Engineering Lab Manager

Overview

The School of Engineering at the University of Missouri - Saint Louis (UMSL), invites applications for an Engineering Laboratory Manager. The Engineering lab manager supports teaching and research laboratories across Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering programs, and the Design Studio. This position is responsible for daily lab operations, equipment maintenance, safety compliance, and technical support for faculty and students. This position supports the school’s emphasis on experiential learning and skilled industry-ready engineering workforce. It contributes to ABET accreditation by ensuring laboratories meet criteria related to safety, equipment modernization, continuous improvement, and the facilitation of student learning outcomes. The role includes maintaining existing facilities, assisting in the development of new laboratory capabilities, class projects, design competitions, senior design projects, and ensuring a safe, efficient, and well-organized laboratory environment.

The successful candidate will work closely with faculty, students, industry partners, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), IT, and Facilities to support instructional and research activities while maintaining laboratory infrastructure and equipment. This position reports to the Founding Director of the School of Engineering.

Responsibilities

• Maintain, operate, troubleshoot, and document laboratory equipment; keep maintenance logs, conduct preventive maintenance, and coordinate repairs.
• Comprehensive management of the software lifecycles specifically for teaching and research applications—within a School of Engineering, requiring close collaboration with UMSL IT division.
• Support setup, execution, and teardown of instructional and research experiments.
• Assist in the development and construction of new laboratory facilities and experimental setups.
• Train faculty and students on proper equipment use and laboratory procedures.
• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), and work instructions, support compliance with OSHA, ASTM, and institutional safety standards.
• Coordinate with EHS to implement safety protocols and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Manage procurement of laboratory supplies and equipment, including vendor communication, purchase orders, and inventory control.
• Support lab infrastructure needs in coordination with IT and Facilities.
• Supervise student assistants as assigned.
• Maintain organized records related to equipment, safety, and purchasing.

Qualifications

An Associate's degree or an equivalent combination of education and at least 1 year of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field.
• 5+ years demonstrated hands-on experience with laboratory equipment and fabrication tools.
• Knowledge of laboratory safety practices and OSHA standards.
• Ability to support multiple projects independently and prioritize tasks effectively.
• Strong organizational, documentation, and communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Demonstrated hands-on experience operating CNC machines, manual lathes, and milling equipment in a laboratory or fabrication environment.
• Ability to work effectively with various faculty, staff, and students.
• Experience working with concrete
• Certified machinist or vocational training in a mechanical field.
• Certified electrician or vocational training in a electrical field.
• Experience with AutoCAD or similar CAD tools.
• Experience with Geometrical Dimensioning and Tolerance (GD&T)
• Familiarity with ASTM standards and experimental procedures.
• Experience with CNC machining, mill/lathe work, and TIG welding
• Experience handling hazardous materials and maintaining laboratory compliance.

Application Materials

• Application materials include a cover letter and resume. Finalists will be asked to provide references at a later date.
• Applicants must combine all application materials into one PDF or Microsoft Word document and upload as a resume attachment to the UMSL Careers: https://www.umsl.edu/services/hrs/careers/index.html
• Limit document name to 50 characters. Maximum size limit is 11MB. Do not include special characters (e.g., /, &, %, etc.). For questions about the application process, please email [email protected]. If you are experiencing technical problems, please email [email protected].
• Please submit a cover letter addressing your qualifications for the Engineering Laboratory Manager position, a current resume and contact information for three professional references. References will be contacted only at the finalist stage.

Pay: $18.87 - $26.87 per hour

Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person