MakerSpace & Woodshop Technician

Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Who We Are:

The MakerSpace & Woodshop Technician is a member of the Learning Spaces team, which includes the Language Media Center, Creative Media Commons, and the MakerSpace, all of which are part of the Academic Technology department within Information Technology Services (ITS).

The opportunity:

The MakerSpace acts as a campus wide testing ground for creative innovation, making and hacking of physical things, and a space for interdisciplinary interaction and learning. It serves as the primary studio space for all Sculpture and 3D Design courses taught inside the Art Department. Beyond these fixed course meeting times, the space opens up to serve a broader cross-section of the community of students, staff, and faculty interested in making.

The MakerSpace & Woodshop Technician plays a critical role in ensuring a safe, well-supported, and inclusive learning environment. This position expands staffing coverage in the MakerSpace, strengthens safety oversight, and provides essential training and technical support for both classes taught in the space and the wider MakerSpace community that serves students, faculty, and staff across campus. Hours are Monday through Friday, 12pm to 8pm during the academic year. Summer hours may shift to 9am to 5pm. Occasional weekend hours for events or workshops.

Essential Responsibilities

• Supports the Art Department Studio Arts courses being taught in the space, including Sculpture and 3D Design, as well as any other future courses offered in the space.
• Work with the Senior MakerSpace and Woodshop Manager on planning, setup, and maintenance of the Woodshop and Digital Fabrication tools and space including selecting and installing equipment.
• Assist in developing policies and training programs in consultation with the Director of Learning Spaces Innovation, Senior MakerSpace and Woodshop Manager, and the MakerSpace Committee as appropriate.
• Help identify new equipment and technologies, new making activities and programs, educational materials/techniques for classes and training, including the formation and sustaining of maker communities.
• Assist with managing supplies, including restocking materials and maintaining inventory in consultation with the Studio Art faculty, ITS, and other users.
• Assist with hiring, training, and supervising student employees to help manage the facility.
• Collaborate, organize, publicize, and facilitate college-community workshops with other departments across campus.
• Collaborate with fellow Information Technology Services (ITS) colleagues, librarians, faculty, staff, and students to integrate innovative making and technology practices into teaching, learning, and creative MakerSpace projects.
• Assist with documenting and showcasing what happens in the MakerSpace using the web, social media, ITS blog, Instagram and other media.

Safety, Training, & Daily Operations

• Provide consistent supervision of the Woodshop and MakerSpace during open hours to maintain a safe, supportive learning environment.
• Enforce safety policies and procedures for woodworking, metalworking, and digital fabrication equipment.
• Conduct safety orientations, equipment certifications, demonstrations, and refreshers for students, faculty, and staff.
• Monitor tool usage and address unsafe behaviors or conditions promptly.
• Provide incident response and documentation in collaboration with the Senior MakerSpace and Woodshop Manager.
• Maintain woodshop tools for optimal working condition assuring safety and functionality
• Maintain a clean, organized, and accessible workspace in all shop and fabrication areas.

Who you are:

• Adapts to new work situations, people, ideas, procedures, and organizational structures, in order to accommodate an evolving work environment.
• Builds successful relationships with faculty members, staff, and students and acts as a thought partner with students in solving problems for projects.
• Communicates and works eff