Sample Preparation Laboratory Manager

Stanford University
Stanford, California
Full Time

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This position has been deemed critical by the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Deans Office and is exempt from the hiring pause.

This position is based on Stanfords main campus. Telecommuting is not available for this role. Interested candidates must include a resume and cover letter to be considered for this position.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa.

About Us
The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability strives to create a future when humans and nature thrive in concert and in perpetuity. The school is made up of a three-part structure to drive global impact: Our academic departments and programs educate students and create new knowledge across areas of research that are crucial for advancing the long-term prosperity of the planet and people; Institutes bridge scholarship at Stanford and beyond, bringing multiple viewpoints to bear on urgent challenges; The Sustainability Accelerator drives new policy and technology solutions through a worldwide network of partners who work with our teams to develop solutions at a global scale. The school is dedicated to creating and supporting a community with the richness of experience and background needed to create solutions that benefit all people, particularly those most affected by environmental damage and climate change.

For more information on the school, click here .

The Sample Preparation Laboratory (SPL) provides centralized sample preparation facilities, offering training and expert guidance for users both within the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and the greater Stanford community. The SPL is equipped to prepare a variety of sample types, including rocks, minerals, glasses, ceramics, metals, soils, fossils, and plant tissues. This includes the instrumentation/techniques required to complete the following: sample cutting, coring, drilling, crushing, grinding, and pulverization; sample mounting, polishing, and optical imaging; mineral picking and density separation. Laboratory equipment includes resin mount making and polishing equipment, optical microscopes (including an automated stage version), rock saws, ball mills, muffle furnace, sieve shaker, rock crushing and pulverizing equipment, density separator, magnetic separators, and heavy liquid density separation facilities.

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Laboratory Manager to oversee the operations of the SPL. The successful candidate will manage day-to-day lab activities, ensure the precision and quality of sample preparation processes, and maintain a safe and efficient work environment. The Laboratory Manager will collaborate with researchers, students, and faculty to support cutting-edge geoscience research. The SPL is currently in the middle of a major renovation, and a successful candidate will have the opportunity to test, develop, and implement the innovative sample preparation methods required to keep Stanford researchers on the cutting-edge. The successful candidate will also have the chance to collaborate and collect data in other analytical facilities within the Doerr School of Sustainability (e.g., the Microanalysis Facility (MAF) and the Geochronology Cluster (GC)), ensuring that the methods being developed are consistent with the needs of those downstream laboratories. This will also provide opportunity for professional and career development.

Your Responsibilities will include:

Train and supervise laboratory users on the instruments and techniques, including the preparation and processing of geoscience samples for structural geology, mineralogy, volcanology, paleontology, and materials science research.
Ensure the integrity and quality of all prepared samples through rigorous quality control testing and measures.
Develop methods for producing polished resin mounts for electron microscopy (imaging, compositional analyses, and crystallographic analyses) using the new suite of instruments including a Struers Accutom 100, Struers Citovac, and Struers Tegramin 30.
Advise researchers on sample preparation and mineral separation methods to meet their specific project goals
Develop and optimize sample preparation procedures to ensure precision and accuracy in sample preparation
Perform administrative duties such as coordinating the daily schedule for laboratory operations using iLab, purchasing consumables, scheduling hazardous waste pickup, and maintaining laboratory documentation.
Maintain laboratory equipment, ensuring regular calibration, maintenance, and troubleshooting and work with service engineers as required.
Collaborate with lab users, facilities staff, EH&S representatives and other facility lab managers as required.
Maintain compliance with university, county, state and federal health and safety requirements.

* - The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

To be successful in this position, you will need:

Bachelors degree in discipline such as, earth science, analytical chemistry, materials science, or a related field and two years of relevant experience, or combination of education and relevant experience.
Working understanding of academic research laboratory needs.
Demonstrated experience managing budgets.
Ability to coordinate and manage multiple projects in a complex and technical environment.
General background in a discipline related to the work of a sample preparation lab.
Demonstrated supervisory experience.
Knowledge and experience in managing facilities, operations, maintenance, space, and equipment administration in a research or teaching setting.
Excellent communication and customer service skills.
Familiarity with health and safety compliance regulations.

In addition, our preferred qualifications include:

Masters degree or Ph.D. in Geology or Earth Sciences or other relevant field with completed laboratory coursework involving crystallography, microscopy, mineralogy, petrology, geochemistry and a demonstrated ability to identify minerals in rocks and disaggregated samples.
Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the safe handling of concentrated acids including appropriate personal protection equipment to minimize exposure to hazards.
Experience/knowledge in the following areas:
- Preparation of rock samples for chemical or petrographic study including thin section, scanning electron microscope, electron microprobe analysis, or related analysis.
- Physical processing of rocks to extract mineral concentrates for geochronology and thermochronology.
- Preparation of rock powders for whole rock geochemistry.
- Micro-CT 3D imaging and image processing.
- Physical and chemical processing of quartz-bearing rocks to produce purified extracts of beryllium and aluminum for cosmogenic nuclide measurements.

Physical Requirements*:

Frequently stand, walk, twist, bend, stoop, squat, grasp lightly, use fine manipulation, grasp forcefully, perform desk-based computer tasks, lift, carry, push and pull objects weighing over 50 pounds.
Performing repetitive tasks such as climbing, scrubbing, sweeping, mopping, chopping and mixing or operation of hand and foot controls.
Ability to bend, squat, kneel, stand, reach above shoulder level, and move on hard surfaces for up to 8 hours per day.
Must have correctable vision to perform duties of the job.
Ability to work in a dusty and odorous environment.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

May be exposed to high voltage electricity, radiation or electromagnetic fields, lasers, noise > 80dB TWA, Allergens/Biohazards/Chemicals /Asbestos, confined spaces, working at heights up to 10 feet, temperature extremes, heavy metals, unusual work hours and/or inclement weather.

* - Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job.

The expected pay range for this position is $92,587 to $105,351 per annum.

Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on a wide range of factors that are unique to each candidate including but not limited to geographic location, knowledge, skills and abilities, relevant education, depth and breadth of experience, performance; as well as other business and organization needs such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the minimum qualifications, departmental budget availability, and market and internal equity across the unit, department and reporting relationships.

At Stanford University, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive rewards package. The Cardinal at Work website ( ) provides detailed information on Stanfords extensive range of benefits and rewards offered to employees. Specifics about the rewards package for this position may be discussed during the hiring process.

How to Apply
We invite you to apply for this position by clicking on the Apply for Job button.

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact Stanford University Human Resources by submitting a contact form .

Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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