Biology Instrument Specialist

Job Title

Biology Instrument Specialist

Job Description Summary

Haverford College invites applications for our fulltime, exempt, benefitseligible Biology Instrument Specialist opportunity.

Job Description

Haverford Offers Great Benefits

The College offers a comprehensive benefits program that includes possible workfromhome opportunities, automatic 10% retirement contribution to your retirement account upon eligibility (no match required), a 50% tuition benefit for dependent children upon eligibility, 14 paid holidays (including the week before New Year’s Day off), Health Savings Account contribution of $700 for individuals and$1400 for families (no match required), affordable medical plans, and a beautiful arboretum campus with walking trail and easy public transportation access. Please visit the Benefits page (https:www.haverford.eduhumanresourcesbenefits) for more information.

About the Biology Department

The Biology Department at Haverford College houses eight fulltime tenuretrack faculty and is a research active department which holds federal grants and awards from NIH, NSF, Dreyfus, and the Kaufman Foundation. Haverford’s expectations for excellence in research are aligned with the internal resources offered to faculty, including a fulltime media prepautoclave specialist, a machinist that specializes in scientific instrument fabrication, a purchasing agent, a science librarian, and an administrative assistant. Modern biology has seen tremendous growth in our ability to understand and compare the structure and function of living organisms at the cellular, molecular and genetic levels, and what were traditionally regarded as many different areas of biology have become integrated, particularly in the research laboratory. We involve students in the process of discovery in a researchfocused curriculum that stresses the experimental method as a teaching tool. Students at all levels of the curriculum frame their own experimental questions and use current research techniques to search for answers. Our curricular approach allows students to develop the conceptual tools to both follow and contribute to the rapid advance of knowledge and understanding.

Resources within the Biology Department at Haverford College include realtime PCR machine, flow cytometer, thermal cyclers, incubators, gel imagers, Tecan and Spectramax plate readers, spectrophotometers, fluorometer, swing bucket & fixed angle centrifuges, ultra centrifuge, lyophilizer, and a full suite of microbial, molecular, and analytical tools including HPLC, rotary evaporator, and speed vacs. Advanced imaging capabilities include a Leica Stellaris 5 laser scanning confocal microscope, TEM (JEOL1400), SEM, and fluorescence stereo and inverted microscopes. Additional facilities support DNARNA work, BSLII facilities, microbial culture, and chemical extraction, with dedicated microscopy suites. These resources support a wide range of molecular, cellular, and biochemical research.

About the Position

The Biology Instrument Specialist’s responsibilities will include routine maintenance, troubleshooting, repairs, and training students and faculty in safe usage of departmental instrumentation and equipment. The position requires excellent record keeping skills, management of equipment database and scheduler, organization of equipment inventory, service contracts, and coordination of routine maintenance. Other duties include serving as liaison between the department and other service departments within and outside of the college.

Primary Responsibilities

Manage and maintain department instrumentation (approximately 27.5 hours per week):

• Inspect instruments weekly or on a timely schedule based on usage
• Coordinate alarm response systems on instrumentation, controlled temperature spaces, and freezers
• Regularly calibrate instrumentation and carry out regular preventative and corrective maintenance
• Develop and follow systematic maintenance schedules
• Diagnose and repair hardware or software faults quickly to minimize downtime
• Coordinate alarm response systems: liaison with faculty and staff to coordinate the alarming of instrumentation, controlled temperature spaces, and freezers in the Biology department; maintain and update Sonicu software for notification
• Maintain database of asset management, by keeping detailed records of instrument serial numbers, purchase information, maintenance, and service contracts; ensuring accurate inventories, usage logs, service histories, and scheduling calendars; and performing yearly inventory of departmental equipment
• Upgrade and repair major equipment
• Maintain and repair other departmental equipment as needs require
• Act as a liaison between Facilities, contractors, and instrument repair personnel
• Serve as a bridge between Biology faculty, students, Facilities, IT, and external service providers; translate technical issues into clear, actionable information
• • Maintain meticulous documentation, such as service records, calibration certificates, and SOPs
  • Serve as budgeting and resource steward, providing datadriven recommendations for replacement cycles, consumable ordering, and capital equipment requests, and monitoring spending against allocated budgets
  • Prepare reports for audits, grant proposals, and budgeting
  • Negotiate service contracts on behalf of faculty and the department, coordinate warranty work, and communicate effectively with external technicians to ensure timely, costeffective repairs
  • Regularly evaluate workflows, seek user feedback, stay current on emerging technologies, and implement process improvements that enhance instrument uptime and user satisfaction

  • Train faculty and students on department instrumentation (approximately 10 hours per week):

    • Build standard operating procedures and training modules for instruments used in laboratory courses
    • Develop training protocols, both written and video, for students and faculty
    • Provide training on instrumentation for students and faculty
    • Schedule training sessions for more complicated equipment
    • Train faculty on the use and monitoring of equipment, including the alarm response systems
    • Assist in biology departmental curriculum and research programs of the faculty, as needed

    • Line of Report: The Biology Instrument Specialist reports to the Chair of the Biology Department.

      Minimum Qualifications

      • Bachelor’s degree in sciences or engineering

      • Professional Competencies

        • Technical expertise in scientific instrumentation, including a deep working knowledge of common lifescience instruments (e.g., PCR, flow cytometry, spectrophotometers, centrifuges, incubators) and the electronicmechanical principles behind them, general knowledge of electronics and electronic devices, and general knowledge of computers and scientific software
        • Ability to develop and follow systematic maintenance schedules to ensure quick repairs to minimize downtime
        • Effective troubleshooting and problemsolving skills to include a structured, methodical approach to identifying root causes, prioritizing fixes, and documenting resolutions; and comfort in reading schematics, manuals, and firmware logs
        • Experience and interest in working with students
        • Desire to be part of a teaching enterprise
        • Ability to assist in departmental curriculum and research programs of the faculty
        • Proficient with equipmentmanagement software (e.g., Quartzy, BookitLab, or custom ExcelAccess databases)
        • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
        • Ability to negotiating service contracts
        • Strong project and time management skills; the ability to balance routine PM tasks, urgent repairs, instrument installations, and training sessions
        • Strong communication and interpersonal Skills, to include the ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders (e.g., faculty, students, external technicians) and the ability to translate technical issues into clear, actionable information
        • Continuous improvement mindset and a willingnesseagerness to learn and continue training as appropriate

        • Preferred Qualifications

          • Master’s degree in science or engineering with strong interests in undergraduate instruction
          • Prior experience in academia or R&D in equipment maintenance and repair
          • Prior experience in high school andor undergraduate student teaching or training

          • We are aware that some people are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet qualifications as described in the job advertisement. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and recognize that a successful candidate may come from a less traditional career trajectory, and have skills and abilities gained outside a classroom context, or an equivalent skill set. We encourage you to apply and share how you meet the position’s qualifications.

            To Apply: Interested applicants are invited to submit an application, to include a cover letter and resume. The application deadline is September 4, 2025. Application review will begin after the deadline has passed. Please email recruiting@haverford.edu with questions about submitting your materials. Should the search committee be interested in pursuing your candidacy, you will hear from them directly. Finalists will be asked to provide three professional references.

            Haverford College is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice, and providing equal opportunities and access to all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, disability, or veteran status. Women, nonbinary and transgender individuals, people of color, Indigenous people, and those with other or multiple historically marginalized andor underrepresented identities are especially encouraged to apply.

            We at Haverford College recognize that we live and work on Lenape land and pay respect and honor to the caretakers of this land, from the time of its first human inhabitants until now, and into the future. We seek to maintain and build upon our current and everevolving connections with members of Lenape tribes and communities, in recognition of our intertwined histories and with a goal of moving toward right relationship between the Haverford of today and Lenape peoples.