R&D Engineer 3
The University of California, San Diego
About this position
Position Description
This position supports both the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Across both departments, the academic community includes approximately 65 ladder-rank faculty, an additional 12–15 instructional faculty, and approximately 150 academic researchers and postdoctoral scholars. This community presents a wide range of complex academic and administrative considerations, including Health Sciences Compensation Plan participation and collaborations with external research institutions.The departments also include approximately 70 career staff, ~60 temporary or student staff, and approximately 300 Master’s and Ph.D. students. Undergraduate majors exceed 1,000 students, with total undergraduate and graduate course enrollments surpassing 24,500 annually. The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry manages ten recharge facilities supporting national as well as UC San Diego-wide research endeavors in academia and industry, including Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Molecular Mass Spectrometry, Biomolecular and Proteomics Mass Spectrometry, Cryoelectron Microscopy, Biophysics Instrumentation, Inorganic Characterization Instrumentation, Protein Crystallography, Small Molecule X-Ray Crystallography, the Fabrication Facility, and the on-campus Chemistry Storehouse. In addition, the department is home to three national research center grants and manages three major NIH training grants and one Department of Education training grant, which support graduate students and postdoctoral scholars across UC San Diego departments and external research organizations. Uses professional engineering concepts to perform a full range of engineering assignments in a specialized field supporting research and training programs. Works on complex issues where analysis of situations or data requires evaluation of multiple factors. Exercises judgment in selecting methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria to obtain results. Provides engineering and scientific support for the Biomolecular Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Facility and associated campus research activities, with a focus on biomolecular solution NMR spectroscopy. Supports studies involving proteins and other biological macromolecules, including structure determination, dynamics, and interactions. Independently manages the day-to-day operation and routine maintenance of advanced NMR instrumentation (e.g., Varian and Bruker spectrometers) used for multidimensional biomolecular NMR experiments (2D, 3D, and 4D). Leads the technical implementation of ongoing equipment enhancements and ensures system optimization to meet the specific data acquisition needs of biomolecular research projects, including structure determination, dynamics, and interactions. Collaborates closely with faculty and researchers to support experimental design, sample preparation considerations, and data acquisition and analysis specific to biomolecular systems. Provides technical expertise in biomolecular NMR methodologies and supports daily facility operations. Must be willing to work with hazardous materials. Flexible work schedule; nonstandard work hours to coincide with research needs. Incumbent will have shared responsibility for oversight and training of 100+ facility users, including other faculty, postdoctoral scholars, graduate and undergraduate students, and staff. This role requires expertise in biomolecular solution NMR spectroscopy, including experience with proteins and other biological macromolecules, to support structural and functional studies.
Qualifications
Demonstrated hands-on experience operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting NMR instrumentation in a research laboratory environment, including biomolecular solution NMR applications involving proteins and other biological macromolecules. Thorough knowledge and experience with engineering principles and methods to independently perform the full range of engineering professional design work. Proficiency with NMR data acquisition and analysis platforms (e.g., Bruker TopSpin, Varian/Agilent VNMRJ, MestreNova), including experiment setup, data acquisition, and spectral analysis. Thorough knowledge necessary to apply principles, practices and procedures in the completion of assignments. Utilizes knowledge to support development, modification, and operation of analytical instrumentation and experimental systems. Experience supporting biomolecular research collaborations, including projects involving proteins and other macromolecular systems. Ability to work in a collaborative manner; identify challenges and barriers and recommend resolutions. Ability to work effectively with faculty, students, and staff in a multidisciplinary research environment to support shared facility operations and research needs. Experience developing and delivering user training programs and ensuring safe and effective operation of NMR instrumentation in a shared facility environment. Ability to lead and influence others. Ability to provide guidance and training to users, students, and junior staff in the proper use of specialized instrumentation and research techniques. Demonstrated ability to train and support faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and students in NMR techniques, including onboarding users and providing guidance on experimental design and data interpretation. Effective written and verbal communication and presentation skills. Ability to communicate technical and scientific information clearly to faculty, researchers, and users with varying levels of expertise. Demonstrated ability to diagnose and resolve complex hardware and software issues, including instrument components (RF systems, electronics, and mechanical systems) and associated computing environments (Linux/Windows-based systems). Strong analytical and judgment skills to independently conduct analyses and develop appropriate recommendations. Applies these skills to troubleshoot instrumentation issues, evaluate system performance, and support interpretation of experimental data. Demonstrated organizational and decision-making abilities to prioritize competing work assignments in order to meet deadlines and adherence to quality standards. Ability to manage multiple research support activities while maintaining instrument performance, reliability, and availability. Experience managing competing priorities in a shared instrumentation facility, including scheduling, user support, and maintaining high instrument uptime. Familiarity with cryogenic systems and safe handling of liquid helium and nitrogen is preferred.