Health and Human Development Instructional and Classroom Support Technician

Western Washington University•Bellingham, WA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report. Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties. The Health and Human Development Department supports Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity. The Health and Human Development (HHD) department seeks an Instructional Lab Technician to primarily focus on supporting the human cadaver program at Western, serving as the primary support technician for the procurement, care, and maintenance of human cadavers. This position will provide instructional cadaver support for courses in Biology (anatomy and physiology) and Kinesiology (functional anatomy and human dissection). In addition, the position will provide partial support for non-cadaver labs in HHD and in Psychology, including equipment and software maintenance. This position works closely with faculty, graduate students, and technicians across campus to support the delivery of high caliber laboratory education to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as support research excellence at Western.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or higher with major study in science and two years of laboratory work experience or equivalent education/experience
Experience in handling and /or dissection of human cadavers
Proven ability to develop new skills in the use of complex equipment and techniques
Capacity to develop the skills necessary to work with human cadavers in an educational environment
Demonstrated ability and commitment to cultivating learning and working environments that are equitable and inclusive of students and employees with diverse cultural backgrounds and social identities.
Demonstrated effective communication skills, including written, oral and interpersonal
Basic computer skills, including word processing, spreadsheet applications, and email programs
Capacity to develop skills to execute essential position responsibilities
Ability to meet multiple deadlines over short time periods
Must be able to work standing for up to 6 hours in an 8 hour shift
Must be able to utilize step ladders and other moving equipment to transport heavy materials
Must be able to lift and move materials up to 50 lbs with or without mechanical assistance
Must have, or have the ability to obtain, and maintain current First Aid and CPR/AED certification

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Biological Sciences, Kinesiology or closely related field
Demonstrated ability to work effectively as a leader in an educational or lab setting
Experience as support staff in an educational institution
Strong familiarity with educational content in university level Anatomy, Physiology, and Kinesiology/Psychology labs
Knowledgeable in laboratory safety protocols
Technical expertise with a range of anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology/psychology equipment and procedures
Experience with lab-based software installation and trouble shooting

Responsibilities

Procure, prosect, and maintain human cadavers
Maintain, and set up materials including preserved organs and laboratory equipment used in Carver cadaver teaching labs
Serve on the Cadaver Care and Use Committee and coordinate intercollegiate and community cadaver lab access
Supervise and direct undergraduate work-study students and graduate teaching assistants in working with lab equipment, as warranted
Set-up and breakdown/clean-up of labs often under significant time constraints
Maintain clean lab and work areas, including necessary hygiene measures
Ensure all activities in the labs are consistent with university policies and procedures
Assist faculty in development and modification of lab exercises and maintain up-to-date lab manuals and prep notes
Serve as Department Safety Coordinator for HHD dept, which includes working as liaison between HHD and Environmental Health and Safety and function as frontline staff in working to achieve safety and regulatory compliance within HHD
Follow and uphold proper safety protocols
Use standard university methods to communicate with faculty, staff, and teaching assistants
Maintain inventory records of all supplies/equipment
Follow departmental procedures for ordering all supplies needed for the cadaver labs
Provide equipment, technical and software support in cadaver labs and equipment and software support in HHD and Psychology labs
Support operations in HHD and Psychology
Participate in trainings required for employment (technical, safety, and professional development)