| Date: |
September, 2013 |
| Reports to (Job Title): |
ECE Lab Director |
| Jobs Reporting (Job Titles): |
Lab Teaching Assistant |
| Department: |
Electrical & Computer Engineering |
Location: |
Waterloo Campus |
Grade: |
USG 8-12
37.5 hr/wk
|
Primary Purpose
This position is responsible for the operation of assigned undergraduate laboratories within the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and joint programs. This includes instructing students, demonstrations, developing and writing laboratory experiments and manuals under the direction of course faculty, and keeping the content and resources current.
Key Accountabilities:
1. Administration of assigned laboratories, including but not limited to:
- Scheduling experiments
- Collaborating with the course faculty for laboratory-lecture synchronization
- Overseeing student matters relating to the laboratory, e.g., late enrollments, attendance, special situations
- Setting and managing due dates
- Report handling
- Communicating with the Teaching Assistants assigned to the course for student submissions
- Managing/monitoring marks and ensuring that the course faculty receives timely and accurate laboratory marks
- Taking steps to ensure that academic integrity is maintained in the laboratories
2. Conducting tutorials and demonstrations relating to assigned laboratories.
3. Managing laboratory Teaching Assistants through the academic cycle, including but not limited to:
- Interviewing and ranking the Teaching Assistant applicants
- Assigning duties
- Training and coordinating the Teaching Assistants’ activities
- Rating the Teaching Assistants activity
4. Managing the assigned laboratory facility, including but not limited to:
- Maintaining the technical and safe operation of the laboratories in accordance with university policies
- Developing experiments and writing laboratory manuals in conjunction with faculty, which may involve significant changes or innovations for new courses
- Keeping laboratories current with emerging technology
- Developing physical laboratory layouts
- Developing equipment and software specifications
- Evaluating hardware/software, making funding proposals and purchasing
- Being responsible for the completion of assigned projects (purchasing, installation, integration and testing)
- Designing, creating and testing special laboratory apparatus or software and during construction of equipment, supervision of shop staff may be required.
- Performing minor or emergency repairs to laboratory apparatus
5. Other duties, including but not limited to:
- Mentoring new or sessional staff in area of expertise, and training of other Laboratory Instructors in the use of specialized hardware and software
- Marking student work-term reports and/or evaluating student technical presentations
- Consulting/advising/marking fourth-year student design projects
- Participating in special events for promoting the ECE department undergraduate programs
- Participating in committees and other tasks, as required by the Laboratory Director
Position Requirements
Education:
Completion of a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering, or equivalent education and experience is required.
Professional Engineer (PEng) status is preferred.
Experience:
- Fundamental knowledge in one or more ECE laboratory subject areas
- Excellent oral and written communication
- Aptitude for teaching and an interest in working with undergraduate students
- Excellent organizational, time management, interpersonal and analytical skills
- Experience with hardware and/or software selection, installation, testing, troubleshooting
- Familiarity with test and measurement instruments and/or software tools
Technical:
| MS Word |
Excel |
PowerPoint |
Other |
| intermediate |
intermediate |
intermediate |
software relevant in area of specialization |
Nature and Scope
Interpersonal Skills:
Internally, communicates with the students and Teaching Assistants in their laboratories, with the course instructors in the area of specialization, lab coordinator of the theme area, as well as other ECE staff and faculty. Externally, this position will have contacts relevant to accomplishing the laboratory delivery objective, as well as equipment and/or software suppliers.
Level of Responsibility:
The position is responsible and accountable for the smooth operation of assigned labs.
Decision-Making Authority:
Responsible and accountable for the operation of assigned labs
Physical and Sensory Demands:
There are moderate demands typical of a technical position operating within an ECE laboratory environment, which may involve some lifting of equipment, rearranging furniture and standing for extended periods of time. Needs to be able to project voice to communicate with students in a relatively noisy environment.
Working Environment:
Some laboratories may require working with hazardous voltage levels, electro- mechanical equipment, soldering, or other hazards. Hence, safety is a primary requirement. Psychological factors, such as interacting with students, answering questions, thinking and trouble-shooting in a noisy environment causes some mental fatigue. Working outside of normal hours may occasionally be needed depending on laboratory demands.
