Scientific Assistant

Organizational Unit - University of Victoria -> Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science -> Mechanical Engineering - Location - University of Victoria - Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2 CA (Primary) - Posting Close Date - 24 August 2025 - Please note that positions will close at 4 p.m. on the closing date. - FTE - 1.0 - Salary Grade - $72,242.00 - $93,951.00 - Additional Posting Information - N/A - Salary posted will be pro-rated based on FTE and achieved as per the collective agreement, if applicable. - Classification - SG10 - Employee Group: - PEA - Regular - # of Hires Needed - 1 - Category - Engineering - About this Opportunity The University of Victoria is one of Victoria's largest employers and one of Canada’s best diversity employers. Together we are more than 5,000 dedicated faculty, librarians and staff supporting the University of Victoria’s diverse academic programs, world-class research and commitment to civic engagement. **The salary range for this position is**: - **Recruitment range: $72,242- $79,650**starting salary determined by the PEA Collective Agreement. - **Performance range: $93,951**salary range ceiling is available through annual performance increases. - Job Summary **Mandate**: A Scientific Assistant (SA) plays an important role in ensuring the department functions efficiently and effectively by supporting students and faculty members and by coordinating with other technical staff, such as the Manager of Laboratories (ML), Senior Scientific Assistants (SSAs), and Scientific Assistants (SAs), as needed for the day‑to‑day operation of the unit. This position also provides specialist‑level advice and training to students, faculty, and teaching assistants in the use of equipment and software in the undergraduate laboratories across various programs within the Department of Mechanical Engineering. **Objectives**: - Support faculty and staff in developing, maintaining, and upgrading all teaching labs. - Support development of instructional lab manuals and the updating of lab equipment. - Provide oversight, ensuring that policy procedures and the safety of labs and student teams are followed in the department. - Support teaching assistants by providing training and oversight for running teaching labs. - Provide additional support to improve current processes and optimize procedures to ensure the department operates smoothly and effectively. - Support department leadership in meeting long‑term planning and academic goals. This role may require working outside of normal working hours on an emergency or pre-scheduled basis. - Job Requirements This position requires a level of education, training, and experience equivalent to an undergraduate degree in Engineering (mechanical, aerospace, biomedical) plus 3 years of relevant experience. An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered. Knowledge, skills, and abilities include: - Commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive and respectful working and learning environment. - Ability to design and construct electro-mechanical apparatus and interfacing with computers. - Demonstrated experience using electronic equipment such as power supplies, digital oscilloscopes, LCR meters, signal generators, DAQ, etc. - Working experience with engineering software packages such as MATLAB, SolidWorks, AutoCAD, LabVIEW, ANSYS or similar. - Working familiarity with manual and computer-controlled machining equipment such as milling machines, lathes, laser cutting machine, etc. - Familiarity with 3D printers, 3D scanners, bioprinters, etc. - Experience with microcontroller programming. - Experience with the use of electronic sensors, such as strain gages, thermocouples, pressure gages, encoders, etc. and subsequent data acquisition systems. - Demonstrated experience with the management of information systems and technology in accordance with industry best practice and internal UVic policies and standards including relevant professional development to keep knowledge and skills current. - Proficiency with Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office Suite. - Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and tailor communication style for different audiences and situations. - Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships. - Ability to maintain required safety certifications up to date (such as WHMIS, Laser Safety, Compressed gas, etc.) - Ability to grasp and articulate different engineering concepts. - Ability to act effectively under pressure in a dynamic environment. - Ability to take initiative and work with limited direction. - Ability to mentor and coach Teaching Assistants and student teams, and act as a resource. Assets and preferences: - Experience with aerospace engineering program. - Experience with practical design of analog and digital circuits and fabrication of circuit boards. - Experience with computer programming languages such as Python,