Texas Inventionworks, Facilities and Machines Manager, Cockrell School of Engineering

University of Texas at Austin

5d•$65,000•Onsite

About The Position

As a top-10 engineering school with the No. 1 program in Texas, the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) has been a global leader in technology innovation and engineering education for over a century. With 11 undergraduate and 13 graduate programs, over 20 research centers and a faculty community that boasts one of the highest number of National Academy of Engineering members among U.S. universities, Texas Engineering has launched some of the nation’s most accomplished leaders and pioneered world-changing solutions in virtually every industry, from space exploration to energy to health care. Situated in the heart of Austin — named “America’s Coolest City” by Expedia and “The Best Place to Live in the U.S.” by U.S. News and World Report — the Cockrell School embodies the city’s innovative spirit. Major companies with Austin campuses, such as Dell, National Instruments, Apple, IBM, Samsung, Google and many others, continue to recruit Cockrell School students at a remarkable rate, launching thousands of successful careers and developing Texas Engineers into industry leaders. UT Austin, recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Large Employers, provides outstanding employee benefits and total rewards packages that include: Competitive health benefits (employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%) Voluntary Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options Generous paid vacation, sick time, and holidays Teachers Retirement System of Texas, a defined benefit retirement plan, with 7.75% employer matching funds Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation program 457(b) Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning plus professional conference opportunities Tuition assistance Expansive employee discount program including athletic tickets Free access to UT Austin's libraries and museums with staff ID card Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Austin CapMetro buses with staff ID card Texas Inventionworks (TIW), based in the Cockrell School of Engineering, is a vibrant hands-on education program, fabrication resource and innovation hub. The TIW staff is dedicated to fostering open exploration, hands-on experience, cross-disciplinary collaboration and enabling students to take a shot at solving real problems. In addition to online training, support for curriculum development and guidance for product development, the program operates more than 25,000sf of lab space divided into 22 labs that include 3D printing, laser cutting, wood and metal working, electronics, testing and other capabilities. There are 6 professional staff members and a highly-empowered 65-member student staff who establish a vibrant, collaborative culture and peer-to-peer learning for the roughly 3,500 students who visit the facilities each year. The vision is to be a design, fabrication and innovation ecosystem at UT Austin that empowers students from all backgrounds to easily learn, collaborate, build and invent together. The Texas Inventionwork Facilities and Machines Manager is a critical, collaborative role within TIW, responsible for overseeing the full lifecycle of machines, tools, and facilities. The position manages needs assessment, solution research, procurement, setup, training, maintenance, and decommissioning, while working closely with professional and student staff. The role ensures high machine uptime, promotes a strong culture of safety, supports teaching and mentoring in design and fabrication, and contributes to efficient physical and digital operations. The manager also strengthens connections across campus and ensures alignment with the program’s strategic direction.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field
Five or more years of experience managing fabrication labs, makerspaces, workshops, or similar hands-on technical facilities
Demonstrated experience creating and managing complex projects or programs, especially involving design, fabrication and device testing
Demonstrated experience with a wide range of fabrication equipment such as CNC machines, laser cutters, 3D printers, woodworking and metalworking tools, and electronics devices
Ability to establish a strong working relationship with a variety of program stakeholders at all levels, including students, faculty and staff
Excellent time management skills and ability to manage multiple projects in a very dynamic environment
Ability to troubleshoot physical and electronic systems
Experience managing equipment operation and maintenance, vendor relationships, and repair coordination
Experience managing purchasing, inventory, and operational budgets
Experience working with a wide variety of software systems including databases, project management, scheduling and communications
Experience in education, coaching, advising and mentoring
Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in a related field
Demonstrated ability to develop equipment training and safety programs for various audiences which include student, faculty and staff.
Substantial experience teaching, mentoring or advising
Experience with welding, machining and wood working
Experience with physical technical research, engineering, manufacturing or technology-based product development
Experience with early-stage product development and/or projects within a small company or startup environment
Prior work experience in higher education or an academic environment
Working knowledge of safety standards and regulations applicable to fabrication and makerspace environments (e.g., OSHA, NFPA)
Experience supervising student staff or volunteers in a technical setting
Familiarity with digital infrastructure tools such as machine access control systems, project management software, and scheduling platforms

Responsibilities

Provide leadership in the cultivation of a culture of safety, collaboration, and continuous improvement across all TIW lab spaces.
Oversee the day-to-day operational readiness of TIW fabrication labs, including equipment status, cleanliness, organization, and availability of consumables and materials.
Support the management of student staff engaged in lab operations and machine support. As well as various types of activities that will run through TIW program, such as company-sponsored engineering projects, courses, competitions, clubs and open innovation change from time to time as the overall program evolves.
Develop, deliver, and continuously improve machine training and safety certification programs for students, student staff, and professional staff across a wide range of fabrication equipment.
Serve as a design, fabrication and prototyping consultant to students, student staff and at times, faculty and staff.
Facilitate and support facility improvement projects including layout changes, equipment installations, and capital planning
Manage and help create budgets related to facilities and machines.
Manage purchasing for equipment, tooling, related consumables, and facility supplies; track inventory and maintain up-to-date asset records
Coordinate and manage preventive maintenance schedules and repairs for all lab machines and equipment, working with vendors, service contractors, and university facilities as appropriate
Coordinate lab access, project storage, and workbench assignments for students, student organizations, and courses
Work with other members of the professional staff to benchmark facilities management practices at peer institutions and innovation labs
Perform other functions as assigned

Benefits

Competitive health benefits (employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%)
Voluntary Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options
Generous paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
Teachers Retirement System of Texas, a defined benefit retirement plan, with 7.75% employer matching funds
Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation program 457(b)
Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning plus professional conference opportunities
Tuition assistance
Expansive employee discount program including athletic tickets
Free access to UT Austin's libraries and museums with staff ID card
Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Austin CapMetro buses with staff ID card