Makerspace Manager

Makerspace Manager

Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts 

POSITION SUMMARY

The Makerspace Manager serves as a resource to students and faculty members by providing instructional, technical, and administrative services.  The Manager works under the supervision of the Faculty Makerspace Director but exercises discretion and independent judgment in managing the day-to-day operations of the makerspace.  The Manager ensures that supplies are stocked and all equipment is in good working order; oversees safety policies and practices in the makerspace (including serving on the college Safety Committee); develops and maintains diversity within the user community and among the stewards; manages the budget, including purchasing (clerical support available through the Dean of the Faculty’s Office); collaborates with the Machine Shop Manager to encourage student and faculty workflow between the shops and the makerspace; supervises student workers (“stewards”), including organizing regular staff meetings with the steward leadership team (“lead stewards”), hosting regular safety and training sessions with the stewards overall, and working with the stewards on programming and makerspace maintenance.

About Harvey Mudd College:

Located in the heart of Claremont, California, 35 miles east of Los Angeles, Harvey Mudd College is a highly selective undergraduate liberal arts college offering degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. HMC enrolls about 800 students and is a member of The Claremont Colleges, which comprises five undergraduate colleges and two graduate institutions. According to students, professors, and alumni, what makes Harvey Mudd distinctive is its collaborative, cross-disciplinary nature. The working environment is built on collaborative relationships between and among all members of the campus community and a deep commitment to the College’s mission to educate students “so that they may assume leadership in their fields with a clear understanding of the impact of their work on society.”

SUMMARY OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Academic Duties

• In collaboration with the stewards, develop and regularly review safety protocols and teach safety practices to makerspace users.
• In collaboration with the stewards, provide ongoing training and re-training in the proper use of makerspace equipment.
• In collaboration with the Director, develop and maintain diversity within the user community and among the stewards.
• Cultivate a consciously welcoming and accessible environment for students and other users with a diverse range of needs and abilities; ensure appropriate signage, policies, equipment, communication, and feedback mechanisms to facilitate accommodations on an individualized basis.
• In collaboration with the Director and the stewards, promote use of the makerspace by students of all disciplines and from all of The Claremont Colleges.
• Consult with Claremont Colleges faculty members and students about both curricular and non-curricular activities in the makerspace.
• Partner with the Machine Shop Manager to encourage workflow between the makerspace and the shops, including the creation of joint programming for these spaces.
• Seek to partner with the Director of the Sontag Center for Collaborative Creativity on joint programming.
• Supervise a small team of summer stewards who will constitute the student leadership team.
• Supervise academic-year stewards as they perform their duties in the makerspace.
• With the Director and the lead stewards, develop summer outreach programs.
• Perform other related academic duties as assigned.

Administrative Duties

• Manage the day-to-day operations of the makerspace.
• Manage student workers, including oversight of hourly reporting.
• Ensure the makerspace is safe and that it complies with all applicable Federal, State, and College regulations, policies, and laws.
• Maintain, repair, and when necessary replace makerspace machinery in a timely fashion; troubleshoot equipment for problems, make repairs and adjustments as needed, and coordinate repair needs and schedules with external vendors.
• Maintain inventories and records of materials, supplies, equipment, and capital equipment.
• Assist the Director in preparing the annual budget and controlling expenditures within established guidelines.
• Attend or lead meetings contributing to the use and programming of the makerspace, such as shop proctor and Engineering staff meetings.
• Collaborate with the Director and the Makerspace Advisory Committee on budget and strategic planning.
• Set priorities for work in consultation with the Director.
• In collaboration with the lead stewards, the Director, and the Makerspace Advisory Committee, develop and regularly review a fair and sustainable space-use policy for the makerspace.
• Work with the Office of Institutional Research to occasionally assess the programming and operations of the makerspace.
• In collaboration with the lead stewards, oversee the hiring of both summer and academic-year stewards.
• Serve on the College Safety Committee.
• Perform other related administrative duties as assigned.
• Design and implement systems for efficient material use, re-use, and recycling, with the goal of reducing waste and moving towards increasingly sustainable material practices.

REQUIRED, KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Highly developed organizational skills.
• The demonstrated ability to engage well and collaborate with others in this public-facing position.

• Experience with hands-on education, project-based learning, or prototyping.
• Experience teaching or tutoring others in a way that would have applicability to the makerspace.
• Experience helping students or others design hands-on projects.
• The job candidate should be familiar with most and proficient with some of the following technologies, processes, and tools:

• Gas-shielded arc welding
• Sewing / weaving
• Electronics
• 3D printing
• Composites
• Laser cutters
• Water-jet cutters
• Video and still cameras, microphones, and studio lighting
• Wood- and metal-working
• Design principles, including human-centered design and graphic design
• Hand tools
• Power tools (e.g., drills, drivers, reciprocating saws, chop saws, grinders)

Additionally, the successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to learn technologies, processes, and tools with which the candidate is not currently familiar.

 REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education: High school diploma and extensive courses beyond high school equivalent to one or two years of college or technical training; or any combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities of the position.  Bachelor’s or advanced degree preferred.

Experience:  At least five years of relevant experience (not necessarily in higher education); supervisory experience desirable.

Licenses:  Valid California Driver License and a driving record, as maintained by the DMV, that is acceptable to the College’s insurance carrier.

Grooming and Appearance: The Claremont Colleges seek to maintain a professional image at all times.

OTHER

Hours: The regular hours of this position are 40 hours a week, Monday through Friday, with a one-hour unpaid meal period daily.  Hours may vary due to the needs of the College or department, and specific times are negotiable.

Classification and Status: This is a full-time, regular, twelve-months per year, benefits-eligible, exempt position. Regular employment at the College is for no specified period of time; conditions and status of employment (hours, pay, title, duties, etc.) are subject to change at any time. Employees, and likewise the College, are free to end the employment relationship at any time, for any reason, with or without notice or cause, unless otherwise prohibited by law.

 Reporting: This position reports to the Faculty Makerspace Director.

POSITION CHARACTERISTICS

• Classification:  Exempt
• Employment Category:  Regular, full-time
• Benefits Eligible

APPLICATION PROCESS

Application Procedures:

Please visit www.hmc.edu/employment to view a complete job description for this position and obtain information about how to submit an application.   Information about HMC’s competitive benefits package is available at www.hmc.edu/hrbenefits.

Deadline to apply:

Position will remain open until filled.

Government and public health guidelines and restrictions, as well as industry best practices regarding COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines, are changing rapidly as new information becomes available, further research is conducted, and additional vaccines are approved and distributed.  In that spirit, Harvey Mudd College has adopted a Voluntary Vaccination Policy.  The College strongly encourages all employees who are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and can safely do so to get vaccinated against COVID-19. HMC reserves the right to modify this policy at any time in its sole discretion to adapt to changing circumstances and business needs, including the right to require COVID-19 vaccines, consistent with its commitment to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace. More information regarding the policy can be found here.

This job description defines the essential job duties of the position. Harvey Mudd College expects that employees hired for this position can perform the essential functions of the job without imposing risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of themselves or others.  It may also include marginal functions, generally defined within Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Regular employment at the College is for no specified period of time; conditions and status of employment (hours, pay, title, duties, etc.) are subject to change at any time. Employment is at-will and employees, and likewise the College, are free to end the employment relationship at any time, for any reason, with or without notice or cause, unless otherwise prohibited by law.