Finance and Administration

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF CLASS

The INSTRUMENT TECHNICIAN 2 (MECHANICAL) fabricates, modifies, repairs, installs, and maintains scientific or
medical equipment used in teaching or research. Employees at this level will do basic design of less complex systems
and components under the guidance of higher-level technicians.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

This is the second level of a four-level series of classes. Employees in this class are distinguished from those
in the higher levels by having limited design and project coordination responsibilities related to component or
subsystem fabrication, maintenance, or repair on larger projects. This class is distinguished from the lower level
by responsibility to perform some design of basic components or simple subsystems and by coordination of less complex
projects.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Allocation of positions to this class will depend on the total work performed which may include one or a combination
of the duties or tasks listed below.

1. Instrument Maintenance and Repairs. Typical tasks: performs complex alignment and calibration of timing,
   sequencing, and related components and instruments; provides diagnostic services to determine equipment malfunctions
   and failures; performs repairs of more complicated equipment such as mechanical vacuum pumps, centrifuges, drive
   trains, small motors (critical performance levels required), mass spectrometers, gas chromatographs, etc.; independently,
   or as part of a team, installs equipment and instruments in accordance with manufacturer/vendor specifications;
   writes documentation and maintains calibration, repairs, and maintenance logs for equipment and instruments.
   
2. Fabrication. Typical tasks: uses drawings or blueprints to independently fabricate components, modifications,
   or relatively simple instruments or apparatus; uses all shop machines and test equipment such as precision lathes,
   tungsten inert gas welder, soft and hard solder joins, metal shears and brakes, precision mechanical and electronic
   measuring instruments, and mass spectrometer leak detectors; assembles apparatus or components to determine performance;
   adjusts structure and/or design as warranted by tests to meet performance requirements; may advise and oversee
   fabrication work by lower-level technicians.
   
3. Consultations. Typical tasks: meets with faculty, researchers, and technical staff to discuss equipment
   or systems operations, maintenance, and repairs; reviews operations, maintenance, and repair logs to obtain functional
   history of equipment; through or as a part of consultations determines options available to meet user goals; consults
   with senior technicians and specialists in other fields (electronics, optics, etc.) to assure that design and proposed
   materials will be compatible with the properties and characteristics of other specialty components; provides lower-level
   staff with advice and instruction on shared projects; writes work orders and estimates job completion dates and
   costs; may consult directly with vendors and/or manufacturers regarding operational, maintenance, or repair problems;
   may evaluate and recommend purchase options on parts, equipment, or materials to meet specific user needs.
   
4. Design. Typical tasks: takes responsibility for design of specific components or less complex mechanisms
   or systems; uses rough sketches, verbal and written instructions or specifications to develop design; makes preliminary
   technical drawings for review and approval by higher-level technical staff, researchers, or academics; may work
   independently or as part of a team, depending on the nature and complexity of the project.
   
5. Stores and Purchasing. Typical tasks: maintains parts, equipment, and supplies stock; maintains technical
   library resource materials and advises or recommends purchases to supplement or enhance resources; orders replacement
   parts, supplies, or equipment through central purchasing or independently, depending on authority; may prepare
   and present equipment specifications and purchase recommendations for specific items to senior staff, supervisors,
   or researchers.
   
6. Miscellaneous. Typical tasks: participates in skill enhancement programs as available; maintains current
   knowledge of field through reading appropriate materials, consultations with senior staff, staff in other technical
   specialties, and/or observing or auditing scientific or technical courses available; may develop or pursue specialty
   area of technical expertise based on own interests and abilities; cultivates cooperative information exchange with
   peers, academics, and researchers to expand and enhance own knowledge base.
   

RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS

Employees in this class are in regular in-person contact with faculty members, researchers, staff, and students
while fabricating, calibrating, and repairing scientific instruments and equipment. Employees are in occasional
contact, by telephone or in person, with vendors to purchase parts and with manufacturers service representatives
to exchange information and to receive assistance on the assembly, repair, or calibration of instruments.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Employees in this class receive general supervision from an instrument shop supervisor, instrument technologist,
or a faculty member. Work is reviewed on an ongoing basis from feedback from faculty members or researchers, and
from supervising staff as to whether instruments perform well and are calibrated and repaired properly. Instruments
and components for instruments which are fabricated are checked during the fabrication process and upon completion
to assure they conform to specifications and operate correctly. Employees follow operators manuals for the maintenance
and repair of instruments and standard scientific and mathematical principles in the fabrication of instruments.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Positions require the willingness to work around hazardous fumes, chemicals, radiation, tools, machinery, and
voltages. Positions also require the willingness to work in noisy environments, with difficult people, and to meet
reasonable schedules and deadlines.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Two years of instrument shop experience assembling, repairing, installing, and maintaining scientific instruments
and equipment used in teaching and scientific research. One year of the experience must have included fabricating
components; AND one of the following: completion of a Machinist Apprenticeship program; or an Associate's degree
in either Mechanical Engineering Technology or Machine (Manufacturing) Technology.