PROFESSIONAL POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position Title:Laboratory Manager

Division:College of Science, Technology and Health

Department:Biological Sciences and Chemistry

Location:Portland, Science Building, C Wing, room 393

Schedule:Regular, full time,flexible schedule required; work could include some early morning,nights and weekends as required

Reports to:Dr. Lisa R. Moore, Professor, Biological Sciences and Dr. Lucille Benedict, Associate Professor, Chemistry

STATEMENT OF THE JOB: The Lab Manager will be responsible for the efficient operation of research and analytical laboratories in the Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Chemistry. This will include responsibilities for supervision, implementation, quality control, record-keeping and data analysis in multiple, separate lines of research and technical work. The Lab Manager will also train, supervise and work with student researchers in the laboratories. The Lab Manager will primarily work with Dr. Moore and Dr. Benedict, and will provide lab managerial support for the research laboratories of Dr. Peter Woodruff and Dr. Rachel Larsen. Helping with managing other research laboratories and facilities at USM may sometimes occur.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

  • Manage the everyday operation of the research laboratories of Dr. Moore and Dr. Benedict.
  • Additional essential functions not listed below but related to managing the research laboratories may also be needed as reasonably assigned
  • Assume primary responsibility under Dr. Moore for the maintenance of marine phytoplankton and bacterioplankton stocks on regular basis. Assist with microbial culturing in other research labs when needed.
  • Participate in training and supervision of students, primarily undergraduate and occasionally graduate students, and customers of the brewing analytical lab when appropriate. This will also include developing, teaching, enforcing laboratory safety policies, and maintaining laboratory safety records.
  • Monitor and maintain an adequate inventory of reagents and other laboratory supplies and assist, as directed by faculty, with orders of supplies and equipment.
  • Perform regular maintenance and arrange needed repairs of laboratory instrumentation.
  • Help with financial records of laboratories. Help with some research projects when necessary in the laboratories. Responsibilities include performing and documenting detailed procedures, analysis of results, involvement in the discussion and planning of experiments, and the preparation and analysis of data.

SPECIAL ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES*:

  • Work on federally funded projects.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Assist in the effective training and supervision of students employed as research assistants in the laboratory, or working on independent research projects. Maintain regular meetings with each research lab’s Principle Investigator regarding research projects.

BUDGET RESPONSIBILITIES: Monitor supplies and supply budgets. Assist in seeking the best sources for supplies and equipment. Assist in ordering regular supplies for the operation of the laboratories.

PUBLIC AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES RELATED TO JOB PERFORMANCE:

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CONTACTS:

Internal:Work closely with other science departments and laboratory associates for CSTH to ensure effective and efficient use of laboratories. Seek and maintain appropriate laboratory certifications, MSDS, and safety records in conjunction with the USM Occupational Safety and Health Officer. Work with members of the Department of Facilities Management for repairs and maintenance of laboratory.

External:

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

  • Proficiency in basic skills associated with research laboratories including making solutions, culturing marine phytoplankton and microorganisms.
  • Experience in culturing marine phytoplankton and other microorganisms, and in carrying out various physiological and chemical measurements.
  • High proficiency with microscopy, spectroscopy (absorbance and fluorescence), and flow cytometry of small cells. Experience in managing a lab, business or organization, including ordering, organizing and record-keeping.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:

  • A minimum of an Associate’s degree with 2 years’ experience in chemistry, biology or related fields.
  • College level course work in basic sciences, microbiology and molecular biology.
  • Expertise and experience with culturing phytoplankton and other microorganisms, particularly marine cyanobacteria, bacteria and yeast, with basic molecular biology techniques, such as PCR, and with microscopy, spectroscopy and flow cytometry.
  • Management experience, organizational, supervisory and communication skills.
  • Experience with computers, managing budgets, and data entry and analysis is required.
  • Previous experience as research lab employee and with management and customer service work, as well as experience working in a higher education environment.

License/Certifications:

  • None

Preferred:

  • Knowledge of culturing of microbes on solid and in liquid media, particularly culturing of the difficult-to-maintain marine cyanobacterium, Prochlorococcus.
  • Knowledge of flow cytometry, particularly Becton-Dickinson FACS-Calibur, and epifluorescence microscopy.
  • Knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google Drive, and experience with various software and data entry, such as that used with natural language processing.
  • Experience with field research techniques in biological oceanography and microbiology.

*NOTE: All individuals who are recommended to fill and subsequently offered a position with special essential responsibilities as listed above, or other licensure or certification, shall have the following additional applicable background screening completed (in addition to regular and standard background screening) based on the responsibilities of the position: Credit history screening, and/or Sex offender registry screening, and/or Federal criminal history screening and/or License/certification verification.

For Human Resources Use

Date Approved:2/2016

Date Revised:

Job Family: 04

Salary Band: 02

Unit:UMPSA

CUPA code:471460

Employee:TBD

Position #:00023109