Technical Manager

Details•Troy, NY

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Technical Manager is responsible for managing the Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering (MANE) Department’s research and teaching laboratory safety program, strategic planning for MANE’s instructional and research labs and supervising technical staff. The Technical Manager is also responsible for providing academic and technical support to students, faculty and staff. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is the first technological research university in the United States, founded in 1824. RPI brings creativity, science, and technology together to address society's greatest challenges. RPI cultivates exceptional problem-solvers by immersing them in a culture of rigorous inquiry, disciplined practice, and hands-on application. The RPI Forward plan charts a pioneering course for the next era of RPI. RPI is home to five schools, 32 research centers, three makerspaces, an observatory, one of the world’s fastest supercomputers, and the IBM Quantum System One - the first university-based quantum computer in the world. With top-notch employee health and retirement benefits, Rensselaer offers its full-time employees a generous paid time off program, tuition remission, and opportunities for career growth.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Electronics, or a related field.
A minimum of 7 years of relevant experience.
At least 1 year of supervisory experience required; experience as a project lead may be considered in lieu of direct supervisory experience.
Requires strong supervisory and leadership skills
Requires demonstrated oral and written communication skills
Requires planning, organizing and effective time management skills
Requires ability to analyze and interpret technical and other data
Requires excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Requires basic mechanical, carpentry, electrical, plumbing and masonry skills
Requires basic programming skills
Requires ability to work effectively under pressure and meet established goals and objectives
Requires ability to anticipate and solve problems
Ability to create an inclusive environment and work with a diverse population
Requires 5S training or experience ensuring an organized and well-documented lab space – including tracking purchases, usage of consumables, keeping lists of tools, equipment, and materials updated including locations, documenting procedures

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of, and ability to troubleshoot Instron testing systems

Responsibilities

Provide strategic planning and implementation of the departmental instructional laboratory facilities, equipment, and infrastructure.
Working with the department committees and within the departmental instructional laboratory budget, research equipment offerings, and select small and capital equipment for purchase in maintaining/upgrading a state-of-the-art laboratory experience commensurate with current academic standards.
Research and prepare capital funding requests.
Provide strategic planning and implementation of new research laboratories including facilities, equipment and infrastructure.
Working within the research laboratory budget, research and cost equipment purchases and renovations.
Act as liaison between faculty, internal services and external vendors to design, construct and renovate laboratory spaces to fit needs.
Create and maintain documentation of all MANE educational lab facilities and supplies that can be used for tracking items, expenditures associated with each lab, and forecasting future needs.
Document all operating procedures.
Organize documentation of all equipment and maintenance records.
Provides supervision, direction and guidance of MANE technical support staff, including commendations and discipline; makes and supports recommendations for hiring, promotions and terminations of staff; completes performance evaluations.
Leads and directs assigned staff on a daily basis to ensure the completion of assigned tasks.
Manage MANE’s safety programs for research and teaching laboratories which includes but is not limited to maintaining chemical inventories, conducting safety audits, and providing annual safety reports.
Partner with Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) to develop and present safety training programs to staff and students.
May serve on school wide safety committee(s).
Provide general daily support for MANE undergrad teaching labs.
At faculty request, design, build, test, implement, repair, and maintain instructional laboratory equipment for new and evolving curricula.
Identify vendors for complex repairs.
Research and consult on the purchase of new equipment.
Provide support for emergent equipment failure during laboratory exercises to include immediate troubleshooting and repair.
Supervise MANE sponsored clubs including scheduled and unscheduled inspections of related work spaces and ensuring on-going and frequent monitoring of students for compliance with safety policies and protocols.
Support various outreach efforts through participation in Open Houses, providing STEM presentations, etc. and including tours for internal and external constituents.
Provide individualized technical support to students, faculty and staff as needed.