Lab Manager

Position Description:

Since its inception in 1996, VCU College of Engineering has brought innovative, real-world engineering education to Central Virginia. Comprised of five different departments plus the Dean’s office, the College of Engineering enrolls more than 1,700 undergraduate and 250 graduate students in several degree programs supported by approximately 600 full time, part time, and student employees.

The department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering within the VCU College of Engineering is seeking a Laboratory Manager to lead management of three laboratories: The Nuclear Security and Nonproliferation Laboratory, The Radiation Detection and Measurement Laboratory, and The Environmental Radionuclide Assay Laboratory. This includes setting up and maintaining all equipment and software in these laboratories, training undergraduate and graduate students, assisting students with their research, performing some research themselves and presenting/publishing the results, and assisting with grant proposal writing.

This position will be responsible for:

• Maintain laboratory equipment and computer software. This primarily consists of radiation detectors (GM, NaI, HPGe, etc.) and radiation transport software (MCNP).
• Keep the laboratories’ records in VCU’s SciShield (BioRAFT) system updated and to ensure that all personnel are entered and their trainings are up to day.
• Periodically updated the laboratories’ website with current events, new students that join, and other things of interest.
• Train students in the use of radiation measurement equipment (e.g. gamma and neutron detectors) and radiation transport software (MCNP).
• Assist students with their research, including designing experiments, attending planning meetings, collecting data, analyzing data, and publishing the results.
• Partnering with students (undergraduate and graduate) as well as faculty in the execution of existing research initiatives by supporting experimental design, implementation, and analysis.
• Aiding the identification, evaluation, and development (e.g., from brainstorming to proposal preparation) of new research horizons across the focus areas of the group.
• Assist in conducting and documenting literature reviews of prior activities related to research objectives.
• Documenting research findings and communicating results to internal and external team members and collaborators.
• Publishing research findings.
• Delivering results in a fast-paced, time-sensitive environment.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Initiate and respond to requests for special projects outside of daily goals by identifying and performing necessary tasks by case specific deadlines in order to support departmental responsiveness to change and market demand.