About UMass Amherst
The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world.
Job Summary
Provide support for general and organic laboratory and lecture courses. Maintain an organized set of materials to support faculty lecturing in large enrollment first and second year courses, including general education courses. In collaboration with the Directors of teaching laboratories and technical staff, develop new, complementary laboratory experiments at the freshmen and sophomore levels. Direct supervision provided by the Director of the General Chemistry Laboratory (Sr. Lecturer II A) and functional supervision provided by the Organic and Inorganic Teaching Laboratories Coordinator (Laboratory Technician II) and the Organic Laboratory Director (Sr. Lecturer II).
Essential Functions
- Assist technical staff in the Organic and General chemistry laboratories in the preparation, arrangement, and clean-up of student laboratory experiments, including preparing and maintaining reagents, materials, & supplies, preparing instruments for use, chemical waste disposal, cleaning bench tops & hoods, and transitioning between laboratory experiments.
- Prepare reagents as prescribed by experimental workbooks or handouts, faculty, or other technical staff instruction for General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry laboratories. Maintain files and manuals describing the reagent preparation in sufficient detail to facilitate repeated preparation.
- Monitor and provide training and support to both undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants.
- Monitor class activities for proper TA procedures including proper instruction of undergraduate students and safe practices.
- Provide support for, and enforcement of, course rules, procedures, and provides technical support during general and organic chemistry lab classes.
- Maintain the organization and safety of laboratories, preparation areas, and instrument rooms. Work closely with University of Massachusetts Amherst Department of Environmental Health and Safety, to ensure the facility standards are in accordance with regulations and applicable State and Federal standards.
- Prepare, assemble, calibrate, operate, demonstrate, and maintain technical equipment and computers for instructional purposes. This is done with guidance from faculty, other technical staff, and direction by representatives from instrument manufacturers, or using instrument operation manuals. Record preparative notes to supplement the instrument manuals as deemed useful to facilitate future setup and use.
- With guidance from the faculty and lab coordinators, maintain an inventory of chemicals, reagents, equipment, hand-outs, and instruction manuals. Replace chemicals and reagents, estimating needs sufficiently in advance to accommodate to Departmental ordering procedures. Work with lab coordinator and/or lab director to procure service and maintenance as needed for instructional equipment and instrumentation, or to replace same as needed.
- Supervise and train undergraduate student employees (preparative students). Provide specific ongoing training in procedures necessary for safe work in the laboratory.
- Attend laboratory course sections to assist the laboratory coordinators as needed.
- Acts as a key collaborator in the development of new laboratory experiments utilizing chemical analyses and instruments including, but not limited to, Gas Chromatography, Liquid Chromatography, Infrared spectroscopy, and UV-Vis spectroscopy for General and Organic chemistry laboratory courses.
- Maintain a well-organized set of demonstration materials. Develop new demonstrations to support curriculum using information from literature searches combined with input from faculty and from personal technical experience when requested. Ensure that all exercises follow proper technical and safety practices.
- Maintain an online database of summaries, descriptions, equipment, chemical supply lists, protocols, safety information, disposal information, and practical tips on demonstrations to faculty dedicated to specific courses and to faculty who “rotate” occasionally through individual courses.
- Prepare reagents, solutions and other chemical preparations for the chemistry department theatre preparation facility, to assist with in class chemical demonstrations. Set up glassware and equipment. Maintain an inventory of all chemicals and equipment located in the preparation facility. Maintain familiarity with common demonstrations, to assist faculty.
- Confer with departmental computer network personnel to maintain computers.
- Perform outreach activities as requested by the department. Outreach activities include preparing and giving lecture demonstration presentations to the public and assisting faculty in preparation of demonstration materials for outreach purposes. Other activities related to outreach can also include advertising, reagent and materials preparation, and ordering of supplies.
- Assist in the preparation and teaching of summer programs or workshops as directed by the department and in conjunction with Continuing and Professional Education.
- Provide support for, and enforcement of, course rules, procedures, and provide technical support during general and organic chemistry lab classes.
Other Functions
- Work collaboratively and effectively to promote teamwork, diversity, equality and inclusiveness.
- Work in partnership with colleagues within the CNS community and across the campus to support the Dean’s strategic priorities.
- Perform other duties as assigned in support of the mission and goals of the Department of Chemistry and the College of Natural Sciences.
Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)
- Associate’s degree or above in Chemistry (or closely related area).
- At least six (6) months training and experience in an instrumentally intensive chemistry-oriented laboratory.
- Experience in sample preparation and in the calibration, maintenance and operation of advanced instrumentation used in chemical analyses.
- Experience in the preparation of standard operating procedures in chemistry.
- Experience in the use of standard computer software used in managing a laboratory environment, including word processors, spreadsheets, web browsers.
- Experience in training individuals in chemical protocols and procedures.
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of chemical analysis using optical and electromechanical instrumentation.
- Strong communication skills: must interact well with faculty, staff, and students.
- Ability to collaborate with a range of faculty, staff, and students in the development of standard and custom protocols and procedures.
- Ability to assess and act on work priorities.
- Knowledge of safety regulations, practices, and procedures followed in a chemistry laboratory.
- Must have ability and willingness to maintain the high standard of neatness and organization appropriate to laboratories that teach professional quality analysis and instrumental measurement.
- Must be able to pick up and safely move a 20L carboy of aqueous solution (45lbs).
Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)
- Associate degree or above in Chemistry (or closely related area).
- Familiarity with currently used materials in both lecture demonstrations and in laboratory courses.
- Detailed knowledge of the use and maintenance of specific equipment and instrumentation used in the above laboratory courses.
- Knowledge of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Department of Environmental Health and Safety regulations regarding the storage, use and disposal of chemicals and equipment.
- Ability to develop and author an extensive database of experimental protocols.
- Ability to use, maintain, and upgrade as needed any specialty software used in the above laboratory courses in coordination with departmental computer network personnel.
Physical Demands/Working Conditions
- Ability to lift objects up to 45 pounds.
- Required to work with maximum safety in laboratory environments which may at times include noxious fumes, cramped environments, high-powered lasers, lethal voltages and/or potentially hazardous chemicals. Hazardous chemicals include but are not limited to known/potential carcinogens, teratogens, mutagens, corrosives, reactives, or substances that have acute or chronic toxic properties.
Additional Details
- Required to maintain current safety training as directed by Department and/or EH&S.
Work Schedule
Monday – Friday with shifts varying daily between 7:00am – 8:00pm, not to exceed more than 7.5 hours per day.
Salary Information
USA/MTA Non-Exempt Grade 15.
Special Instructions to Applicants
Along with the application, please submit a resume. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references.
At UMass Amherst and in CNS, we strive to be a community where every individual feels a sense of belonging, where every individual is included, and where every individual is valued. You can find these values and goals here (https://www.umass.edu/strategicplan/strategic-plan).
The University of Massachusetts Amherst welcomes all qualified applicants and complies with all state and federal anti-discrimination laws.