Fabrication Specialist

Rice University•Houston, TX

13h•$63,000 - $68,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Rice School of Architecture seeks a highly skilled, safety-conscious, and collaborative Fabrication Specialist. This position serves as the operational cornerstone for the school’s workshops, fabrication spaces, and advanced equipment housed in the recently completed William T. Cannady Hall. The school prides itself on a wide array of hands-on, design-build, and research initiatives that produce innovative, high-quality projects, executed with the highest standards of craft, safety, and technical precision. The Fabrication Specialist focuses on daily workshop operations, software and equipment maintenance, and safety management. They oversee the end-to-end functionality, calibration, and troubleshooting of both traditional machinery (wood and metal) and advanced digital fabrication tools (CNC routers, laser cutters, 3D printers, and Zünd cutter). They manage tool and material inventory, coordinate equipment procurement, track shop spending, and supervise the recruitment, scheduling, and training of student shop workers. The Fabrication Specialist develops and leads safety orientations, technical workshops, and software tutorials that empower students and faculty to safely and effectively bring their design concepts to life. They serve as a vital technical resource and mentor to students and faculty, assisting them in resolving complex fabrication challenges, exploring new material techniques, and supporting research or exhibition-related fabrication needs. Reporting to the Director of Finance & Operations, this role works closely with faculty, staff, and students to align workshop activities with the strategic and curricular needs of the school. Operating autonomously and with delegated authority in a dynamic, maker-centered environment, the ideal candidate possesses a strong technical troubleshooting curiosity, a deep appreciation for architectural craft, exceptional collaborative skills, a very strong work ethic and a proactive approach to maintaining a safe, organized, and cutting-edge laboratory environment. The Rice School of Architecture is a uniquely sized, top-ranked program with a focus on design excellence, including exceptional student work, world-class faculty research, and meaningful community engagement. The school draws upon Houston’s diverse offerings in the arts, culture, and industry, to educate architects for a dynamic, interconnected world, and we work towards hiring with the same ambition. The ideal candidate is a proactive, collaborative, and creative professional with a strong commitment to workshop cleanliness, safety, and organization. They drive operational excellence across daily workshop operations. They possess technical expertise in both traditional wood/metal shop machinery and modern digital fabrication technologies, demonstrating a keen attention to craft, particularly around woodworking/milling, and detail in all they do. This individual excels at working with a diverse, fastpaced student body and faculty, demonstrating excellent communication, patience, and problemsolving skills.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree
2+ years of woodworking, metalworking, and digital fabrication experience (CNC-router, laser cutters, and/or 3D printers, etc.).
Demonstrated ability in wood and metal fabrication; welding experience is preferred.
Thorough working knowledge of techniques, materials, and hand/power tools utilized in woodworking and metalworking.
Thorough working knowledge of 2D and 3D modeling software (Rhino preferred) and digital fabrication equipment (CNC routers, 3D printing, laser cutting, and Zünd cutters).
Prior experience and knowledge in the safety, maintenance, and operation of an innovative, specialized lab or workshop environment.
Experience managing the day-to-day operations of a comparable workshop.
Excellent interpersonal skills to teach, guide, and mentor students; ability to develop and lead instructional workshops and equipment training.
Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively with staff, faculty, students, and other professional colleagues.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Strong organizational and troubleshooting skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge or experience in architectural model making and building construction.
Familiarity with Python and/or other programming language(s) applicable to digital fabrication workflows.

Responsibilities

Manages the day-to-day operations, safety, and workflow of the workshop, fabrication spaces, equipment, and machinery.
Develops, implements, and trains users on applicable safety standards and practices to ensure a safe, clean, organized, and effective working environment.
Provides continuity, technical expertise, and supervision to students, assisting them in resolving technical fabrication challenges, equipment usage, and software utilization.
Supervises and conducts maintenance and repair of shop tools, equipment, and the shop environment, including maintaining equipment life-cycle records and replacement schedules.
Oversees the recruitment, training, scheduling, and management of student shop workers and/or Digital Research Assistants (DRAs).
Manages shop inventory, materials, and supplies, and assists with the procurement and specification of fabrication equipment in consultation with faculty and administration.
Develops and leads safety orientations, training sessions, and specialized fabrication workshops for students, both independently and within courses at the request of faculty.
Collaborates with faculty to support their research projects, and works with the exhibition manager, faculty, and visiting artists to support school-wide exhibition and installation fabrication needs.
Identifies and supports shop-related software needs, coordinating with IT as required.
Designs, fabricates, and assembles custom physical assets of varying scales, ranging from utility fixtures and auxiliary furniture to small-scale commemorative items, awards, and custom engravings upon request.
Performs all other duties as assigned.