Murdock Lab Manager

Job Summary

Central Washington University is recruiting a Laboratory Manager to join our Geological Sciences team in Ellensburg, Washington. This role is an important member of our team as they enhance the vision for the University. The role is a campus-basedposition, which means you get to see the lives you are impacting. We're offering a salary, depending on experience, plus the awesome CWU benefits.

Who we are:

We are a team of individuals committed to Changing Students' Lives. No matter what job, each of us plays a part in supporting and empowering our students to fulfill their dreams.

Working in higher education provides career growth and career choice. Think of a university campus like a mini city, operating across 380 acres. You'll find diverse academics, libraries, athletics and sporting events, full service and quick serve dining, conferences and events from small to large, recreation centers, housing for ~10,000 students, health services, police and public safety.

For the seventh time in eight years, CWU is a recipient of the prestigious Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. Come join us on our journey to encourage, inspire, and create spaces where all identities thrive on campus.

Tour our campus in Ellensburg here. www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjdhOegDa9A

What we offer:

Our investment in you begins the day you join our team, a healthy and successful future for you is important to us. We offer medical, dental, life and disability insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, tuition assistance for you and your dependents, discounts across town, an employee assistance program for individualized counseling, and a wellness incentive program. Learn more: www.cwu.edu/hr/benefits-perks-discounts.

The Role:

The Laboratory Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Murdock Research Laboratory (MRL), a multi-instrument sample analysis facility housed within the Department of Geological Sciences at CWU. The lab hosts sample preparation facilities, a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), a Laser Ablation Inductively Couple Plasma Mass Spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS), an X-ray Diffractometer (XRD), a portable X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (pXRF), and other instrumentation, all of which are available for use by faculty, students, and staff in the College of the Sciences at CWU and external clients. The Laboratory Manager is the primary point of contact for the facility, providing expertise in the safe operation and maintenance of instruments, supervision and training of staff and lab users, facility budgeting, and working with faculty on long-term scientific and financial goals. All employees are expected to support CWU's commitment to diversity and to bring and support inclusion into the university environment.

Job Duties

Laboratory/Facility Management
- Manage administrative functions and responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Murdock Research Laboratory in compliance with policies and procedures
- Provide leadership, vision and coordination of the laboratory. In conjunction with stakeholders, develop and implement a strategic plan outlining short-term and long-term goals, objectives, action plan, and assessment strategies; Make program changes and modifications. Make recommendations for further equipment, programs, functions and services.
- Responsible for program development. Direct the development and review of policies and procedures to ensure consistency
- Set up, calibrate, operate, monitor performance, troubleshoot, and perform routine maintenance on laboratory equipment and scientific instrumentation
- Manage user registration, training, and certification of users
- Schedule and prioritize instrument bookings according to individual, course, and department needs for teaching and research
- Maintain and keep records of a preventative maintenance schedule for each instrument, including scheduling regular service
- Manage the MRL budget and allocation of resources
- Train facility users in lab safety, instrument operation, method development, and sample preparation;
- Manage the systematic data storage plan for each instrument in the lab and train users on this system
- Develop methods and modify instrument designs to achieve desired research and teaching goals
- Ensure compliance with institutional policies, scientific protocols, regulatory agencies and safety practices
- Analyze samples using lab equipment
- Work with faculty users of the facility on long-term scientific and financial goals.
- Write grant proposals

Supervision
- Supervise scientific staff of the facility (graduate Teaching Assistants)
- Actively engages in recruitment and hiring new employees;
- Clearly defines performance expectations, ensure accountability, and provides ongoing informal feedback, coaching, and mentoring. Conducts formal performance evaluations;
- Ensures employees have necessary resources;
- Oversees and directs the work of staff; serves as mentor, coach and leader, and resolves complaints or issues;
- Promotes professional development opportunities;
- Develops and fosters supportive working relationships, motivation and engagement;
- Communicates information to staff on an ongoing basis to influence staff engagement and to be a part of a larger community;
- Takes corrective action in a timely manner;
- Recognizes and rewards employees for good performance;
- Schedules employee work hours/shifts; monitor hours worked; approve payable time and absence requests;
- Adjusts leadership style as needed to achieve results;
- Recognizes value of and promotes diverse workforce. Values and encourages diverse perspectives, creativity and teamwork

- Perform other duties as assigned
- As time permits, advise students in research
- As time permits, conduct own research

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in Geology, Earth Sciences, or related field
• Experience preparing and analyzing samples using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), a Laser Ablation Inductively Couple Plasma Mass Spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS), and an X-ray Diffractometer (XRD)
• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences
• Demonstrated commitment to integrating the use of analytical facilities into undergraduate and graduate teaching and research
• Demonstrated strong time management and organizational skills
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusion and experience serving the diverse analytical needs of co-workers and students with a wide range of abilities, backgrounds, and experiences.
• OR applicable combination of education and/or experience which demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position

Preferred Qualifications

• A Ph.D. in Geology, Earth Sciences or related field
• Experience managing a laboratory or analytical facility
• Successful grant-writing experience
• Strong background in sample preparation techniques for a variety of advanced analytical systems and sample types
• Demonstrated participation in programs designed to promote inclusion.
• Experience or interest in mentoring students from a variety of backgrounds.

Competencies

• Accountability/Dependability: Accepts responsibility for quality of own work; acknowledges and corrects mistakes. Shows up on time, meets standards, deadlines and work schedules.
• Judgement: Makes timely, informed decisions. Analyzes options and determines appropriate course of action.
• Teamwork: Promotes cooperation and mutual support to achieve goals. Encourages participation and mutual support.
• Adaptability/Flexibility: Responds positively to changing business needs and responsibilities. Adapts approach and methods to achieve results; recovers quickly from setbacks and finds alternatives.
• Commitment to Diversity: Recognizes the value of diversity and helps create environment that supports and embraces diversity.

Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule

Salary: Dependent upon qualifications and experience

Schedule/Appointment: Monday - Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm (1 hour lunch), occasional evenings and weekend days as needed

Working Conditions: Work is performed in an indoor office/laboratory setting with frequent in-person interactions. The position will involve working at a desk/computer workstation for prolonged periods of time, performing data entry and other computer-related tasks including creating/maintaining filing systems for departmental records. The position will also involve work that requires walking, standing (often in a stationary position), bending, climbing, crawling, carrying, pulling, pushing and lifting associated with instrument maintenance and repair. At times work may be performed in hot/cold/noisy/dirty/wet/confined areas such as pump rooms, clean labs and behind instruments, and may need to physically access work areas with equipment and tools necessary for completion of the job. Some evening or weekend work and travel may be required.

Benefits: CWU offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical and dental insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, life and disability insurance, along with vacation and sick leave plans depending on employment classification. For additional information please visit: www.cwu.edu/hr/benefits-perks-discounts .

An employee of CWU may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program if the employee has student loans. To learn more, visit: https://ofm.wa.gov/state-human-resources/public-service-loan-forgiveness-program.