Position Detail - Microscopy Facility Director

Position Type: Staff Full-time

Hours per week: 37.5   

Weeks per year: 52

Work Schedule: typically 8:30-4:30 M-F (with a lunch break), rarely nights or weekends 

Department Summary & Job Purpose:

The Science Center at Mount Holyoke College seeks a Director of Microscopy. This staff position oversees the use and maintenance of equipment belonging to its Microscopy Facility as well as the training of students and interested faculty/staff on relevant instruments. The equipment includes transmission electron, scanning electron, confocal, phase contrast, fluorescence, and atomic force microscopes, as well as ancillary equipment. We recognize candidates are unlikely to be familiar with all of our equipment and so on-the-job training and professional development will be provided.

Core Job Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Maintenance of microscopes, cameras, computers and software associated with facility
• Interface with technical support representatives
• Train users (often students, but also new faculty/staff) on relevant equipment
• Work directly with students and faculty on research and teaching projects
• Manage facility budget
• Manage facility scheduling
• Teaching a course in microscopy is a possibility

Qualifications: • Master’s degree or Ph.D. in a STEM field
• 3-5 years of experience in electron, confocal or advanced fluorescence microscopy
• Good familiarity with the equipment and software used in research-grade microscopy and analysis
• Ability to multitask
• Highly organized
• Ability to engage various constituencies
• Good communication skills

Preferred Qualifications: • Interested applicants will be best served by broad scientific interests and knowledge (note the successful candidate will work with people across many STEM disciplines)

License/Certifications:

Compliance Requirements: 

Physical Demands: • Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly
• Employee speaks with students and other faculty daily, in person or by email on a daily basis

Working Conditions: • Employee sometimes works in laboratory environments with a wide range of hazardous materials  

Background Checks:

Mount Holyoke College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment, supported by qualified
employees that will allow all of its students, faculty, staff and those associated with them to successfully
carry out the mission of the college. As a condition of employment, the College will conduct appropriate
background checks for all new hires. Mount Holyoke has designated the Office of Human Resources as
the office responsible for ensuring that background checks (CORI, SORI, Credit History, & Driver

Credential) are completed and utilized in the hiring process and Five College Office of Compliance and
Risk Management as the office responsible for facilitating background checks as articulated in this policy.

Special Instructions for Applicants: 

Apply online by application deadline. Application materials must include 1) a cover letter summarizing
interests and qualifications, 2) a complete resume or curriculum vitae, and 3) contact information for 3
professional references. 

Mount Holyoke College is a women’s college that is gender diverse. The College is committed to providing equal access and opportunity in employment and education to all employees and students. In compliance with state and federal law, Mount Holyoke College does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, genetic information, sex, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, ancestry, veteran or military status, or any other legally protected status under federal, state or local law. The College does not discriminate on the basis of gender in the recruitment and admission of students to its graduate program.

Mount Holyoke College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.