Engineering Technician III

We have an exciting opportunity for an Engineering Technician III at UL Research Institutes, based in our Columbia, MD, office.

The Engineering Technician is responsible for preparing and maintaining research facilities, equipment, instrumentation and assisting with conducting and documenting experiments for the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), a UL Research Institute (ULRI). The Engineering Technician follows defined test plans and protocols, operates and maintains power tools, heavy equipment, specific test equipment, communicates with other research staff during setup and operation to ensure proper and safe operations, and provides feedback to research staff regarding procedures or equipment issues.

May include instrumentation and equipment design that involves unique features and the use of independent judgment.

UL Research Institutes:

At UL Research Institutes (ULRI), we expand the boundaries of safety science to create a more secure and sustainable world. For more than a century, we have studied the unintended consequences of innovation, designed solutions to mitigate risk and shared our findings with academia, scientists, manufacturers, and policymakers across industries.

Build a safer, more secure, and sustainable future with us. Join us and work with our Fire teams who conduct the research required to produce that knowledge and put into practice.

Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI)

UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) advances fire safety knowledge to address the world’s unresolved fire safety risks and emerging dangers. As part of UL Research Institutes, we are committed to sharing our fire safety insights with everyone to advance UL’s public safety mission of providing safe living and working environments for people everywhere.

What you’ll learn and achieve:

• Responsible for the setup and performance of equipment and instrumentation. Builds and/or adapts equipment for any given experimental series.
• Assembles fuel packages and needed instrumentation following schematics, wiring diagrams, using measuring instruments, and operational instructions.
• Builds and/or adapts research test fixtures, equipment or instrumentation to new situations, based on instructions from senior research staff or engineers.
• Examines, maintains and repairs instrumentation and learns to the principle of operation for each type of device with necessary supervision/support.
• Operates designated machines, power tools, heavy equipment and specialized research equipment.
• Reads and understands specific test standards and testing technology and protocols for scope of responsibility with necessary supervision/support.
• Initiates recommendations for new equipment designs and recommends solutions to observed problems.
• Develop and execute operating, maintenance, and testing procedures in accordance with laboratory standards and safety regulations.
• Design, modify, and build specialized research equipment and test setups based on project requirements and test specifications.
• Prepare material and purchase requisitions; recommend solutions to technical issues encountered during testing or setup.
• Communicate with researchers to understand project requirements and discuss testing methods, equipment usage, and preliminary results.
• Install, maintain, calibrate, and troubleshoot equipment and systems used in research and field applications.
• Maintain accurate and thorough documentation of test procedures, results, and design modifications.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams including research staff and technicians.
• Ensure compliance with internal safety policies and applicable regulatory standards.
• Maintain inventory of tools, parts, and specialized testing equipment.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

What makes you a great fit:

• Solid understanding of engineering and construction principles across multiple disciplines (mechanical, electrical, civil).
• Demonstrated proficiency in the fabrication and programming of small-scale electronics, electrical systems or equipment.
• Proficiency with CAD software and familiarity with measurement instruments and technical tools.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to…