Michigan Technological University · 2 months ago
Instructional Lab Specialist
Houghton, MI
Full-time
Onsite
Entry, Mid Level
1+ years expMichigan Technological University is seeking an Instructional Lab Specialist to manage and oversee undergraduate chemistry laboratory courses and the department’s summer youth program. The role involves organizing course content, supervising teaching assistants, and ensuring the safe operation of instructional laboratories.
EducationHigher EducationUniversities
No H1B
Responsibilities
Apply safety-related knowledge, skills, and practices to everyday work. Provide leadership to foster a culture of safety; promote safety through actions, communication, and training
Coordinate the university chemistry laboratory (UCL) courses
Coordinate chemistry summer youth program (SYP)
Supervise, coordinate, train, and evaluate Teaching Assistants (TAs) and other associated personnel for UCL and SYP
Develop, improve, prepare, and provide all instructional materials for TAs, students and other associated personnel for UCL and SYP
Order, prepare, and maintain inventory of all materials including chemicals, supplies, instruments, and instruction materials for UCL and SYP
Prepare TAs to teach by providing guidance and training
Hold regular meetings with TAs to discuss pedagogy, safety, equipment use, laboratory preparation and clean-up, grading, etc
Oversee the day-to-day operations of UCL and SYP
Be present/available during scheduled laboratory sessions to assist, troubleshoot, monitor safety, and occasionally cover teaching for TAs
Maintain office hours to meet with students and TAs
Maintain laboratory records, incident reports, student grades, TA assessments, etc
Evaluate TAs and provide feedback on teaching effectiveness
Develop/improve procedures and policies for equipment, safety, laboratories, training, etc
In collaboration with the departmental Undergraduate Programs Committee, assess student learning outcomes and Essential Education
Develop, teach, and ensure compliance with safety rules and best practices for students, TAs, and other personnel, including proper equipment use, chemical handling, good laboratory housekeeping, and general lab safety
Anticipate, recognize, and respond appropriately to potential and actual unsafe situations. Initiate accident/incident investigation process
Commit to learning about continuous improvement strategies and applying them to everyday work. Actively engage in University continuous improvement initiatives
Qualification
Required
BS or equivalent degrees in chemistry or closely related fields
One year of teaching and prep or two years of teaching experience for chemistry or related laboratory courses at the university-level
Effective communication and interpersonal skills appropriate for students
Knowledge in chemical safety principles and practices
Demonstrated ability to work safely with hazardous materials
Demonstrated ability to organize, plan, and prioritize
Demonstrated commitment to contribute to a safe work environment
Employee Safety Overview
Anti-Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation Training
Annual Data Security Training
Annual Title IX Training
Preferred
MS or PhD equivalent degrees in chemistry or closely related fields
Experience in managing chemistry or related laboratory courses for one year or more
Experience managing people
Experience developing laboratory curriculum
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively across cultural boundaries and work harmoniously with diverse groups of students, faculty, and staff
Experience providing hands-on training, evaluating, and providing feedback related to teaching
Success in, or potential future contributions to, working with persons from diverse backgrounds, creating a sense of belonging, and fostering a fair, objective, welcoming place to work for persons with a wide variety of personal characteristics and viewpoints
Ability to remain patient during difficult situations
Experience in utilizing continuous improvement strategies
Experience training individuals on using laboratory equipment
Experience maintaining laboratory equipment
Experience managing teams
Company
Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University is a public research university that offers educational research programs.
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$8.59MKey Investors
US Department of Commerce, Economic Development AdministationMichigan Office of Future Mobility and ElectrificationUS Department of Energy
2023-11-09Grant· $0.4M
2023-08-03Grant· $0.05M
2022-11-16Grant· $8.14M
Leadership Team
Les Cook
Vice President for Strategic University Partnerships
Carrie Richards
Manager of Partner Engagement
Recent News
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