About the position
The Department of Chemistry provides researchers critical and shared access to a variety of mass spectrometry resources, including gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), a new high resolution-mass spectrometer (HR-MS - QTOF), matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF), and elemental analysis. Closely related instrumentation is also found in several other research-based programs including Biological Sciences, SEES, and Forensic Science. This position will oversee, supervise, and maintain these multi-department instrumentation resources as well as provide technical support to the other mass-spectrometry related instrumentation in both instructional and individual faculty research labs. Since the primary users will be graduate students and post-docs, training and assisting new users is a critical responsibility. The successful applicant will also provide technical assistance for faculty grant writing activities seeking funding for upgraded equipment targeted through federal instrumentation proposals.
Responsibilities
- Carry out mass spectrometric analyses on samples submitted by the various departments' research groups. Assist researchers with interpretation of mass spectra.
- Establish and oversee a training protocol for students on the proper use of the various mass spectrometers. Manage a process to certify students on each instrument. Schedule training sessions at appropriate times in the semester.
- Carry out routine and preventative maintenance and minor repairs on all instruments including mass spectrometers, the gas and liquid chromatographs, the vacuum systems, and the elemental/isotope analysis instruments.
- Maintain documentation of analytical routines/procedures and track instrument usage and performance.
- Serve as the contact for consultation with instrument vendor technical staff for troubleshooting hardware and software problems, for assessing and coordinating assistance with major repairs, and for acquiring and evaluating technical specifications to be used in external proposal submissions seeking funding for upgraded instrumentation.
- Provide technical assistance and oversight for instrumentation in the instructional Organic Chemistry Lab, the Integrated Analytical and Physical Lab, and labs in other programs as required. Assist with training students on proper instrument use.
- Other duties as assigned
Requirements
- Master's Degree in a Science-related field. Degree must be conferred at time of application.
- 1 year of experience operating and maintaining mass spectrometry instrumentation including GC-MS, LC-MS, MALDI-TOF, and high resolution spectrometry (QTOF).
- 2 years of doctoral Graduate experience equals 1 year of professional experience.
Nice-to-haves
- Doctoral degree in Chemistry
