. Maintains records, logs and schedules of equipment installation, maintenance, and repairs. Implements new apparatus, experiments, and control software for laboratory equipment. Modifies, debugs, and implements control software (e.g., LabView, MatLab, etc.). Maintains, inspects, repairs, tests, calibrates, adjusts, reconfigures, and operates electrical, analytical, and wet lab equipment using small hand tools, portable power tools and electrical and electronic testing equipment and devices according to specifications, schematics, blueprints, technical manuals, and diagrams.

CIBM3 Laboratories Safety Manager

Responds promptly and appropriately to emergencies or urgent issues as they arise.

Attends monthly Safety Coordinator with Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) and ensures that all CIBM3 laboratories and facilities adhere to guidelines and requirements. Performs weekly safety and hazardous waste inspections of all labs and coordinates safe disposal of hazardous materials. Assists with lab safety inspections and ensures infractions have been corrected on faculty-specific safety reports. Coordinates tracking and disposal of hazardous waste.

Monitors training for faculty, students, and staff on proper laboratory safety techniques. Maintains and updates online training records and ensures compliance. Updating the lab safety plan and safety data sheets (SDS) as necessary; scheduling safety training for new hires or team members entering new roles; enforcing policies around personal protective equipment.

Maintains security of the labs and associated equipment (swipe access).

CIBM3 Research and Outreach

Assists CIBM3 faculty with proposal preparation and submission in terms of budgets, facilities and equipment capabilities.

Conducts lab tours for visitors, sponsors, students and prospective students. Performs outreach activities as requested including preparing and giving research demonstration presentations to the public and assisting faculty in preparation of demonstration materials for outreach purposes. Other activities related to outreach can also include advertising and marketing of CIBM3 activities.

Additional Functions:

• Serves as liaison to: Physical Plant and Facilities & Campus Planning, Environmental Health and Safety, Public Safety.
• General office tasks for CIBM3 including shipping and receiving, answering phone calls, visitor arrangements and misc. administrative needs.
• Stays current with technology development and suggests purchases of new equipment. Negotiate technical specifications and prices for new instruments purchase and supervise the installation of the instruments.

Prerequisite Qualifications:

• BS degree in biomedical engineering, biomedical sciences or related field.
• 1 year of laboratory research experience.

Required skills:

• Must be skilled in the technical aspects, best practices and protocols for different equipment and procedures of CIBM3 laboratories. Ability and willingness to learn technical laboratory equipment usage such as microscopy and molecular biology processing.
• Previous experience in or willingness for animal handling. Knowledge and use of tools, testing, equipment, materials, and standard practices that apply to research laboratories.
• Computer and IT literate, with knowledge of instrument control, word processing, data management, acquisition programs, and computational software. Ability to track and accurately maintain equipment inventory. Knowledge of occupational hazards and safety precautions that pertain to wet-lab experimentation and analytical chemistry.
• Ability to complete projects within a given timeline and to meet deadlines. Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to give instruction in a precise, understandable manner. Management skills, the ability to collaborate and work on a team, adaptability, and problem-solving ability are also required skills.
• Ability to work in a courteous, collaborative, and collegial manner with faculty, other staff, students, international scholars, and visitors with diverse backgrounds and training.
• Physical Demands: Typical Workshop Conditions. Able to lift 50 lbs. Ability to physically move lab equipment tools, and materials when necessary.
• At the university's discretion, the education and experience prerequisites may be exempted where the candidate can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the university, an equivalent combination of education and experience specifically preparing the candidate for success in the position

Preferred Qualifications:

• Preferred Qualifications: Previous experience in leadership, management, business development, financial decision making, innovation, and marketing skills are preferred.
• Ability to work with engineering applications such as Mat Lab, LabVIEW. Experience with microcomputers, microcontrollers, and data acquisition equipment and software.
• Ability and willingness to learn operation of new instrumentation and software. Ability to read and interpret sketches, specifications, technical literature, written and oral instruction.