Job Title: Technical Director, Physics

Department: Physics

Campus Location: Main Campus

FLSA Status: Exempt/ Salaried

Position Type/ Work Schedule

• 2080 Hours per year
• 12 Months per year
• 40 Hours per week (Estimated)

About Us

At Colorado College, 2,300 students learn and live on our beautiful 99-acre campus in downtown Colorado Springs. We attract top students seeking new perspectives with an array of experiential learning opportunities possible only in an immersive learning environment. Here students take only one class at a time to facilitate deep exploration of a topic. We call this the Block Plan. This unique approach allows members of our campus community to share a rhythm of experience as we work together to fulfill our mission.

Job Summary

Maintains and supports all laboratory equipment, provides instructional support for laboratory courses, assists in training and supporting students involved in faculty research projects; manages department inventory, including classroom supplies, demos, and electronics materials; maintains and manages Phipps Observatory, our 16” telescope on the roof of Barnes Science Center.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the design and execution of classroom and lab experiments; provide technical instruction and supervision for students working in labs, workshops, and the field.
• See to the well-being of the facilities and equipment of the Physics Department; maintain all equipment, computers, materials, and laboratory facilities; be responsible for the routine maintenance of lab instrumentation, as well as instructional instrumentation.
• Provide instructional support for students in classroom and research laboratories, including safety trainings and procedures for proper equipment usage.
• Support ongoing faculty-student collaborative research projects by providing technical, hands-on, and electronics laboratory expertise.
• Manage departmental inventory, including laboratory consumables, equipment, and classroom demos.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of physics techniques and effective classroom demos, collaborate with faculty on integration into courses, provide technical support for such techniques, and attend scientific conferences to learn about new techniques and their applications.
• Serve as a computer resource person, including for upper-level laboratory courses, maintaining and updating departmental hardware and software on PC/Windows and Macintosh systems; provide instructional support for laboratory software applications in data analysis and graphics.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Physics or a related field plus a minimum of 3 years of experience in laboratory instrumentation and electronics OR a graduate degree in Physics or a related field with research experience in laboratory instrumentation and electronics; a demonstrated experience with wood and metal shop work and computer support applications; a demonstrated mechanical aptitude, and supervisory and leadership ability. Leading candidates will be familiar with science within higher education and appreciate the value of studying Physics within the liberal arts curriculum. Other important characteristics include the ability to work effectively with both faculty and students, personal integrity, strong organizational and interpersonal skills, creativity, and a commitment to equity and inclusion.

Departmental equipment ranges from general laboratory equipment (oscilloscopes, signal generators, computers for data acquisition, lasers, etc.) and general shop equipment (lathe, bandsaw, tablesaw, etc.) to specialized advanced research tools (atomic force microscope, room-temperature plasma jet), as well as the Phipps Observatory 16” Cassegrain telescope with CCD and filter wheel.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience as a laboratory supervisor, laboratory manager, instrumentation specialist, instrument technician, or similar position in Physics or a related field within a higher education setting.

Applicants are welcome to apply even if you do not meet the preferred qualifications. We value diverse perspectives and encourage individuals with a genuine interest in the role to submit their applications. 

Other Position Details:

• Does not supervise others
• Position will not drive CC vehicles

Application Instructions

• Continuous Recruitment - for full consideration, apply by: March 14, 2025
• This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.  

Anticipated Hiring Salary Range:

• Band F; $56,116 to $67,337 per year

What We Offer:

As part of the total compensation for Staff and Faculty roles, we offer a competitive benefits package including:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Paid vacation and sick time - accrual of 7.34 hours of vacation per pay period (176 hours, 22 days per year) and 0.0462 hours of sick time for each hour worked (96 hours, 12 days per year)
• Paid seasonal breaks and holidays (20 days per year)
• 403(b) retirement plans where employees contribute 5% of pay and CC contributes 10%
• Tuition benefits for employee and eligible dependents
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Assistance Program
• Wellness benefits including free access to the sports center, swimming pool, arts and crafts, outdoor programs, and financial consultants

Accommodation Statement:

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Colorado College’s policies, if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with Colorado College, or if you cannot use the online application system, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (719) 389-6421 or HR@ColoradoCollege.edu

E-Verify Information:

This organization participates in E-Verify. For more information, visit www.e-verify.gov.

Benefit Information:

Please refer to https://mybensite.com/coloradocollege/

Leave Information:

Please refer to https://www.coloradocollege.edu/basics/welcome/leadership/policies/vacation-leave-and-accrual.html