Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility Lead (Research Technician III)

Position Summary

The NMR Facility Lead provides technical leadership and operational oversight for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry’s Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Facility. This position is responsible for the performance, maintenance, and long-term reliability of multiple high-field Bruker and Varian/Agilent NMR spectrometers supporting undergraduate instruction, graduate training, and externally funded research. The role combines advanced instrumentation management, experimental consultation, infrastructure coordination, and safety oversight. This is a hands-on technical position requiring expertise in NMR hardware and software systems, cryogen management, and experimental design, along with the ability to support faculty, students, and external collaborators in a high-throughput research environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Instrumentation Oversight: Operate, maintain, calibrate, and troubleshoot multiple NMR spectrometers, including hardware, software, cryogenic systems, and associated infrastructure to ensure continuous research-grade performance.
• Technical Problem Solving: Diagnose and resolve complex hardware and software issues, implement system upgrades, manage vendor service agreements, and coordinate repairs with external service providers.
• Research Support & Method Development: Consult with faculty and students on experimental design, pulse sequence development, data acquisition, and spectral interpretation for solution-state and solid-state NMR applications.
• User Training & Instructional Support: Train and supervise undergraduate and graduate users in safe and effective instrument operation; support upper-division and graduate laboratory instruction in NMR theory and applications.
• Facility & Cryogen Management: Manage liquid helium and liquid nitrogen ordering, magnet fills, compressed gases, environmental controls, and facility infrastructure impacting instrument stability and performance.
• Data & Documentation Management: Maintain detailed technical documentation, spectral archives, maintenance logs, and inventory records to support compliance, reproducibility, and long-term operational continuity.
• Safety & Compliance Coordination: Serve as Department Safety Coordinator for NMR-related operations, ensuring safe handling of chemicals, cryogens, and instrumentation, and acting as a liaison with Environmental Health & Safety and Public Safety.

Why Join Us?

• High-Level Technical Responsibility: Lead and maintain advanced NMR instrumentation central to a research-intensive chemistry and biochemistry program.
• Impact Research & Instruction: Directly support undergraduate, graduate, and industry research projects that rely on high-quality spectroscopic data.
• Hands-On Technical Work: Engage daily with complex instrumentation, experimental design, and analytical problem-solving.
• Collaborative Scientific Environment: Work alongside faculty researchers, graduate students, and industry partners in a dynamic laboratory setting.
• Strategic Facility Role: Shape the long-term reliability, safety, and development of a core research facility within the College of Sciences.

Position Information

• Full-time, benefits eligible, permanent/probationary position.
• Position is designated exempt under FLSA and is eligible for overtime compensation.
• Standard SDSU work hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This position requires the ability and willingness to work outside of normal business hours as needed to address emergencies or urgent operational needs.
• The individual hired into this role will work on campus at SDSU in San Diego.

Department Summary

The College of Sciences consists of eight departments (Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geological Sciences, Math and Statistics, Physics, and Psychology) and about 170 full-time faculty members. The College operates a number of major off-campus instructional and research centers which include the Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve, Sky Oaks Field Station, Mount Laguna Observatory, and Coastal and Marine Institute.

This position is within the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The department has 24 Tenured/Tenure-Track faculty members, 3.0 FTE lecturers, over 50 teaching associates, and 7 full-time staff. The department provides B.A., B.S., M.A., M.S., and