
Lab Coordinator - Engineering
Penn State University Talent Acquisition
University Park, PAFull-time$60–95K/yrSeen 2w agoSeen in employer's feed 4 days ago
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Job overview
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering seeks a Lab Coordinator - Engineering to coordinate research and instructional laboratory operations. The role supports laboratory safety, readiness, equipment availability, compliance, and facilities needs, and serves as the department’s primary purchaser for laboratory needs. The position also supports faculty, researchers, staff, and students with laboratory activities and coordinates equipment, purchasing, maintenance, and related administrative work.
Skills & qualifications
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Benefits
Full job description
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: 1. CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. 2. CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. 3. If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click "Apply" and complete the application process for external applicants. Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location.For additional information on remote work at Penn State, seeNotice to Out of State Applicants. POSITION SPECIFICS The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering seeks a Lab Coordinator - Engineering to coordinate the operational activities of research and instructional laboratories. This position ensures laboratory safety, readiness, efficiency, equipment availability, and compliance while providing technical and operational support to faculty, researchers, staff, and students. The position also serves as the department's primary purchaser and purchasing initiator for teaching and research laboratory needs, including equipment, supplies, services, repairs, and related procurements. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: 1. Coordinate laboratory scheduling, preparation, setup, teardown, equipment availability, and general readiness for teaching and research activities. 2. Support faculty, researchers, staff, and students in planning and conducting laboratory experiments, demonstrations, and testing; provide guidance on laboratory procedures, equipment capabilities, technical requirements, and appropriate supplies. 3. Serve as the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering laboratory safety officer at ECoRE and coordinate departmental laboratory safety activities. 4. Ensure laboratory operations, equipment, and procedures comply with Penn State policies and applicable federal, state, and local regulations. 5. Coordinate annual laboratory self-inspections and Penn State Environmental Health and Safety inspections; track corrective actions and maintain safety plans, records, training documentation, chemical and compressed-gas inventories, and other required documentation. 6. Assist with the investigation and documentation of laboratory accidents, injuries, and safety concerns, and coordinate appropriate corrective actions. 7. Promote safe laboratory practices, environmental awareness, waste reduction, and recycling. 8. Serve as the department's facilities representative for research and teaching laboratories, classrooms, computer laboratories, offices, administrative spaces, and designated student areas. 9. Coordinate facility repairs, maintenance, renovations, upgrades, and other facilities-related requests; communicate with stakeholders regarding project status and completion. Additional responsibilities may include: 1. Coordinate tours of departmental facilities for faculty candidates, prospective students and families, alumni, advisory council members, accreditation teams, contractors, architects, and other visitors as needed. 2. Coordinate the acquisition, installation, maintenance, repair, calibration, storage, and disposition of laboratory equipment and apparatus. 3. Develop equipment specifications, obtain information from manufacturers and vendors, troubleshoot equipment issues, and coordinate preventive maintenance, calibration, and technical services. 4. Maintain accurate records for laboratory operations, including equipment and property inventories, supplies, maintenance and repair activities, safety training and inspections, purchasing activity, and laboratory documentation. 5. Monitor laboratory supply inventories and coordinate replenishment o support scheduled instructional and research activities. 6. Initiate and process purchasing transactions in accordance with University policies; obtain quotes and competitive pricing, monitor orders and deliveries, resolve purchasing and vendor issues, and review invoices and supporting documentation. 7. Compile information and prepare reports related to laboratory operations, expenditures, equipment, safety, facilities, and administrative activities. It is preferred that the successful candidate will possess: 1. Four to seven years of experience coordinating engineering, research, instructional, or specialized laboratory operations. 2. Experience with laboratory safety programs, inspections, chemical and compressed-gas inventories, incident documentation, or environmental health and safety practices. 3. Experience with laboratory equipment procurement, installation, calibration, maintenance, repair, and asset/inventory management. 4. Experience with purchasing processes, invoice validation, vendor coordination, and budget monitoring. 5. Experience supporting laboratories, instructional spaces, or research facilities. 6. Ability to coordinate laboratory operations, equipment, supplies, maintenance, safety activities, and related documentation. 7. Ability to interpret and follow institutional policies, safety requirements, and applicable regulatory standards. 8. Ability to work independently, prioritize varied responsibilities, and collaborate effectively with faculty, staff, students, vendors, contractors, and other stakeholders. 9. Strong organizational, problem-solving, communication, and interpersonal skills. MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS If filled as Lab Coordinator - Engineering - Senior Professional, this position requires:Bachelor's Degree6+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience acceptedRequired Certifications:NoneIf filled as Lab Coordinator - Engineering - Advanced Professional, this position requires:Bachelor's Degree3+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience acceptedRequired Certifications:None BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment Visa. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. SALARY & BENEFITS The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $59,580.00 - $94,980.00. Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and visio
How this job compares
Set against the 911 open Purchasing jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 10, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$60–95K/yr
- US median$70–102K/yr314 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $77K, is 8% below the US median midpoint ($84K) — in the middle half of Purchasing salary ranges across the US.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 41 open Purchasing jobs in Pennsylvania and 911 across the US. 1% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in Pennsylvania
- Curtiss-Wright Corporation4 open
- WESCO AIRCRAFT4 open
- Deloitte2 open
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 3 years of experience; Purchasing postings that state a minimum ask for 3 years at the median (634 postings).
- Education
- 222 of the 911 open Purchasing jobs (24%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 10, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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