Mountain West HERC

As the Laboratory Services and Equipment Manager you will:

Inventory & Compliance Management: Oversee chemical inventory systems supporting Chemistry instruction and undergraduateresearch, including consultation with instructional faculty and relevant campus offices regarding purchasing priorities and vendor selection. Administer relevant departmental budget lines and manage regulatory compliance for hazardous materials. Maintain working knowledge of biological inventory systems and remain in regular communication with the Biology LaboratoryServices & Equipment Manager to promote shared awareness of shipping and receiving activity across departments.

Laboratory Operations Planning & Coordination: Plan and coordinate laboratory operations across the Chemistry curriculum and undergraduate research in consultation with instructional faculty. Ensure laboratory setup and teardown meet established procedures, safety protocols, and instructional timelines. Exercise judgment in determining appropriate approaches to laboratory preparation support, including oversight, delegation to student employees, or direct involvement as warranted by complexity, safety requirements, and operational priorities.

Equipment Lifecycle Management: Oversee strategic planning for maintenance schedules, repair prioritization, and replacement decisions for equipment supporting the Chemistry department’s instructional and research activities, and collaborate with the peer laboratory manager on lifecycle planning for shared instrumentation. Direct calibration and repair operations for scientific instrumentation, exercising technical judgment on service needs and vendor engagement.

Technical Support & Rapid Response: Manage technical support operations for instructional and research laboratories, including performing routine instrument maintenance. Assess, prioritize, and coordinate responses to equipment issues in consultation with the Chemistry Chair. Develop and deliver instrument training programs, independently designing curricula and safety protocols.

Student Supervision & Training: Manage student employee personnel functions. Provide safety training and laboratory procedure instruction.

Backup Support: Maintain cross-disciplinary competencies to support emergency operational continuity through collaboration with the Biology Laboratory Services & Equipment Manager and consultation with departmental leadership as appropriate. Provide backup support for critical laboratory operations when continuity needs arise.

Work Environment

Primary Environments:

• Science laboratories – Frequently
• Chemical stockroom – Frequently
• Office or similar indoor environment – Sometimes

Exposures:

• Chemical fumes and hazardous materials (with proper PPE and safety protocols)
• Mechanical equipment and electrical systems
• Temperature variations (cold rooms, equipment rooms)

Supervisory Responsibility

Full supervision of student employees, including hiring, training, scheduling, performance evaluation, and corrective action (in coordination with the Office of Student Employment.)

Fiscal Authority

• Coordinate departmental purchasing and maintain equipment & repair budget records
• Requests approval for financial actions beyond limited scope per policy
• Coordinates purchasing within established budget parameters

Travel Demands

Rarely (1-3 times per year) for required travel outside the College

Your Compensation 

The expected starting salary for this position is $54,080.00 annually.

Experience and Qualifications

Required Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry or related STEM field OR 
• Associate's degree in laboratory science/technical field AND 4+ years of directly relevant experience in academic laboratory operations

Preferred Education:

• Master's degree in Chemistry or related STEM field
• Certification in lab safety (e.g., Chemical Hygiene Officer) or instrumentation training
• 4+ years in academic lab operations; experience in Chemistry or related STEM environments

Required Knowledge

• Regulatory requirements, institutional policies, and laboratory safety protocols applicable to academic science laboratories, including chemical hygiene and environmental health and safety standards
• Laboratory operations, budget administration, and standard practices supporting instructional and research activities in an academic setting

Required Skills

• Plan, prioritize, and coordinate multiple concurrent laboratory, instructional, and research support activities in alignment with priorities established by the faculty chair
• Apply and implement regulatory requirements, institutional policies, and laboratory safety protocols to ensure compliance and adherence to institutional standards
• Collaborate effectively with faculty, staff, and administrative partners across department to support laboratory operations and institutional goals

Required Abilities

• Address technical, operational, and safety-related challenges in a laboratory environment by applying professional judgment and implementing effective solutions with limited day-to-day oversight
• Acquire proficiency in new laboratory instrumentation, scientific software, and emerging technologies in support of evolving instructional and research needs
• In consultation with the Chemistry Chair, provide temporary operational leadership and decision-making coverage during peer manager absences to ensure continuity of laboratory operations and compliance
• Adapt to changing academic and operational demands while maintaining continuity of laboratory operations

Computer Skills

• Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word) - Basic to Intermediate
• Google Suite - Basic to Intermediate
• Chemical Inventory Software - Intermediate
• Equipment Maintenance Databases - Basic to Intermediate

Physical Requirements

• Often: Sitting, standing, walking, repetitive hand motion (typing), hearing/listening, talking, bending
• Sometimes: Lifting/carrying (up to 50 lbs), climbing stairs/ladders, kneeling, squatting, reaching overhead
• Seldom: Prolonged stooping, crawling

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

About Allegheny College

Allegheny College, founded in 1815, is one of the nation’s oldest and most innovative four-year colleges where multidisciplinary learning breaks the conventional mold. It is one of the few colleges in the United States with a unique requirement to choose both a major and minor for graduation, to provide students with a cross-disciplinary path in the sciences and humanities for educational depth and intellectual growth. Located in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Allegheny College is one of 44 colleges featured in Loren Pope’s “Colleges That Change Lives.” In its 2025 rankings, U.S. News & World Report recognized Allegheny College as one of the country’s 100 top national liberal arts colleges — and including in the top 25 Undergraduate Teaching, Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects, First-Year Experience, and Senior Capstone.Allegheny was honored as the top baccalaureate college in the nation for undergraduate research in the Council of Undergraduate Research’s inaugural Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishment (AURA). Allegheny’s undergraduate residential education prepares students for successful, meaningful lives by promoting students’ intellectual, moral, and social developme...nt and encouraging personal and civic responsibility. Allegheny’s faculty and staff combine high academic standards and a commitment to the exchange of knowledge with a supportive approach to learning. Graduates are equipped to think critically and creatively, write clearly, speak persuasively, and meet challenges in a diverse, interconnected world.

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