Item 9.F-Nov. 19, 2010
ADMINISTRATIVE FACULTY POSITION DESCRIPTION QUESTIONNAIRE
To expedite and facilitate the PDQ review process, please send the PDQ and Org Chart electronically to
marshag@unr.edu for discussion and for initial review before routing PDQ for approval signatures.
Questions - call UNR Faculty HR at 682-6114
INSTRUCTIONS: See http://www.unr.edu/vpaf/hr/compensation/placement.html for complete instructions.
Incumbent(s) Name (if applicable): Stephen Spain
Position #(s): 11118
Current Title: Director, Instrumentation
Current Range: 3
(JCC:77486;3B;CM9509;CC192;E)
Department: Chemistry
College/Division: College of Science
Account #(s): 1101-114-2438
Action Proposed: (check all that apply)
( ) New position: Proposed Range:
Proposed Title:
( ) Title Change, Proposed Title:
( ) Proposed Reassignment from Range
to Range
( X) Revised PDQ only (no change in range or title)
( ) Line of Progression (show titles below)
Range:
JCC (Current
or new HR
assigned):
I certify that the statements in this description are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge.
____________________________________________________________
Employee’s Signature
__________________
Date
I/we have reviewed the statements in this form and they accurately reflect the job assignments.
____________________________________________________________
Immediate Supervisor’s Signature Vince Catalano, Chair, Dept of Chemistry
__________________
Date
____________________________________________________________
Director/Chair/Dean
Jeff Thompson, Dean, College of Science
__________________
Date
Approved for Salary Placement Committee review.
____________________________________________________________
__________________
Pres / Vice Pres / Vice Prov Signature Jannet Vreeland
Date
Vice Provost and Secretary of University
Action Approved by the President (Completed by Faculty HR):
Position #: 11118
EEO Code:
3B
CUPA Code: CM9509
Exempt: Yes or No Census Code: 192
Job Class Code: 77486
Range: 4
Effective Date:
Approved Title:
DIRECTOR, INSTRUMENTATION
____________________________________________________________
__________________
Employee Signature
Date
(Employee signs and sends to HR for personnel file after PDQ has been “final” stamped for approval)
Rev: 12/1/2008
Position Description – Director, Instrumentation
Page 2
1. Summary Statement: State the major function(s) of the position and its role in the
university. Attach an organizational chart with positions, ranges, and names for the division
which reflects the position in it as well as those supervised in the department. (This section is
used for advertisement of the position.)
The Director of Instrumentation is responsible for the operation, user training and maintenance of the
Department of Chemistry’s NMR, mass, and optical spectrometers. The major responsibilities include
tuning, calibration, and maintenance of the instruments; repairing instrumentation as needed; training
researchers and students; managing the operations of the laboratory; assisting with the design of
experiments and interpretation of spectra; and insuring that the instruments are fully functioning at all
times. The Director of Instrumentation reports to the Chair of the Department of Chemistry.
2. List the major responsibilities, including percentage of time devoted to each. Provide
enough detail to enable a person outside the department to understand the job (percentage
first with heading and then bulleted information).
25% - Train faculty, research staff, and students
 Write standard operating procedures for the instruments
 Demonstrate proper operation of instrumentation
 Teach interpretation of spectral data
25% - Routine tuning, calibration and maintenance of instrumentation
 Shim NMR probes
 Calibrate and tune mass spectrometers
 Supervise student assistants who are assigned tasks (when available)
20% - Minimize instrument down time
 Perform routine maintenance
 Keep cryogenics on hand and magnets cooled
 Troubleshoot software problems
 Troubleshoot and repair hardware problems
 Interface with vendor repair technicians
15% - Help design and run sophisticated experiments
 Assist users with special needs
10% - Laboratory management
 Order supplies, chemicals, and instrument repairs
 Dispose of ‘orphan’ samples
 Keep the laboratory clean and organized
 Maintain scheduling, auditing, and logging system for instrument labs
 Oversee safety procedures
5% - General departmental operations
 Serve as backup for the Director of Laboratories
 Help with departmental safety programs and operations
Position Description – Director, Instrumentation
Page 3
3. Describe the level of freedom to take action and make decisions with or without
supervision and how the results of the work performed impact the department, division and/or
the university as a whole.
Level of Freedom:
The Director of Instrumentation essentially works independently with minimal supervision.
Impact:
The Instrumentation Laboratory is crucial to the teaching and research endeavors of the Chemistry
Department. Because of the critical nature of the Instrument Lab, the quality and timeliness of the
work, and the decisions that are made will have a large impact on departmental productivity and
morale. Proper maintenance and routine calibrations of the instruments in an appropriate manner is
essential to their proper function. The ability to quickly troubleshoot hardware and software problems
ensures that the instruments are available for research and teaching personnel as needed. Properly
functioning instrumentation allows for productive research resulting in the advancement of science,
increases the prestige of the Department of Chemistry and the University, helps researchers renew
research grants and receive new grants, and also enhances the education of both undergraduate and
graduate students. Productive interpersonal relationships with researchers, students, and vendors
assure a smooth and stable operation of the laboratory.
4. Describe the knowledge, skills (to include cognitive requirement and verbal and written
communication), and abilities (to include task complexity, problem solving, creativity and
innovation) essential to successful performance of this job (in bullet format).
Knowledge of:
 Strong fundamental knowledge of chemistry and chemical principles
 Have a clear understanding of NMR theory, multidimensional NMR (COSY, NOSY etc.), and
how NMR spectra relate to chemical structure and to elucidate chemical structures
 General knowledge of the principles of electronics and electrical engineering
 Understand computers and computer networks, data acquisition, data storage, and databases
 Principles of mass spectrometry, fluorescence and infrared spectroscopy to include
electrospray mass spectrometers, GC/MS instruments, fluorimeters, and IR spectrometers,
and repair and maintenance of these instruments
Skills:
 Proficient in the use of personal computers and current software applications including but not
limited to Varian Vnmr, Masslynx, MS Workstation, Spectrum, Spex, Word, Excel, Access,
Outlook, Adobe, Website Development Programs, Windows, Apple and Linux
 Strong written and verbal communication
 Skilled in the interpretation of complex NMR spectra in all normally used modes such as.
proton, carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, fluorine, COSY, NOSY, etc.
 Skilled in the interpretation of mass and infrared spectra
Ability to:
 Train faculty, postdoctoral researchers and students in the use of NMR, GC/MS, TOF/MS,
Electrospray MS, IR, Fluorimetry and the interpretation of data obtained from these
instruments
 Keep current with latest research and advances in NMR, MS, etc., and with the latest software
and electronic control of the instrumentation
 Perform minor repairs and maintenance tasks on the laboratory instrumentation
 Follow-up with instrument vendors to insure a timely response to problems
Position Description – Director, Instrumentation
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Negotiate with vendors to achieve the best value for departmental funds
Keep the laboratory clean, organized and operating in a safe manner
Work independently and to make decisions that are in the best interest of the department
Work with a diverse group of students, researchers and faculty
5. Describe the type of personal contacts encountered in performing the duties of the job.
Explain the nature and purpose of these contacts: i.e., to provide services, to resolve
problems, to negotiate.
Internal
Faculty, post doctoral
researchers, graduate students
and undergraduate students
Facility users
Reason for Contact
To provide training on the use of departmental instrumentation and
with training and help with the interpretation of spectra and
elucidation of chemical structure
To repair and troubleshoot instrumentation and software problems
External
NMR and instrumentation
managers in chemistry
departments at other universities
Instrumentation vendors
Repair and maintenance
personnel of various instrument
manufacturers
Reason for Contact
To keep informed with the latest developments in laboratory
management and practices
To keep up-to-date with the latest state of the art instrumentation
To facilitate timely and quality repairs of the instrumentation
6. Indicate the minimum qualifications which are necessary in filling this position should it
become vacant. Please keep in mind the duties/responsibilities of the position rather than the
qualifications of the incumbent.
a.
Minimum educational level, including appropriate field, if any.
Bachelor’s Degree from a regionally accredited institution with emphasis or major in
chemistry and NMR spectroscopy
b.
Minimum type and amount of work experience, in addition to the above required
education necessary for a person entering this position.
Bachelor’s Degree and five years or a Master’s Degree and three years of hands-on
experience in the operation and maintenance of NMR spectrometers to include working
with electrospray mass spectronometers, GC/MS instruments, flourimeters, and IR
spectrometers; the ability to interpret complex NMR spectra and to use NMR to
elucidate chemical structures, and a working knowledge of multidimensional NMR
(COSY, NOSY, etc.).
Experience acquired during graduate studies may count towards the requirement
Preferred Licenses or Certifications: none
c.
Indicate any license or certificate required for this position.
None