Facilities Specialist

About the Institute of Foundation Models We are a dedicated research lab for building, understanding, using,and risk-managing foundation models. Our mandate is to advanceresearch, nurture the next generation of AI builders, and drivetransformative contributions to a knowledge-driven economy. As part of our team, you’ll have the opportunity to work on thecore of cutting-edge foundation model training, alongsideworld-class researchers, data scientists, and engineers, tacklingthe most fundamental and impactful challenges in AI development.You will participate in the development of groundbreaking AIsolutions that have the potential to reshape entireindustries.Strategic and innovative problem-solving skills will beinstrumental in establishing MBZUAI as a global hubforhigh-performance computing in deep learning, driving impactfuldiscoveries that inspire the next generation of AIpioneers. Position Summary We are seeking a highly organized and proactive WorkplaceOperations Coordinator to be the backbone of our office. This roleis crucial for ensuring the smooth daily operations of ourorganization by managing a wide range of administrative, financial,and people-focused tasks. The ideal candidate is a detail-orientedprofessional with excellent communication skills who can handleconfidential information with discretion and positively influenceour company culture. Key Responsibilities Facilities Operations & Property Management Property Management Contact: Serve as the primary onsite tenantliaison for building management, submitting maintenance workorders, building access requests, and parking updates. Access Control Administration: Manage employee access controland badge systems with building management, including new hireprovisioning, parking permissions, offboarding deactivations, andsecurity audits. Janitorial & Day Porter Oversight: Oversee janitorial andday porter services, maintaining clear scopes of work and serviceexpectations while adjusting duties as workplace needs evolve;monitor service quality, address gaps, and coordinate with vendorsto ensure consistent upkeep and cleanliness. Onsite Vendor & Work Escort: Provide suite access forservice contractors (HVAC, maintenance, handymen), ensure completedwork meets company standards, and collect/maintain vendorCertificates of Insurance (COIs). Space Planning & Upkeep: Conduct regular floor walkthroughsto maintain space functionality, manage seating charts and deskassignments, coordinate physical desk moves, and oversee officefreight/deliveries. Meeting Room & Tech Readiness: Ensure conference rooms andcollaborative spaces are organized, fully functional, and ready foruse; collaborate with IT to troubleshoot in-room AV issues. EHS, Safety & Emergency Coordination First Responder & Inspector Point of Contact: Serve as thedesignated on-site contact for the local fire department, buildingsafety inspectors, and emergency personnel during inspections,drills, and incidents. OSHA & Safety Compliance: Ensure the workplace complieswith OSHA and local safety codes, maintaining clear egress routes,accessible fire extinguishers, proper safety signage, and proactivehazard mitigation. Emergency Preparedness: Maintain and stock first-aid stations,coordinate fire and evacuation drills, update emergency actionplans, and lead office emergency response readiness. Ergonomics & Facilities Support: Conduct ergonomicworkspace setups, address individual employee physical adjustments,and support hands-on facilities troubleshooting. Employee Workplace Support & Swag Onboarding & Offboarding Support: Coordinateworkplace-related onboarding and offboarding activities, includingworkspace readiness, badge handoffs, welcome materials, parking,and the collection/return of workplace property. Day-to-Day Workplace Support: Serve as a primary resource foremployee workplace needs, including access, parking, workspaceconcerns, office amenities, supplies, and general facilitiesrequests, coordinating resolution with the appropriate teams orvendors. Workspace & Employee Experience: Support seatingassignments and other onsite employee needs while helping maintainan organized, functional, and welcoming workplace. Marketing Swag & Inventory: Manage vendor ordering,inventory, and budget tracking for branded merchandise, andassemble welcome kits for new hires, client visits, and companyevents. Food Program, Events & Workplace Culture Workplace Food Program: Own daily food operations, includingrecurring team lunches, DoorDash orders, dietary accommodations,delivery logistics, buffet setup, and dining area cleanup. Kitchen & Snack Vendor Management: Manage micro-kitchen andpantry vendors, oversee inventory replenishment, tracksnack/beverage budgets, and ensure kitchens and coffee stationsremain fully stocked, clean, and organized throughout the day. Events & Socials: Plan and execute internal teamgatherings, happy hours, offsites, hackathons, holiday parties, andlab milestone celebrations from initial logistics throughteardown. Qualifications & Requirements Experience: 5+ years of experience in workplace coordination,facilities management, or office operations. Facilities Background: Prior background or working knowledge infacilities maintenance, building systems, or property managementcoordination. Compliance & Safety: Familiarity with OSHA standards,Certificates of Insurance (COIs), and safety compliance; experienceinterfacing with local fire departments or safety inspectors. Process & Tool Savvy: Experience managing intake forms,workplace surveys, and ticketing systems (e.g., GoogleForms/Workspaces, Slack, teams). Event & Swag Coordination: Proven ability to organizeoffice events, coordinate corporate catering/DoorDash orders, andmanage vendor purchasing for branded merchandise. Academic Qualifications Education: A bachelor’s degree in business, Admin or a relatedfield is preferred. Professional Experience Minimum of 5 years of experience in an office, facilities, oradministrative role. Preferred Skills Exceptional organizational skills and a high level of attentionto detail. Detail & Organization: Exceptional organizational skillsand a high level of attention to detail. Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skillsacross all levels of the organization. Collaboration Tools: Deepproficiency with Slack (including Slack channels, workflows, andintegrations), Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. Software & Systems: Proficiency with financial software,Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel), and GoogleWorkspace. Resourcefulness: A proactive and resourceful mindset with theability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-pacedenvironment. Culture Builder: A natural collaborator who enjoys building apositive team culture and fostering workplace community. Compensation $80,000 – $90,000/year + discretionary performance bonus +benefits The posted salary range represents the company’s good faithestimate of the base compensation for this position upon hire. Theactual base compensation offered may vary within this rangedepending on individual qualifications, including but not limitedto relevant skills, experience, education, certifications, andspecific business needs. In addition to base salary, totalcompensation includes an annual discretionary performance bonus andcomprehensive benefits. Benefits Include Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits Bonus 401K Plan Generous paid time off, sick leave and holidays Paid Parental Leave Employee Assistance Program Life insurance and disability Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts ofthe hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzingresumes, or assessing responses and identifying potentialinconsistencies or verification signals in application materialsbased on available information. These tools assist our recruitmentteam but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions areultimately made by humans. If you would like more information abouthow your data is processed, please contact us. #J-18808-Ljbffr Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence