Director, Makerspace & Design Lab
About The Position
The Director, Makerspace & Design Lab will lead the MakerSpace’s advanced manufacturing program and support the daily operations of all spaces managed by MakerSpace. This role involves a collaborative partnership with the Executive Director, MakerSpace advisory committee, MakerSpace and Design Lab managers, and student management teams to uphold the overall mission and vision of the MakerSpace. The Director is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to address the instructional fabrication and manufacturing needs of students and researchers, ensuring alignment with college and university goals for engineering and experiential learning education. A key part of the role is to lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of best practices in training and mentoring for additive and subtractive manufacturing machines and materials, including advanced 3D printers, CNC machines, waterjet, and fiber lasers, while also supervising and supporting student trainers. The Director will work with students, faculty, and staff to recommend new equipment and workspace enhancements to ensure that MakerSpace-managed learning and manufacturing spaces align with evidence-based practices and offer access to cutting-edge technologies and materials. Most importantly, this position contributes to a productive making and learning environment for design, rapid prototyping, and manufacturing work. The Director will also collaborate with other departments at NYU Tandon and university-wide, providing leadership in the adaptation of new technologies in advanced manufacturing for academic makerspaces. This includes working with the Senior Manager, student management teams, and safety offices to develop standard operating procedures for equipment and schedules for maintaining and upgrading equipment, as well as creating new programs and processes to ensure the MakerSpace offers cutting-edge opportunities for fabrication and research in prototyping and manufacturing.
Requirements
- Bachelor's Degree in an engineering field.
- 7+ years experience mentoring students in educational prototyping and manufacturing spaces.
- 7+ years experience in supervision and managing budgets.
- Advanced knowledge of additive and subtractive manufacturing concepts and equipment.
- High level of independent thinking, creativity and goal oriented productivity.
- Ability to identify and support implementation of best practices.
- Proficiency in operating and maintaining additive and subtractive manufacturing equipment and techniques (e.g., 3D printers, CNC machines, laser cutters, fiber laser, welding).
- Excellent communication and training skills to engage high school, undergraduate and adult learners.
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Knowledge of safety protocols and regulatory compliance.
Nice To Haves
- Master's Degree in an engineering field.
- Must be certified or be able to be certified as a manufacturing engineer.
- Must be well versed in quality data collection to ensure adequacy, accuracy and legitimacy of data in NYU systems.
- Ability to strictly follow data privacy and security procedures for data handling and analysis to ensure adherence to legal and institutional standards.
Responsibilities
- Lead the MakerSpace’s advanced manufacturing program.
- Support the daily operations for all spaces managed by MakerSpace.
- Develop and implement strategies to address the instructional fabrication and manufacturing needs of students and researchers as well as align with college and university goals for engineering and experiential learning education.
- Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of best practices in training and mentoring for additive and subtractive manufacturing machines and materials, including but not limited to the advanced 3D printers, CNC machines, waterjet and fiber laser in MakerSpace-managed spaces.
- Supervise and support student trainers.
- Work with students, faculty and staff to recommend new equipment and workspace enhancements to ensure that MakerSpace managed learning and manufacturing spaces aligns with evidence-based practices and offers access to cutting-edge technologies and materials.
- Contribute to a productive making and learning environment for design, rapid prototyping, and manufacturing work.
- Work with other departments at NYU Tandon and university-wide providing leadership in the adaptation of new technologies in advanced manufacturing for an academic makerspaces.
- Collaborate with the Senior Manager, student management teams, and safety offices to develop standard operating procedures for equipment, schedules for maintaining and upgrading equipment.
- Create new programs and processes to ensure the MakerSpace offers cutting-edge opportunities for fabrication and research in prototyping and manufacturing.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
