Description

We are seeking an Associate Staff Engineer to support the educational, laboratory, and operational activities of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChemBE). The Associate Staff Engineer will provide technical oversight and management of teaching and design course laboratories and departmental laboratory infrastructure. Responsibilities include laboratory operations, equipment maintenance, safety compliance, procurement, inventory management, facilities coordination, and training of teaching assistants and laboratory users.

The Associate Staff Engineer serves as a primary resource for the department's instructional laboratories and supports the safe and effective execution of undergraduate laboratory and design-based learning activities. The position will work closely with faculty, laboratory instructors, teaching assistants, departmental leadership, and Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) personnel to maintain safe, effective, and efficient laboratory operations that support the department's educational mission.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

Teaching Laboratory & Design Program Support

• Manage procurement, inventories, equipment maintenance, and vendor service activities for instructional and design laboratories.
• Maintain laboratory spaces and ensure readiness for instructional, design, and project-based activities.
• Coordinate laboratory scheduling and shared use of instructional and design spaces.
• Assist with risk assessments and implementation of safety requirements for teaching assistants and student project teams under supervision.
• Develop and maintain laboratory SOPs, equipment documentation, and records.
• Train teaching assistants and student personnel in laboratory techniques, equipment operation, safety practices, and biological laboratory methods as needed.
• Mentor students participating in laboratory courses, design projects, and extracurricular engineering activities, fostering technical skill development and safe laboratory practices.
• Provide technical and operational support for instructional laboratories, including user assistance, troubleshooting equipment, and continuous improvement of laboratory operations and instructional activities.

Safety and Compliance

• Coordinate laboratory safety and incident response training for teaching and design team personnel.
• Conduct routine laboratory safety inspections and maintain compliance documentation.
• Assist with incident reporting, investigations, corrective actions, and project safety reviews.
• Coordinate inspection, testing, calibration, repair, and maintenance of laboratory safety equipment and engineering controls.

Department Operations & Facilities Support

• Maintain departmental asset inventories and equipment records.
• Coordinate facilities work orders and serve as a liaison with Facilities, HSE, and external vendors.
• Coordinate operation and maintenance of shared departmental resources, including common equipment, gas cylinder storage systems, delivery infrastructure, and other shared laboratory facilities.
• Assist departmental leadership with planning and implementation of laboratory, equipment, safety, and facilities improvement projects.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, the Physical Sciences, or a related technical field.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience, and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience working in chemical, biological, biochemical, or related laboratory environments.
• One to three years of experience supporting laboratory operations, technical facilities, or engineering environments.
• Experience supporting undergraduate laboratory instruction or experiential learning activities.
• Familiarity with biological laboratory techniques such as bacterial cloning, culturing, aseptic procedures, and reagent preparation.
• Experience with chemical inventory management, hazardous waste coordination, and laboratory safety programs.
• Experience training laboratory users, teaching assistants, or other personnel.
• Experience maintaining scientific or engineering laboratory equipment.
• Ability to train and support a diverse group of laboratory users.

Special Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Experience supporting laboratory operations, equipment maintenance, and technical troubleshooting.
• Knowledge of laboratory safety practices, chemical hygiene principles, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Experience with procurement, inventory management, hazardous materials handling, and laboratory recordkeeping.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate technical concepts effectively to students, faculty, and staff.
• Strong organizational, project management, interpersonal, and communication skills.

Classified Title: Associate Staff Engineer
Role/Level/Range: ACRP/04/MD
Starting Salary Range: $55,800-$97,600 Annually (Commensurate w/exp)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: M-F, 37.5 hrs wkly
FLSA Status: Exempt
Location: Homewood Campus
Department name: Dept of Chemical and Biomolecular Engrg
Personnel area: Whiting School of Engineering