Manager, Engineering Services

Staff - Non Union

Job Category
M&P - AAPS

Job Profile
AAPS Salaried - Scientific Eng., Level C

Job Title
Manager, Engineering Services

Department
Administration | Department Mechanical Engineering | Faculty of Applied Science

Compensation Range
$6,551.00 - $9,418.83 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date
March 12, 2024

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above.

Job End Date

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

Job Summary

Due to the nature of this position, this is a 100% in-person role on UBC Vancouver’s Point Grey campus.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is a mid-sized academic unit on the Vancouver Point Grey Campus, on the unceded traditional territory of the Musqueam people. It has more than 500 undergraduates, 200 graduate students, 40 faculty, and 20 core staff. It Is known for outstanding learning opportunities at both the undergraduate and graduate level, and as a fulfilling and welcoming place to work.

Our work is shaped by our values: professionalism and integrity; scholarship and teaching excellence; commitment to students; partnerships and collegiality; initiative, innovation, and willingness to change; community, the environment, and sustainability. We hold these values as an integral frame of reference to inform our decisions and actions at every level and in every situation.

The Manager, Engineering Services, is responsible for the comprehensive provision of engineering services to the Departmental teaching program, and electrical engineering services to the research program, managing other engineers and technical staff members.  This includes setting strategic priorities; planning and executing operations, procedures, and service model changes; budgetary oversight; and safety.  They also liaise closely with the faculty member responsible for the machine shop. 

Job responsibilities require direct engineering participation and contribution to innovation while working in a multi-disciplinary research environment. The position will perform engineering feasibility analyses on options for process development.

Organizational Status

The position operates independently, setting goals and priorities through consultation and through analysis of the strategic plans of the Department, Faculty, and University.  Reports to the Senior Manager, Administration, for administrative purposes only. Supervises two Scientific Engineering B specialists and an Engineering Technician and provides direction to other technical staff as required.

Frequently advises Department Head and faculty members on matters related to laboratory teaching, research strategy, and safety.

Work Performed

• For both research and teaching, designs and constructs laboratory equipment suitable for performing engineering tests and experiments. The equipment must be designed to meet all research objectives set by the research and teaching faculty.
• Responsible for the smooth and efficient operation of Mechanical Engineering teaching labs by ensuring ongoing quality control, and refining research and undergraduate labs.
• Serves as first point of contact for all Department Laboratory issues and oversees the maintenance of the laboratories. Responsible for strategic planning and operation of physical resources for the labs.
• Develops selection criteria for updating facility and equipment and implements decisions in consultation with the Department Head, Manager, Administration, technical staff and faculty.
• Develops and manages an overall budget exceeding $100k for the technical services team, including teaching, equipment, maintenance and consumable requirements, taking into account requests from faculty members.  Reconciles expenses and ensures all charges are accurately reflected in Workday.
• Manages academic resources (training in labs & development of procedures & manuals), safety and emergency policies and procedures.
• Consults and advises users on present and future projects regarding equipment, systems, and facilities.
• Provides technical advice in designing, constructing and operating sophisticated equipment including electronic data acquisition and control equipment. Solves complex instrumentation problems and provides oversight and maintenance on the department equipment, including many advanced systems.
• Advises department in the acquisition and construction of new systems and equipment.
• Liaises directly with the Dean's office personnel, Risk & Safety Management, Building Operations, Campus Security, Project Services and various other campus units and external agencies.
• Responsible for resourcing research support to effectively implement or enhance operation procedures, workflow and internal controls.
• Providing technical advice to faculty members to develop new and to improve existing laboratory experiments and testing laboratory procedures and experiments prior to delivery.
• Facilitating interactions between researchers and lab technicians to support research activities especially with regards to equipment installation, maintenance and operation.
• Working with teaching lab course instructors and other laboratory stakeholders to identify new undergraduate equipment needs and implementing decisions in consultation with the Department Head.
• Responsible for development and implementation of strategies and staff training to ensure effective orientation and adequate qualification to execute work related to safety and physical space.
• Provides leadership, management, coaching, monitoring and direction to direct and indirect reports, to ensure staffs adhere to health and safety requirements.
• Train, supervise, schedule work, assess performance, and provide coaching, mentor-ship and guidance to the technical staff to support ongoing development and enhanced productivity. Participates in the hiring process with the Administrator.
• Manages technical staff (M&P Scientific Engineering, CUPE 116 employees and student appointments). Responsible for the recruitment, training, supervising, scheduling work, assessing performance, and provide coaching, mentorship and guidance to staff.
• Together with the Administrator, work with individuals on areas of development including setting goals, ensuring follow up and implementing training and improvement plans as needed. Conduct annual performance reviews.
• Developing overall performance standards, ensures equitable distribution of workload and manages performance.
• Developing staff training plans to ensure effective orientation and adequate qualification to execute work.
• Developing and implementing organizational changes to meet the new initiatives and evolving needs of the Mechanical Engineering and to improve efficiency, streamline processes.
• Participates and is a member of the Local Safety Team and Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC).
• Champions safety culture and safety practices in the Department and is responsible for safety within the technical service team.  Serves as a technical expert and resource on electrical safety within the Department and the Faculty of Applied Science.  Provides advice to teaching and research projects and liaises extensively with Field Safety Representatives to obtain FSR Electrical approval for custom-built equipment.
• Strategic communication of processes, procedures and guidelines across multiple stakeholder groups including faculty members, technical staff members, administrative and financial staff, graduate and undergraduate students.  Manages expectations, and frequently resolves conflicts and time-sensitive issues based on a deep understanding of fundamental priorities, equity, and fairness.
• Serves as an electrical engineering technical resource for courses and program support, including but not limited to lab development, training teaching assistants, providing practical guidance and instruction, advising faculty on feasibility of experiments and activities, designing, developing and prototyping bespoke electrical equipment, and generally ensuring the successful operation of the mechanical engineering laboratory program for both undergraduate and graduate students.
• Other duties in keeping with the level, as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
The incumbent is responsible for a high degree of self-direction and is required to exercise excellent judgment and performance in all areas. Effective management of Mechanical Engineering research and teaching labs. Work requires a high level of diplomacy, confidentiality, and an understanding of the academic environment as well as the ability to mentor and guide staff appropriately. Disregarding safety considerations jeopardizes student and staff safety, and could potentially cause undue harm to persons attending the lab. Laboratory equipment is a valuable commodity and poor purchasing and planning decisions could result in cost overruns. As well, errors as a result of un-calibrated or malfunctioning equipment could delay teaching labs and lectures, research work, or cancel a test, thus impacting students' learning outcomes.
Supervision Received

This position works independently and reports administratively only to the Manager, Administration.

Work is reviewed based on meeting self-set objectives. This is a responsible position where a high degree of accuracy, maturity, and initiative is expected.

Supervision Given
This position supervises two Scientific Engineering B specialists and an Engineering Technician and provides direction to other technical staff as required. They may also supervise Work Learn, Co-op or other student workers. This position is also responsible for the supervision of technical services clients, including undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, staff, and faculty.
Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in Engineering or Applied Science. Minimum of five years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own.

Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Registered as a Professional Engineer or Professional Engineer Licensee in British Columbia. University degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent, and at least ten years of related experience.

Broad knowledge of Electrical Engineering field required. Knowledge in other areas an asset. Ability to design and fabricate experimental equipment. Advanced experience with computer software. Teaching and laboratory design experience an asset.

Ability to work both independently and within a complex team environment.

Ability to exercise logic, critical thinking, good judgment, and initiative.

Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines.

Ability to analyze, problem solve, and troubleshoot situations accurately and to adopt effective courses of action.

Ability to communicate clearly and professionally.

Ability to pick up and move objects, work around equipment, and otherwise play a leadership role in a shop environment.