City : Hamilton

Category : Other

Industry : Education

Employer : McMaster University

Department, Unit or Project Description:

McMaster University is located on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Mississauga Nations, and within the lands protected by the Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement.

Currently housed within the department of Physics and Astronomy at McMaster University the Canadian Neutron Beam Laboratory (CNBL) is an emerging national neutron beam user facility located at the McMaster Nuclear Reactor (MNR). The CNBL provides access to unique-in-Canada tools for materials research. Innovation in materials underpins technology solutions that address challenges related to the environment, human health and the information age. Thousands of research teams across Canada study materials and inevitably, many researchers encounter materials problems which can only be solved using neutron beams. Neutrons can penetrate deep into matter, enabling researchers to characterize the interior structures of a wide variety of substances at the atomic level. This capability contrasts with many other probes that are sensitive only to surfaces (for example, electrons or positrons) or to near-surface regions (x-rays).

The CNBL is currently home to two neutron scattering beamlines, with three more to be completed over the next several years. The latter three are newly funded through the CFI 2020 Innovation Fund project “Building a Future for Canadian Neutron Scattering,” a national collaboration of 17 universities. More information about the CNBL is available here: https://nuclear.mcmaster.ca/neutron-beams/

Job Summary:

The Research Facility Manager will manage the day-to-day operations of the facility to ensure that the instrumentation and resources are optimally utilized, training and education are being effectively delivered, and users can conduct research at the highest standards. The Research Facility Manager will also manage and maintain the other ancillary equipment involved in the operation of the facility including the various systems and equipment and all lab safety systems. The Research Facility Manager will work to ensure that effective communication is maintained with stakeholders inside and outside the university. The Research Facility Manager will report to the CNBL Director and oversee the scientific and technical staff associated with the facility. The Research Facility Manager will work with McMaster Principal Investigators, research personnel, and undergraduate and graduate students, as well as external academic and industrial partners, to facilitate the optimal use of the facility’s instrumentation and other resources.

The Research Facility Manager will work closely with the CNBL Director, Director, Nuclear Research and Education Support and the Office of the Associate Dean, Research & External Relations to develop policies, operating procedures, safety guidelines, and fee structures to ensure equitable access to the infrastructure, while maximizing the users’ productivity and the facility’s scientific impact. The Research Facility Manager will also work with other units under the Research Division or the Faculty (e.g. the Faculty of Science Managing Director for Research Centres and Institutes or the Faculty Financial Administrator) on financial planning, costs associated with maintenance and upgrades, revenue generation, and human resource issues. The Research Facility Manager will also work closely with the facility’s working groups and committees to ensure an engaged and participatory user and researcher community. The Research Facility Manager will work to promote an inclusive culture within the facility that research and accomplishments of equity-seeking groups are appropriately recognized and promoted.

Accountabilities:

General Management and Planning

• Manage the daily operation of the facility, including purchasing of supplies, calibration of equipment, sample receiving, tours, client consultation, and report writing.
• Develop and implement policies and procedures that ensure the provision of services to the facility users in collaboration with the facility’s Scientific Director.
• Develop and implement procedures to ensure relevant University safety standards, including any biosafety standards, are met.
• Provide professional guidance and consultation to internal and external users.
• Interpret data and develop solutions to complex research problems.
• Assist users in experimental design, selection of appropriate analytical method for complex issues and data analysis. As needed, work with internal and external users to troubleshoot their methods to enhance their experimental outcomes.
• Receive samples, organize workloads and priorities.
• Manage billing to customers.
• Manage purchase order processing.
• Assist with the planning and manage oversight of the operating budget for the facility.
• Maintain a database of all users, including safety training records, billing information, and projects, presentations and publications of work performed using infrastructure.
• Acquire, analyze and communicate data for financial planning, reporting and assessment of facility sustainability.
• Remain up to date with recent developments and advancements in the field.
• Interact with industrial users/clients and set up service agreements as required for the purpose of generating revenue to support the operation of the facility.
• Participate in strategic planning of facility’s goals and vision.

Staff Management

• Manage and train technical Staff within the facility.
• Allocate and schedule workloads and responsibilities.
• Ensure efficient and safe work practices.
• In coordination with the Scientific Director, develop and implement training guidelines and programs that contribute to the Staff’s knowledge and skills.
• Participate in the review and selection process for new Staff hires.

 
Infrastructure Management

• Manage the operation of scientific equipment, including interfacing with equipment and software vendors.
• Oversee training of internal and external users of scientific equipment.
• Preparation of video instruction media.
• Maintain, repair, and update instrumentation.
• Maintain a schedule for equipment repair, upgrade and replacement.
• Ensure the maintenance and optimization of the performance and longevity of all instrumentation in the facility.
• Work with service technicians to ensure maximum equipment performance, uptime and longevity.
• Develop standard operating protocols and procedures to operate equipment, use specialized techniques, store and transfer data, analyze data, and handle biological samples.

Communication and Outreach

• Organize summer workshops, vendor showcases, scientific seminars, and training sessions.
• Communicate with researchers internally and externally to attract new users and initiate projects.
• Collaborate with and support central Communications and University Advancement teams with fundraising, facility promotion and stewardship activities.
• Organize outreach events, including programs geared towards communities of underrepresented minorities.
• Coordinate the development and maintenance of online platforms.
• Maintain social media presence across multiple platforms.
• Coordinate the development of scientific content and promotional materials in hard copy and for online platforms.
• Develop presentations and present at meetings, seminars, and conferences.
• Develop and implement strategies for informing different audiences of the services provided, including outreach and acquisition of new customers at meetings and conferences.

Please note:

• As directed, the position may require occasional travel
• As directed, the position may be required to undertake duties outside of regular work hours to ensure that the provision of service is maintained beyond normal work hours

Qualifications:
    
Education:

• A PhD in Science or Engineering or MSc/MEng with equivalent experience, in a field of materials research, such as hard or soft condensed matter physics, biophysics, chemistry, biochemistry or engineering materials.

Experience:    

• Minimum of 1-year experience in management
• Extensive experience in the use, maintenance, and development of neutron beam instruments or of comparable instruments such as synchrotron beamlines
• Experience in processing routines and software for specialized complex research equipment.
• Experience in related specialized complex research equipment data analysis.
• Research experience in academic, industrial and/or government
• Experience in the management of staff, budgets, and projects within a scientific environment.

Knowledge/Skills:    

Essential

• Ability to plan and coordinate activities, prioritize workflow, monitor work performance
• High-level interpersonal communications skills and the ability to motivate and direct staff and to interface with a diverse set of users within academia, government and industry
• High-level written and oral communication skills
• Analytical, problem-solving and reporting skills
• Experience in teaching or instrumental training
• Ability to work, plan and perform duties without supervision within the position’s parameters
• Knowledge and experience of specialized complex research instrumentation, its maintenance, optimization, and operation
• Knowledge of the interpretation of data from specialized complex research equipment and its application to the solution of complex research problems across the physical and biological sciences, engineering and industry
• Experience developing and implementing protocols for sample preparation for experiments
• Experience in developing content for online platforms

Desirable

• Experience in the development of new methods to extend the capabilities of experiments
• Research publications in international peer-reviewed journals in a relevant research field
• Experience interacting with industry and regulatory entities