Academic Administrator IV

Academic Administrator IV

UCLA's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry invites applications for a position in the Academic Administrator Series to serve as the Administrative Director of the Shared Instrumentation Cores. The incumbent will serve as the principal administrative leader for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry's shared research instrumentation infrastructure including the Molecular Instrumentation Center (MIC), the Biochemistry Instrumentation Facility (BIF), and other shared instrumentation. The Administrative Director provides strategic, financial, personnel, and programmatic leadership for these campus-wide core facilities while maintaining the scientific expertise necessary to provide informed oversight of advanced instrumentation operations at least in one core areas of the facilities. The role works in close partnership with faculty leadership, facility scientific directors, instrumentation committees, and departmental administration to ensure that shared instrumentation resources are sustainable, compliant, accessible, and aligned with the Department's research and instructional mission.

Key duties include:

• Serve as principal administrative leader for the Department's Shared Instrumentation Cores, including MIC, BIF, and other shared instrumentation facilities housed by the Chemistry and Biochemistry department.
• Develop, implement, and deliver comprehensive training programs for students, postdoctoral researchers, staff, and faculty users, including onboarding, advanced instrument use, safety protocols, and best-practice workflows to support independent and effective operation of facility equipment.
• Serve as the primary technical liaison between the shared facility core area and its user community, actively engaging with faculty and researchers to understand research needs, advise on experimental design and instrument capabilities, and ensure that facility resources are aligned with state-of-the-art research directions.
• Coordinate and oversee interactions with external vendors and service providers, including instrument installations, maintenance contracts, service visits, upgrades, and evaluations of new technologies, in collaboration with departmental leadership and campus partners.
• Provide responsive technical support and troubleshooting for users, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and service-oriented environment that supports a diverse research community.
• Establish and maintain standard operating procedures, documentation, and usage policies that promote equitable access, modern software solutions, data integrity, and efficient use of shared resources as guided by campus IT policies.

Qualifications:

• A PhD in Chemistry, Biochemistry, or closely related STEM field.
• Demonstrated experience in managing complex research or academic operations within a university or comparable research environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage personnel.
• Strong financial, organizational, and strategic planning skills.
• Experience with shared instrumentation facilities, core laboratories, and grant funded instrumentation.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders.