Instructional Support Engineer

Job Title:

Instructional Support Engineer

City:
West Lafayette

Job Description:

The Instructional Support Engineer works within the Electronics Shop group at Purdue West Lafayette and serves as a consultant, providing direct support to faculty, staff, and students in Mechanical Engineering’s formal instructional laboratories. This position supports more than nine undergraduate courses across eight instructional labs, as well as three computer labs and Mechanical Engineering printer services. Day-to-day responsibilities include maintaining and repairing instructional lab equipment and ensuring facilities and equipment are ready for each lab session.

Much of the equipment consists of custom-designed instrumentation that is not commercially available, requiring the Instructional Support Engineer to develop documentation related to the specification, design, fabrication, testing, calibration, and repair of equipment. The position performs root cause analysis and develops engineered solutions to complex equipment issues to help ensure students can successfully complete lab assignments and achieve curricular goals.

This position also provides strategic guidance in the development of new laboratory experiments and apparatus to further modernize the school’s undergraduate program and provides consultation and support for Mechanical Engineering instructional labs in Indianapolis. In addition, the position provides primary support and oversight for the Malott Innovation and Prototyping Suite, including tools, equipment, specialized facilities, and student project needs. Additional responsibilities include managing building keys and card access, creating and maintaining space-use drawings and building signage, and coordinating with Purdue IT on computers, printers, copiers, software installations, networking issues, equipment moves, and other technology needs within Mechanical Engineering.

• Provide day-to-day support for equipment and instructional apparatus used in Mechanical Engineering laboratories, coordinating with faculty and teaching assistants to ensure labs are properly equipped, calibrated, and ready to support course schedules.
• Serve as a primary resource for instructional lab operations, including equipment functionality, lab setup, maintenance, repair, troubleshooting, and engineered solutions to equipment failures.
• Provide strategic guidance in developing new laboratory experiments and apparatus, including consultation and support for Mechanical Engineering instructional laboratories in Indianapolis.
• Develop and maintain documentation for the specification, design, fabrication, operation, testing, calibration, maintenance, and repair of instructional equipment.
• Develop, implement, and maintain laboratory safety policies and procedures; train faculty, teaching assistants, student employees, students, and other users on the safe and proper use of equipment and facilities; and review student projects for potential safety concerns.
• Provide primary support and oversight for the Malott Innovation and Prototyping Suite, including maintaining tools and equipment, purchasing and tracking tooling, supporting student projects, and overseeing and training student employees and facility users.
• Manage the safe operation of the paint booth facility, including user training, PPE and operating requirements, troubleshooting, maintenance, testing, and repairs.
• Create and maintain CAD files, scale drawings, space-assignment maps, furniture layouts, and signage for Mechanical Engineering facilities, including field verification and space planning as needed.
• Manage Mechanical Engineering building keys and card access, including granting and revoking access, maintaining access…