CAAAM Lab Assistant

Title: CAAAM Lab Assistant

Employee Classification: Non-Student Help - Hourly

Campus: University of North Texas

Division: UNT-Research & Innovation

Sub Division-Department: UNT-Research & Innovation

Department: UNT-Ctr Agile & Adaptive Add. Mfg-190405

Job Location: Denton

Salary: 20.00/ hour

FTE: .48

Retirement Eligibility: Not Retirement Eligible

About Us - Values Overview

Department Summary

CAAAM is the Center for Agile and Adaptive Additive Manufacturing. CAAAM looks at additive manufacturing, which includes materials, science, cybersecurity, data analytics, logistics, and supply chain.

Established in 2019 by the Texas State Legislature with $10 million in funding and recently renewed through 2027, CAAAM conducts next-generation research, education, and workforce training in additive manufacturing. CAAAM's Institute for Transformative Education in Additive Manufacturing-or ITEAM-provides courses, seminars, workshops, symposia, in-lab training sessions, and summer camps for industry and community colleges.

UNT is rapidly expanding its Center for Agile and Adaptive Manufacturing (CAAAM; caaam.unt.edu), a State of Texas funded multi-million-dollar initiative with a multi­ disciplinary focus on further advancing the science and technology of additive manufacturing (AM). CAAAM involves a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from materials science, mechanical engineering, manufacturing, data science, cybersecurity and logistics & supply chain, committed to collaborating on large research projects with an emphasis on additive manufacturing. One of the focus areas of CAAAM is Data Science/Analytics (Machine Learning, ML/Artificial Intelligence, Al) in the context of advanced manufacturing systems in general and additive manufacturing systems more specifically.

Position Overview

The CAAAM Lab Assistant role assists with experiments using techniques such as optical microscopy, profilometry, hardness testing, and density measurements, and helps translate experimental results into graphs and schematics. Additional responsibilities include maintaining laboratory inventory, coordinating incoming and outgoing packages, and following established laboratory safety practices. The ideal candidate will work effectively in a collaborative team environment, adapt to changing priorities, and demonstrate the ability to quickly learn new techniques and research solutions using relevant scientific literature. Completion of required UNT Lab Safety training is expected prior to beginning laboratory work.

This is a temporary position with a start date of January 4, 2027 and ends on May 28, 2027

Minimum Qualifications

Previous CAAAM Lab assistant experience required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to work in a team atmosphere and quickly align the work priorities based on group’s ongoing activities.
• Ability to quickly learn the new techniques, search for solutions of the problems by relevant literature search.
• Completion of training on UNT Lab Safety prior to beginning laboratory work.
• Familiarity with typesetting, image processing, and plotting software (eg. MS Office, Tex, OriginPro, ImageJ, Photoshop etc).

Preferred Qualifications

Willing to learn and work on metallurgical sample preparation (sample cutting, polishing, etching, and optical microscopy) is a plus.
Willing to learn and work on mechanical testing techniques such as hardness/microhardness and tensile testers is a plus.

Job Duties

• Assist in day-to-day lab activities including metallurgical sample preparation, conducting characterization experiments (eg. optical microscopy, profilometry, hardness tests, density measurements etc).
• Analysis of the obtained data and its expression in the form of graphs/schematics.
• Following safe lab practices for the safety of the employee and others.
• Training new student assistant(s).

Physical Requirements

• Communicating with others to exchange information.
• Lifting and Moving objects up to 20 pounds.
• Operating machinery and/or power tools.
• Repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers.

Environmental Hazards

• Exposure to fumes or airborne particles.
• Work with toxic or caustic chemicals.

Work Schedule

Lab Hours are Monday thru Friday from 8am-5pm, Schedule may vary

Driving University Vehicle

No

Security Sensitive

This is a Security Sensitive Position.

Special Instructions

Applicants must submit a minimum of two professional references as part of their application. If needed, additional references can be added after the application has been submitted. This is a temporary position with a tentative start date of January 4, 2027, ending on May 28, 2027

Benefits

For information regarding our Benefits, click here.

EEO Statement

The University of North Texas System is firmly committed to equal opportunity and does not permit –and takes actions to prevent – discrimination, harassment (including sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking), and retaliation on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status in its application, employment practices, and facilities; nor permits race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or sex discrimination and harassment in its admissions processes, and educational programs and activities. UNT System Administration promptly investigates complaints of discrimination, harassment, and related retaliation and takes remedial action when appropriate. System Administration also takes actions to prevent retaliation against individuals who oppose any form of harassment or discriminatory practice, file a charge or report, or testify, assist, or participate in a related investigation or proceeding.