Director of Instructional Laboratories

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building: Morningside
• Salary Range: $102,000 - $110,000

Position Summary

The Director of Instructional Laboratories provides operational management and day-to-day coordination for Department of Mechanical Engineering instructional facilities, including the main Teaching Laboratories, the Mechatronics Laboratory, and the departmental Machine Shop. The Director coordinates and guides instructional laboratory staff; implements established safety and compliance procedures; maintains laboratory equipment and instructional spaces; and collaborates with faculty to align laboratory readiness and support with course and experiential learning needs. The Director coordinates with Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S), University Compliance, and Risk Management and supports departmental compliance activities, escalating issues as needed.

Responsibilities

Operational Coordination and Lab Support (25%)

• Coordinates day-to-day operations for all instructional laboratory spaces, the Mechatronics Lab, and the Machine Shop.
• Supports planning and scheduling for instructional activities and provides operational coordination to ensure labs are prepared for classes, demonstrations, and approved projects.
• Supports routine maintenance and incremental improvements to facilities, equipment, and instructional technologies in alignment with established departmental priorities.
• Partners with faculty to align laboratory setup, instructional technologies, and fabrication capabilities with curricular and experiential learning objectives.
• Implements established operational policies, procedures, and best practices; documents standard operating procedures (SOPs) as needed to promote efficiency, safety, and instructional quality.

Personnel Supervision, Guidance, and Training (20%)

• Supervises and provides day-to-day guidance to technical staff supporting instructional, fabrication, and laboratory support services.
• Provides direct supervision to assigned technical staff, including the Senior Machinist and Senior Laboratory Technician, and coordinates work assignments and schedules for junior technical staff, casual employees, and student workers.
• Provides on-the-job training and coaching to promote consistent service delivery, safe practices, and effective use of lab resources.
• Ensures appropriate coverage for instructional activities and communicates expectations in accordance with departmental practices and University policies.

Safety, Compliance Coordination, and Risk Support (15%)

• Serves as a departmental coordinator for EH&S, University Compliance, and Risk Management matters related to instructional laboratory operations.
• Implements established safety and compliance procedures, including required documentation, signage, training coordination, and recordkeeping.
• Coordinates incident reporting and response in accordance with University protocols; escalates complex or high-risk issues to departmental leadership and EH&S as appropriate.
• Assists with audit preparedness and follow-up actions to maintain a safe and compliant instructional environment.

Equipment, Inventory, and Purchasing Coordination (15%)

• Coordinates equipment maintenance, asset tracking, and space readiness across instructional facilities.
• Initiates and tracks routine purchasing requests within established guidelines and approval limits; coordinates receiving, inventory control, and stock replenishment for consumables and shop materials.
• Supports billing and reconciliation for laboratory and shop materials in coordination with the department’s finance function.
• Maintains inventories of equipment, tools, and consumables; provides recommendations for equipment replacement, repair, or incremental upgrades as needed.

Technical Consultation and Hands-on Support (10%)

• Provides technical consultation and hands-on support to undergraduate/graduate students, researchers, PIs, and student clubs regarding project design feasibility, manufacturing workflows, and fabrication techniques (e.g., CNC machining, rapid prototyping).
• Trains users on safe equipment operation and appropriate lab practices; reviews plans for safety and manufacturability and refers specialized engineering decisions to faculty as appropriate.

Coordination with Stakeholders and Committee Participation (10%)

• Participates in department- or school-level meetings/committees as assigned regarding lab safety, space coordination, and facilities planning.
• Collaborates with departmental administrators, faculty, Facilities, CUIT, EH&S, and other stakeholders to coordinate instructional lab needs, address operational issues, and support scheduled facilities or technology work.
• Provides operational input, documentation, and status updates to support planning and service coordination.

Other Duties (5%)

• Performs related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and equivalent experience required.
• 4–6 years of related experience in an academic, research, or industrial engineering laboratory, instructional lab, or manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience supporting instructional labs and/or machine shop operations, including equipment use, maintenance coordination, and user training.
• Experience supervising or guiding technical staff and/or student workers in day-to-day operations.
• Knowledge of laboratory safety practices and ability to implement established EH&S procedures and documentation requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related technical field.
• Additional experience coordinating day-to-day technical operations in a hands-on laboratory/manufacturing environment.
• Master’s degree or professional engineering equivalent strongly preferred.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.