Job Description

Primary Purpose of Position
The purpose of this position is to support the College of Engineering’s teaching and research functions by ensuring that shop equipment is in working order, maintaining the Machine Shop safety plans, interfacing with contractors for estimates and installations, and designing and building specialized equipment as needed for the labs.
Primary Function of Organizational Unit
North Carolina A & T State University is a public land grant high research activity institution that is committed to dedicated teaching and learning, scholarly and creative research, and effective engagement and public service. The University enrolls over 15,200 students.

Nationally recognized for its leadership and excellence in STEM education and research, N.C. A&T is classified as “R2-High Research Activity” in the Carnegie Classifications and is poised to achieve “R1-Very High Research Activity” status. It also holds Carnegie’s earned credential in Community Engagement and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation. With an annual economic impact of $2.4 billion, N.C. A&T plays a vital role as a higher-education economic driver in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region and across a state that is ranked No. 1 in the nation for the second straight year as “best for business” by the CNBC financial network.

The College of Engineering, with over 2,800 students, has EAC ABET accredited undergraduate programs in Architectural, Bio-, Biological, Civil, Chemical, Computer, Electrical, Industrial, and Mechanical Engineering, as well as a CAC ABET-accredited program in Computer Science. On the Graduate level, the College has 8 Masters of Science Degree programs, and 5 Doctoral programs. The 5 research cluster areas of the College of Engineering (COE) are Autonomous Systems, Cybersecurity and Resilience, Energy and Sustainability, Healthcare Applications and Complex Systems and Networks. The College welcomes team members who thrive in an environment that embraces diversity and inclusion within the student body, faculty, and staff. Additional information about the College and the University can be found at www.ncat.edu/coe.
Work Hours 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Monday - Friday
Is this position eligible for a remote or hybrid work arrangement, consistent with university and state policies. On-site (Employees are primarily in the office and/or have a critical job requirement that requires dedicated office space on-site)
Key Responsibilities and Related Competencies
Required Competency Knowledge - Technical (Mechanical)
Duties
Proficiency in operating and maintaining machine shop equipment: Manual machines such as lathes, mills, grinders, some with digital readout systems; CNC machines such as 3-axis machining center, 5-axis machining center, and turning with live tooling; Other general shop equipment such as sheet metal tools, welders, plasma cutters, drill presses, air compressor, saws, shears, & woodworking tools.
Strong understanding of machining processes, materials, material treatments, and safety protocols.
Ability to read and interpret technical drawings, blueprints, and specifications.
Experience Generating tool paths both manually and using CAM software.
Experience reading, implementing, and validating Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing, GD&T, to assure design intent, design for manufacturing and assembly are maintained throughout the manufacturing processes.
Required Competency Supervision/Leadership
Duties
Proven ability to supervise and motivate others.
Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
Strong problem-solving skills to address quality and challenges in the student production teams.
Ability to train and mentor staff and student workers in machining techniques and safety standards.
Strong verbal and written communication skills for effective interaction with staff, students, vendors, and Faculty.
Ability to foster a positive and collaborative work environment for students, staff and faculty.
Ability to adapt to changes in production schedules and priorities conducive to students.
Willingness to work extended hours or shifts as necessary to student competition teams.
Strong ability to work with faculty, staff, and students from wide range of prototype shop experience.
Required Competency Compliance
Duties
Thorough knowledge of student workplace safety regulations and practices.
Commitment to maintaining a safe and compliant working environment.
Skills necessary to judge safety & skill levels of shop users.
Ability to guide, mentor, and judge shop users, providing constructive feedback in a timely manner.
Required Competency Safety and Health Management
Duties
Must routinely work to tolerances of 0.001 inch.
Fabrication and repair work require the close fitting of parts.
Must routinely calibrate tools and instruments to precise specifications, ensuring step-by-step calibration procedures are followed verbatim while adjusting instruments.
A high degree of visual and mental attention must be exercised while fitting or fabricating parts.
Ensures maintenance schedules are followed exactly.
Ensure that all Fed/State Safety rules are followed at all times.
Required Competency Problem Solving
Duties
Discusses projects with students/operating personnel and determines necessary training/work activities to be performed.
Applies traditional trade knowledge and skills to evaluate and solve problems involving machine modification/repairs, or fabrication of projects.
Translates, modifies and expands (as needed) the designs of others to ensure efficiency and accuracy in the fabrication process into a finished product and/or prototype.
Repair of devices/instrumentation for which schematic diagrams are incomplete or not available. Requires technician to use initiative in developing troubleshooting procedures and in completing repairs.
Required Competency Client/Customer Service
Duties
Provides quality technical support to graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, and staff in research and senior design project development and manufacturing.
Interface with 100-200 students per semester from across multiple departments, t hus helping to solidify the fundamentals learned in the classroom.
Maintains contact with equipment manufacturers/vendors via voice and or e­mail systems to support ongoing projects and operations of the machine shop.
Maintains excellent documentation and filing system of machine shop interactions.
Actively fosters an excellent user experience in the Machine Shop and continuously improves the facility’s operations and functionality.