Date:	March 31, 2015
Reports to (Job Title):	Department Chair - Systems Design Engineeirng
Jobs Reporting (Job Titles):	Lab Instructors, Design Instructor, IT Group, Teaching Assistants, Co-op student
Department:	Systems Design Engineering
Location:	Main Campus
Grade:	USG 14 35 hr/wk

Primary Purpose

The Laboratory Director is accountable to the Chair of Systems Design Engineering to provide senior operational and managerial support and service along with diverse academic and technical knowledge and know-how to the undergraduate and research labs within the Department of Systems Design Engineering. In addition, the Lab Director also assumes this responsibility with regard to the core Biomedical Engineering Program laboratory courses.

One of the incumbent’s primary responsibilities is to manage the overall administration, operations, and technical framework of the systems Design and Biomedical Engineering laboratories. The incumbent is also fully engages in the design, implementation, maintenance and upgrading of the Systems Design and Biomedical Engineering programs lab courses. The Laboratory Director is responsible for ensuring that the lab courses’ instructional design, content and skill development synchronizes with their academic counterparts, as well as integrates with other required engineering courses. To this end, the Lab Director is typically a member of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee in either Systems Design or Biomedical Engineering and must have detailed knowledge of all relevant courses.

The ‘Lab director’ is a senior subject matter expert, providing an advanced level of guidance, instruction and technical assistance to undergraduate students enrolled in all departmental lab courses, design-projects and workshop courses involving complex and abstract concepts. Given the broad-based an in-depth technical expertise required to resolve ill-defined and highly unstructured problems that surface regularly, the incumbent must have extensive practical and theoretical knowledge acquired through multi-disciplinary engineering background including mechanical, biomedical, electrical, and software systems. Additionally, the incumbent must possess a Professional Engineering designation which is necessary to satisfy new Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) requirements which specify that engineering design instruction can only count towards accreditation if it is performed by an instructor with a license from Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO).

The undergraduate teaching laboratory supports the credit-based laboratory component associated with the core undergraduate lab courses in Systems Design Engineering and in Biomedical Engineering as offered by the department. The Lab Director provides leadership in long and short-term operational planning and this includes managing laboratory operating expenditures, sourcing capital expenditures, and recommending and managing major renovation projects. The Lab Director has overall accountability for the design and fabrication of lab apparatuses and thus, is required to have detailed knowledge of hardware and software. Additionally, the Lab Director is responsible for oversight of the planning and procurement of supplies and equipment for the undergraduate lab including the preparation of WEEF (Waterloo Engineering Endowment Foundation) funding proposals.

The Lab Director is expected to carry out instruction on an as-needed basis as well as have oversight of instruction that is performed by the Lab Instructors and teaching assistants (TAs). The teaching component of this position takes place in both formal as well as informal settings. Formal instruction can include filling in for one of the Lab Instructors on short notice, to present specialized material, or to develop and instruct on new material. As such, the Lab Director must be highly competent in the theory taught in the core lab courses offered by Systems Design Engineering and Biomedical Engineering. Informal instruction includes addressing student questions that are of a high level of complexity during lab sessions, scheduled office hours, and through impromptu student interactions.

The Lab Director also manages the Information Technology (IT) group within the department and must be able to provide guidance and oversight of: the computer systems within the department including departmental servers and PCs, advise and oversee computer purchases, ensure the student computer lab is properly maintained and that replacement purchases are judicious and timely, oversee software purchases and policies, ensure departmental webpages are up-to-date, and ensure the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board database student planner is functional and up-to-date.

Key Accountabilities:

1. Operational:

Manages the overall operation of the undergraduate teaching labs and computer lab in alignment with the objectives of Systems Design Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, the Faculty of Engineering and the University of Waterloo.
Is responsible for all teaching lab, computer lab, and staff equipment purchases.
Is responsible for the design, purchase and overseeing installation of technology in the Systems Design and Biomedical Engineering classrooms.
Develops and implements policies, standards and procedures for the engineering and technical work performed in the department, general service provision, and laboratories.
Ensures that labs meet or exceed technical, professional and safety standards in compliance with licensing authority, legislative requirements, and University policy/procedure.
Manages the full-time, part-time, and temporary staffing, and also oversees cooperative education staffing of the technical unit within systems Design Engineering and Biomedical Engineering including participating in the selection of teaching assistants for the Systems Design and Biomedical Engineering lab courses.
Attends and participates in professional group meetings (conferences, trade shows, professional association events, etc.) and stays up-to-date on new trends and innovations.

2. Administration:

Participates in Systems Design and Biomedical Engineering short and long-term strategic planning.
Acts as primary staff attendee on committee pertaining to lab and workshop outcomes, departmental staffing, student experience reviews, etc.
Manages and participates in the development of budget and grant proposals, capital and non-capital expenditure (equipment, instruments, and laboratory modifications) proposals.
Oversees the coordination of WEEF (Waterloo Engineering Endowment Foundation) proposals and purchases.
Specifies and manages the design, development and fabrication of complex laboratory experiments.
Oversees the scheduling of undergraduate laboratories and research projects.
Acts as a liaison with Human Resources with respect to all matters concerning the staffing of the technical unit within Systems Design Engineering.
Acts as a liaison with Plant Operations and Information Systems and Technology with respect to the physical space and use of equipment.
Maintains an inventory and tracking system for all department owned laboratory and office equipment; arranges for the safe disposal of obsolete equipment.
Continuously improves Systems Design and Biomedical Engineering laboratory procedures and ensures efficiency at all times.

3. Supervision:

Manages and participates in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for the Systems Design and Biomedical Engineering technical unit; recommends within departmental policy, appropriate service and staffing levels; recommends and administers related policies and procedures.
Participates in selection, training, mentoring, motivation, and evaluation of assigned staff; provides or coordinates staff training, partners with employees to reach and exceed performance expectations.
Manages and coordinates the work plan for the Systems Design and Biomedical Engineering technical division; meets with staff to identify goals, and assists in resolving concerns; assigns work activities, projects, and programs; monitors work flow; reviews and evaluates output, methods, and procedures.
Provides high and low level technical and professional expertise in the area of staff guidance with respect to ill-defined, non-routine multi-disciplinary challenges which are typically encountered in the day-to-day operation of the labs.
Reviews, approves, and implements all engineering/technical standards, policies and procedures in accordance with professional and Faculty of Engineering quality standards.
Provides interpretations of all external codes, regulations, specifications, as well as internal policies and procedures.
Resolves conflicts related to the undergraduate laboratory in terms of equipment usage, scheduling, and TA staffing during lab times.

4. Consultative:

Is a member of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee providing high-level expertise relating to design courses, laboratory courses, and their academic course counterparts.
Leads collaborative efforts with academic counterparts for lab courses to effectively synchronize the learning experience.
Ensures through the appropriate application of pedagogical expertise to continuously improve lab course structure and content; this may include significant modification or redesign of lab material or personal development of innovative material for new courses.
Ensures personally and through oversight that the enhancement of the student experience of the lab component through the development of multi-media instructional aids such as videos, demonstrations, web content, etc.
Ensures personally and through oversight that the developed experimental test cases for labs adhere to professional and scientific methodologies in a consistent and complementary fashion to their academic counterparts.
Participates as a supervisor/advisor for senior level student design projects.
Is a strategic project evaluator for upper year design courses
Provides expert broad-based and multi-disciplinary professional guidance to undergraduate students taking Systems Design and Biomedical Engineering workshop and project courses which are distributed throughout the entire undergraduate program.
Oversees the design of the fabrication of lab apparatuses/equipment and is lead consultant on the development of complex laboratory experiments.

5. Technical:

Is a key participant in the conception, analysis and design of special laboratory equipment, instruments, and devices for instructional purposes; personally develops the same in complex, abstract, or multi-disciplinary circumstances.
Maintains advanced proficiency and knowledge by attending suitable seminars, trade shows and short courses.
Provides senior level technical and administrative expertise to faculty members and graduate students with regard to research and equipment needs,
Participates in special projects (e.g. curriculum development, faculty-wide initiatives, special reports, etc.) as assigned by the Departmental Chair.

Position Requirements

Education:

Completion of a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Biomedical, Electrical, Computer, Mechatronics, Mechanical, or Systems Design Engineering.

- A multi-disciplinary education is necessary
- The incumbent will be a registered Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario and be fully fluent in the applicable codes/regulations/practices and procedures commensurate with the designation
- Workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS) training is necessary and a current First-Aid certificate would be an asset

Experience:

- The Lab Director must have a complex, broad-based and in-depth senior user skill level in engineering theory and practice in order to support the diverse multi-faceted environment required for this specialised type of laboratory setting.
- Knowledge of advanced administrative principles and practices, including goal setting, program development, implementation evaluation, project management, and supervision of staff is necessary.
- Incumbent is well versed in leadership principles and practices of employee supervision, including work planning, assignment, review/evaluation, and the training of staff in work procedures. Successful history with mentoring and developing staff is necessary.
- Incumbent must have the proven ability to establish, maintain, and foster positive and harmonious working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
- Critical to this position is demonstrated success in the development of improvements in operations, procedures, policies, or methodology. A background in researching, analyzing, and evaluating new service delivery methods, procedures, and techniques is highly advantageous.
- Must have in-depth knowledge of the core Systems Design Engineering and Biomedical Engineering lab course material including multi-disciplinary system modelling, digital and analogue systems, and in-depth knowledge of analogue and digital control systems.
- Must have practical experience with and sound knowledge of sensors, actuators, hardware design and fabrication, software design, embedded systems, analogue and digital circuit design, mechanical systems, and mechanical system fabrication.
- Must have excellent and demonstrable oral and written communication skills, including strong technical documentation and presentation/facilitation skills.
- Must have experience and competency using scientific and lab software applications such as LabVIEW, Matlab, circuit simulators, and CAD.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite of programs.
- Must be able to work both with significant autonomy and as part of a team.
- Must be experienced with, or have the demeanour and desire to interact with students in a professional manner to provide technical advice and instructional material.
- Excellent interpersonal, analytical, research, organizational, and creative problem solving skills.
- Must have a strong sense of pedagogy and how it is applied to diverse and changing student group.
- Must be committed to remaining up-to-date on recent and on-going developments in engineering and pedagogy.

Technical:

MS Word	Excel	PowerPoint	Other
Proficient	Proficient	Proficient	LabVIEW, Matlab, circuit simulators, CAD

Nature and Scope

Interpersonal Skills:

Interpersonal Skills: Internally, frequent communication is required with staff, students, and faculty members in the department. In addition, the incumbent will occasionally present information to students with regard to labs and workshop courses. Externally, the incumbent will occasionally require contact with vendors/suppliers/manufacturers for the purposes of purchasing and maintaining equipment.

Level of Responsibility:

The job has specialized work with supervision of lab instructors, IT professionals, and design instructors.

Decision-Making Authority:

Physical and Sensory Demands:

Requires exertion of physical or sensory effort resulting in moderate fatigue, strain or risk of injury.

Working Environment:

Involves moderate physical or psychological risk resulting from unavoidable exposure to hazardous, disagreeable or uncomfortable environmental conditions. In certain cases, the ‘Lab Director’, the teaching assistants, and the students may work with hazardous voltage levels and electro-mechanical apparatuses. Consequently, safety procedures must be strictly enforced. Incumbent will work within an open concept laboratory and work is subject to several interruptions. Occasional after hours and weekend work will be required.