Physics Senior Laboratory Coordinator

About The Job

This will be a 10 month appointment, August - May.

Position Overview

The UMD Department of Physics and Astronomy teaches general physics to most science and engineering majors at UMD, advanced physics to a smaller number of Physics and Engineering Physics majors, and has a Physics MS program that supports both the undergraduate teaching and faculty research. The research topics in the department include experimental neutrino physics, physical oceanography, soft condensed matter, quantum gravity, and exoplanets. This Lab Manager position supports both teaching and research in the department, ensuring that both lower and upper level labs are setup and maintained, grad student teaching assistants scheduled, and demo equipment purchased, maintained, and deployed. Faculty research is supported in both the hardware and IT realms. This position also is in charge of the department machine shop.

Major Job Duties

• 60% Lab support/teaching support
  Teaching lab setup and teardown for each week’s labs
  Maintaining and procuring teaching lab equipment
  Maintaining teaching demo equipment and assisting with demonstrations
  Construct the schedules for teaching assistants and lab sections

• 10% Fabricating
  Assisting students and faculty with small jobs or developing items
  Refurbishing items from labs and creating new apparatus.

• 5% Safety
  Serve as department safety coordinator and liaison with the university ES&H office
  Ensure that both teaching and research labs are following safety procedures

• 10% IT Maintenance
  of teaching lab computers
  Tracking product usage, acquiring new products, deploying images, troubleshooting.
  Assisting the department with IT needs outside of the labs

• 15% Other Projects that don’t really fit into these categories. Eg, Capital equipment management
  Coordination with Facilities Management
  One-time activities like cleaning and organizing of laboratory and storage space
  Other Department initiatives
  Making displays for the department
  Preparing lab/office spaces, space management

Qualifications

• Required Qualifications:

  • BA/BS plus at least four years of experience or advanced degree and two years of experience, or a combination of related education and work experience to equal eight years.
  • Must be able to lift 50 pounds on a regular basis and more than 50 pounds occasionally.
  • Computer skills in word processing, spreadsheets, basic networking, and computer aided design.
  • Ability to convey clear directions to students and faculty when doing laboratory activities.
  • Ability to assess potential budget impacts of purchases and activities.

• Preferred Qualifications:

  • Masters or bachelor’s degree in physics, engineering, or a related field.
  • Ability to comprehend and implement physics lab techniques and procedures.
  • Demonstrated record of safety training and experience leading training sessions.
  • Experience in welding, cutting and grinding of metals to fabricate various tools and Equipment.
  • Experience with electro-mechanical repair and troubleshooting.
  • Computer skills with linux, programming, and scientific computing.

Pay And Benefits

Pay Range: $25.72 - $29.00 per hour; depending on education/qualifications/experience
Time Appointment: 100% Appointment
Position Type: Civil-Service & Non-Faculty Labor Represented Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University Offers a Comprehensive Benefits Package That Includes Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
University HSA contributions
Disability and employer-paid life insurance
Employee wellbeing program
Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
Financial counseling services
Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

While our salary ranges provide a framework, it is important to note that most of the time, the initial pay may not reach the maximum of the range. This approach ensures that compensation reflects the value and unique contributions of each candidate while maintaining equity within our organization.

As part of our commitment to fair and equitable compensation, please be aware that the salary offered to incoming candidates will be based on their individual credentials and experience.

How To Apply

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions.

You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume. Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

Required application materials: Resume Cover Letter- Optional

Priority Deadline: The application review will begin on 7/29/2026

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

Diversity

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

About University Of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD) consistently ranks among the top Midwestern, regional universities in U.S. News and World Report's "America's Best Colleges" issue. Overlooking Lake Superior, UMD provides an alternative to both large research and small liberal arts environments and attracts students looking for a personalized learning experience on a medium-sized campus of a major university. A firm liberal arts foundation anchors a variety of traditional degree programs, as well as professional and graduate students that draw on UMD's many research institutes and labs.