Facility Manager, UW Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility

Overview

Term: 14 Months

The University of Waterloo Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (UWNMR) Facility Manager is responsible for all aspects of the UWNMR facility operations. The position is accountable to the Chair of the Department of Chemistry to strategically lead facility operations, implement new systems, processes and strategies, as well as management and administration of the state-of-the-art facility located in the Department of Chemistry. As a core facility on campus the facility participates and supports research programs within the Faculty of Science, WIN (Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology), Engineering, IQC (Institute Quantum Computing) and Velocity, as well as the initiatives in the University of Waterloo’s Strategic Plan.

Responsibilities

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility Management

Provide research support and expertise to Faculties at the University of Waterloo, as well as other universities and industries in a highly specialized area. Must work effectively with both academic and administrative units; Provide strategic direction (in consultation with the Chair of the Department of Chemistry and the Dean of Science) for the facility’s physical infrastructure, management structure, growth strategy and on-going operations; Work with stakeholders in various administrative units to develop strategies to improve facility visibility, funding opportunities, outreach and business development; Design marketing materials (brochures, posters, lunch n’ learns, presentations in support of business development and outreach activities; Produce reports, presentations (scientific and administrative) that detail facility operations, income, fee structure and other key operational activities; Take a leadership role in NMR focused research grant applications (provincial and federal levels) by contributing scientific and technical expertise; Participate with the NMR Users Committee in preparation of grant proposals to acquire funding for new NMR instrumentation; Define technical specification for the NMR spectrometers and lead the processes for minor and major purchases in the facility including preparing Requests for Proposals (RFPs); Provide experimental strategy and support for UWNMR users with a wide range of research needs including the design and implementation of specialized NMR experiments; Collaborate, run NMR samples and provide data results to external clients; Supervise the resolution of ongoing equipment/experimental issues. Use sound judgement for preliminary diagnosis of electronic malfunctions and equipment repairs; Manage service contracts for repair / preventative maintenance of the equipment, and act as primary liaison with suppliers and contractors for quoting and statement-of-work purposes; Responsible for the ongoing maintenance of supply lines needed to run the equipment including liquid nitrogen and helium. This includes scheduling cryogen deliveries, weekly liquid nitrogen fills and liquid helium fills every two months; Optimize instrument performance through preventative maintenance and upgrades, providing justification, budgeting, and project planning/supervision for small and large infrastructure projects where necessary; Manage FACES on-line booking system to schedule appointments and coordinate instrumental access to users of the facility; In collaboration with Science Computing, manage and organize the NMR facility data-server; Active member of the Department of Chemistry NMR Committee.

Financial Administration of the UW NMR Facility

Ensure that the UWMNRF operates on a revenue neutral basis with all expenses associated with repair, maintenance and consumables being offset by charges to users; Review the fee structure on an annual basis. Establish pricing policy by analyzing the facility operating costs, produce reports and presentations to justify the fees; Responsible for billing of users and for submitting the monthly internal charges to the Department Financial Officer for processing and to invoice external clients for all worked done in the facility; In collaboration with the Department Financial Officer and Administrative Officer, provides input into the annual operating budget and financial forecasting needed to operate the facility; • Responsible to submit equipment consumables and repair cost requisitions through Unit 4.

Training

Prepare user guides and standard operating procedures (SOPs) of the NMR equipment; Develop and implement training programs and documentation; Provide routine classroom, small group, and one-on-one training to prospective facility users on the effective and safe usage of all NMR facility equipment, (including faculty and staff from across campus. Each NMR user must receive extensive training before access to the equipment can be granted. Instruct groups with varying degrees of requirements, providing individualized training as necessary; Manage facility support when necessary including teaching assistants, student volunteers and graduate students; Provide each user with safety training for working around strong magnetic fields in a laboratory environment; Organize workshops when necessary to improve NMR user experience or receive feedback from users.

Safety

Responsible for all aspects of safety in the facility, ensuring that procedures with regard to high magnetic fields and safe handling of chemicals are in place and strictly adhered to by any facility users and their guests; Prepare and maintain current Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs); Maintain personal certifications as required by the Safety Office; Maintain posted safety procedures including WHMIS, hazardous waste disposal, etc. to current standards; Maintain equipment certifications and the associated records; Maintain first aid kits and first aid certification;  Complete monthly safety inspections using Safely and report unsatisfactory reports to the Department and Safety Office as required. Act as a resource for departmental or university health and safety term inspections to answer questions as needed. Ensure adherence to Health and Safety guidelines by all users and their guests.

Other

Serve as a technical resource for faculty, research associates, PDFs, and students in the development of their research projects; Build internal and external client relationships to further expand the research activities, improve user experience, and identify funding opportunities; Manage, develop content and update UWNMR website; Represent the UWNMR in the Faculty of Science and on University-wide projects and committees where appropriate; Maintain an up-to-date knowledge and understanding of new technologies and capabilities in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance technology including attending NMR user conferences and implement new techniques and equipment in the facility as time and budget permit; Lecturing/teaching of NMR related courses as needed.

Qualifications

PhD in relevant area of chemistry or biochemistry is required Experience Minimum 5 years’ experience in working with NMR spectrometers with extensive knowledge on NMR experiment implementation. 3+ years’ experience in Facility Operations is preferred. Experience in utilizing solution and/or solid-state NMR spectroscopy, including experimental techniques and data analysis. Strong understanding of NMR spectroscopy technique and instrumentation.  Working knowledge and trained in providing safe magnet cryogen fills using liquid nitrogen and helium. Knowledge of safety procedures for NMR superconducting magnets and scientific equipment is required. Working knowledge and proven ability to operate and troubleshoot NMR software, hardware, and instrumentation is required. Expertise to guide users through the development and implementation of complex. methods/analyses and the interpretation of resultant data to achieve project goals.  Proven ability to maintain and repair the NMR spectrometers and communicate with users is required. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment is essential. Supervisory skills including the fostering of effective teams and development of positive working relationships. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment is essential. Excellent written and oral communication skills required. Advanced experience with Microsoft Office Suite. Incumbent must also complete all required safety training modules as per Safety Office Regulations (., WHMIS, Laboratory Safety, Employee Safety Training, Workplace Violence Awareness Program, and HRs Accessibility module). Knowledge and experience performing Health & Safety Inspections of a lab facility.

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