Lab Coordinator

The Lab Coordinator will play a crucial role in supporting, developing and contributing to a broad range of lab laboratory research, lab administration, and technical duties. Responsibilities also include maintaining and overseeing protocols and practices for laboratory safety. Serves as primary contact for all laboratory staff including undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral associates. In close collaboration with PI and other lab members, position will also participate in and/or oversee research activities of the lab.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities (Essential Functions**)

• Manages day to day lab operations and develops new systems and processes to help improve laboratory operations.
• Troubleshoots issues in the lab and develops solutions to address problems.
• Manages laboratory budgets, including supporting Principal Investigator (PI) on tracking expenses and budget planning, tracking sponsor requirements and preparing of regular reports required by sponsors, PSFC, or MIT
• Serves as lab resource to all lab personnel. Provides day-to-day support to PSFC students in the lab, including onboarding to the PSFC (arranging computer accounts, office space, and other needs). Liaison to Principal Investigator (PI) on all personnel matters, including approving technician service time, coordinating with PSFC on engineering and technician needs
• Organizes PSFC student travel
• Orders M&S for the lab group, and coordinates shipping of equipment to collaborating institutions, and receiving of equipment.
• Trains lab members on general lab operations, equipment and protocols, and safety conduct. Participates in and/or oversees research activities taking place in lab.
• Manages research laboratory facility, including procuring and maintaining laboratory equipment, procuring and maintaining laboratory supplies, facilitating laboratory clean-ups and inspections, and managing vendor relationships and service contracts, shipping equipment, tracking of MIT equipment in Germany, Israel, and other collaborator off campus research sites.
• Responsible for lab safety management, including acting as the laboratory’s Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) representative and managing and disposing of chemical, and biological wastes following EHS guidelines.
• Tracks and enforces lab training and safety requirements to ensure laboratory is in compliance with EHS policies and procedures.
• Helps with compliance functions, such as sponsor requirements,  coordinating sponsor and PSFC reviews for all papers and conference presentations.
• Basic electronics support
• Submits engineering and technician support requests
• Submit reports to PSFC library to meet requirements
• Other duties as required.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Physics or Engineering or a closely related scientific field.
• Minimum of 4 years’ experience required (may include experience gained as an undergraduate).
• Strong organizational skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
• Strong technical/scientific writing skills. Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work as part of a diverse team of graduate students, postdocs, research staff, and the ability to promote collaboration and cooperation among teams.
• Time management and planning skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Strong computer experience with Microsoft Office suite.
• Master’s degree preferred and prior lab operations experience preferred.
• Experience having conducted plasma physics and fusion research (experiment, modelling or simulation) or teaching in physics or engineering field prior is beneficial to have, but not required.

Other important information

• This is a one-year position with the possibility of renewal.
•  This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
• Employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check.