Laboratory Engineer

All Job Postings will close at 12:01 a.m. CT on the specified Closing Date (if designated).

Working Title:

Laboratory Engineer

Institution:

St. Cloud State UniversityMSUAASF Range C

Bargaining Unit / Union:

211: Minnesota State University Association of Administrative Service Faculty

City:

St. Cloud

FLSA:

Job Exempt

Full Time / Part Time:

Full time

Employment Condition:

Unclassified - Unlimited Academic

Salary Range:

$47,607.00 - $93,342.00

Job Description

The Laboratory Engineer position supports the Departments of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE), Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering (MME), Chemistry and Biochemistry, Math and Physics and the Integrated Science & Engineering Laboratory Facility (ISELF).  This position will coordinate use and preparation of department laboratories and teach select laboratory courses and provide leadwork oversight and training of lab services personnel who also provide similar services within specific disciplines.  In addition, this position supports equipment technical set-up, maintenance, software installation and upgrades, safety inspections, testing, and use training for faculty and students. We anticipate that this position will split activities between Mechanical Engineering (30%), Electrical & Computer Engineering (30%), Chemistry, Math, and Physics (30%) and other responsibilities (10%).

Responsibilities

Lead Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics and ISELF laboratories

• Provide day-to-day operational oversight and maintenance of MME, ECE and specific ISELF laboratories based on consultation with Deans, faculty, and laboratory users.

• Provide oversight and training to laboratory support staff, faculty, students, and other laboratory users (external collaborators). Lead, schedule, and assign duties to support laboratory staff and student workers. 

• Develop and lead laboratory activities of medium to high complexity supporting academic courses.

• Maintain adequate office hours for lab students .

• Consult with faculty to ensure alignment of laboratory activities effectiveness with course content and learning outcomes

• Design and manage the process of continuous, ABET and other accreditation agencies, assessment of learning effectiveness for laboratory activities; implement redesigned activities that result from assessment data.

• Maintain adequate laboratory supplies and equipment through coordination with Department Chairs and support staff supervised.

• Identify and recommend new equipment needs based on budget, industry practices, and advisory board input.

• Assist colleagues in troubleshooting or solving challenging project and/or engineering problems.

Operation and management of an innovative, educational and experiential learning laboratories

• Maintain oversight of accessibility of laboratory spaces to students beyond limited lab meeting hours to provide more student lab time as determined by faculty and department chairs. (e.g. open-lab concept where appropriate)

• Work with industry partners and collaborators in both student projects as well as independent research and design projects through industry/SCSU partnerships.

• Provide expertise and laboratory management of at least one of the specialized ISELF facilities as assigned. (i.e. imaging center, clean room, robotics lab, integrated research space)

• Provide students, faculty, and industrial partners the opportunity to experience and operate instrumentation through student/faculty research projects, senior design, laboratory courses and external collaborations.

• Recommend laboratory support staff and student employee staffing needs; lead and provide training to laboratory support staff and student employees assisting in lab preparation and equipment/instrument maintenance.

• Provide support to increase the visibility of COSE and ISELF resources both internally (SCSU) and externally (external collaborators).

• Participate in teaching lectures and laboratories as needed.

Lead management of laboratory equipment

• Work with faculty and technical staff to develop and maintain consistency in best practices and procedures for the use of laboratory equipment

• Maintain and update experimental laboratory equipment to ensure safety and reliability

• Maintain adequate laboratory supplies and equipment through coordination with the Department Chairs and support staff supervised

• Identify and recommend new equipment needs based on industry practices and advisory board input to the department as needed

Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Chemical Engineering, Physics, or related field.

• Five (5) years professional experience in setup, maintenance and operation of technically complex engineering and scientific instrumentation and equipment.

• Knowledge and understanding of engineering applications and instrumentation such as Instron tensile tester, Charpy impact tester, hardness tester, oscilloscopes, PLC systems, strain gage measurement boxes, data acquisition systems and thermocouple hardware

• Knowledge and understanding of applications and instrumentation in surface and materials analysis including techniques such as:  SEM, EDS, STM, AFM, XRD, and molecular spectroscopy (UV/Vis, Fluorescence, Raman, IR)

• Problem Solving: The ability to assess complex scientific and engineering problems, define a problem-solving approach, and work to practical solutions.

• Working knowledge of computer and software technology, especially as a tool for scientific and engineering applications.

• Experience teaching lectures and laboratories at the collegiate level 

Preferred Qualification 

• Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical or Manufacturing Engineering, Chemical Physics or Physics. Typical educational background would be in electromechanical engineering, materials science, physics, or chemistry with a broad, inter-disciplinary, working knowledge in the physical sciences and engineering, as well as many branches of classical engineering and mathematics.

• 3+ years of experience with Experiential Learning techniques and experiment development

• Experience with standard engineering tools such as CAD, microprocessors, PLCs, programming, and simulation software

• Experience with robotics or industrial automation

• Experience in regulatory compliance for radiation safety, hazardous materials safety and disposal

• Knowledge of occupational health and safety standards as they apply to laboratory applications and industrial automation.

Required Documents (Upload with Application)

• Resume/CV

• Cover Letter

• Three (3) professional references

• Unofficial transcript(s)

Work Shift (Hours / Days of work)

Typically Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm

About

The successful candidate will share St. Cloud State’s commitment to our mission, and in particular, the value we place in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as outlined in SCSU’s It’s Time strategic framework. Notably, we uphold the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion and engage in intentional actions to address systemic inequities throughout the university and surrounding environment. DEI values, practices, and strategies are embedded into the fabric of our institution and campus community, and they align with the priorities expressed in the Minnesota State system’s Equity 2030 initiative. SCSU expects all of its employees to help advance these practices and to contribute to the development of an anti-racist, inclusive community.  

Benefits Information:

At Minnesota State, we have a GREAT BENEFITS PACKAGE! Our generous benefits include 11 paid Holidays, Vacation Time, Sick Time, six weeks of Paid Parental Leave, low cost medical and dental insurance with low deductibles ($250 - $1500), a Pension Plan, 457(b) and 403(b) retirement plans and other retirement investment options, pre-tax medical and dental expense (with roll-over option) and dependent care accounts, employer paid life insurance, short and long term disability, as well as professional development and a tuition waiver program for employees and their dependents, etc.  We promote the health and well-being of our employees and take work/life balance seriously.

Desired Start Date:

08-01-2025

Position End Date:

Open Date:

06-23-2025

Close Date:

07-24-2025

Posting Contact Name:

Renee Denise Bertram

Posting Contact Email:

[email protected]