Graduate Research Assistant - PACE (GA11)

University of Hawaii•Honolulu, HI

8d•Onsite

About The Position

This is a part-time, temporary Graduate Research Assistant position at the Shidler College of Business - Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. The role involves ensuring the operational health, safety, and technical readiness of the PACE innovation spaces, including makerspaces, a recording studio, and event spaces. The assistant will perform maintenance, calibration, and troubleshooting for various tools and equipment, manage inventory, and administer a safety certification program. This position also serves as a senior technical resource, trains student leaders, and leads facility reservations and scheduling.

Requirements

Current UH Graduate Student in any field of study, with demonstrated technical background through prior coursework, training, or hands-on experience in fabrication, digital media, or a related area.
Demonstrated experience operating and maintaining digital fabrication equipment, driven by an intrinsic passion for making, fixing, and mechanical tinkering
Experience conducting safety training, certifications, or compliance programs in a lab, studio, or workshop environment.
Ability to diagnose and troubleshoot hardware and software issues independently and in real time under operational conditions.
Basic knowledge of audio signal chains and recording software to support recording studio operations and classroom AV needs.
Experience managing inventory, preparing procurement requests, and tracking consumable supplies.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage a high-volume scheduling system, multiple concurrent priorities, and coordination across diverse stakeholders.
Ability to train, mentor, or supervise others in a technical setting.
Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to clearly convey technical information to non-technical audiences.

Nice To Haves

Experience with the specific equipment used in the PACE makerspaces, including Bambu or Formlabs 3D printers, Xtool laser cutters, embroidery machines, and Roland wide-format print-cut machines.
Experience operating and maintaining recording studio equipment and audio/visual production software.
Familiarity with facility or event management systems and scheduling platforms.
Experience working in a university, student-facing, or community-centered environment, with an understanding of the unique needs of a diverse student body.
Experience developing or updating standard operating procedures, safety protocols, or technical documentation.
Knowledge of basic electronics, prototyping techniques, or fabrication materials (e.g., acrylic, wood, filament types).
Demonstrated interest in or experience with entrepreneurship, innovation, or maker culture.
Ability to work collaboratively with student leaders and program staff to bridge technical operations with educational programming.

Responsibilities

Ensure the operational health, safety, and technical readiness of the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE) innovation spaces within the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center, maintaining two makerspaces, a recording studio, and various event spaces to a professional standard.
Perform routine maintenance, calibration, software updates, and troubleshooting for all tools and equipment, including Bambu3D printers, Formlabs 3D printers, Xtool laser cutters, sewing machines, embroidery machines, wide-format print-cut machines, and recording studio equipment.
Monitor and manage inventory of consumables (e.g., filament, acrylic, wood, hardware) and research and prepare procurement requests for materials and replacement parts, ensuring all technical specifications are met before submitting for fiscal approval.
Administer a safety certification program through demonstration, supervised practice, competency verification, and formal access authorization; maintain current standard operating procedures; and verify 100% waiver and training compliance before granting any equipment or facility access.
Serve as the senior technical resource and primary escalation point during open hours, providing real-time troubleshooting, safety enforcement, and technical setup and material preparation — enabling student leader teams to focus on peer mentoring and community engagement.
Train and mentor PACE Student Leaders on equipment operation and troubleshooting at both foundational and advanced levels, so they can effectively support peers during open hours and workshops.
Work with the Program Manager to streamline day-to-day procedures, maximizing the center's capacity to serve a diverse student body.
Lead facility reservations and scheduling for the Classroom and Flex Space by administering the RISE scheduling system, screening and approving reservation requests, conducting pre-event site visits to assess space and technology needs, and coordinating with maintenance and leadership teams to ensure seamless setups and transitions.
Oversee space-use agreements and educate users on facility policies to ensure strict adherence to setup, catering, and technology guidelines.
Other duties as assigned.