Job Opportunity
Media Arts Lab Manager
Department of Art & Art History
Stanford University
Job #63580
Description
The Department of Art & Art History at Stanford University has an opening for a Media Arts Lab Manager (“Lab Manager”). Working closely with relevant faculty and reporting to the Facilities Administrator, the Lab Manager oversees all operations of the Art & Art History Department’s cutting edge media arts facilities. Evening and weekend hours may be required for special events.
The Lab Manager currently oversees two spaces: the Experimental Media Art (EMA) lab, and the Multi-Media classroom. In the summer of 2015 the Department will relocate to a new campus home in the McMurtry Building, where the Lab Manager will oversee operations in two Digital Media Studios and a Design Studio, and have shared oversight of other facilities including an electronics Tinker Lab and a large format digital Print Lab.
Within these spaces, the Lab Manager has primary or shared responsibility for coordination and administration of appropriate policies and procedures in consultation with faculty, installation and maintenance of computer hardware, software, networks and peripherals, maintaining appropriate supplies and consumables, providing technical support for media arts faculty and students, and overall organization and inventory of the lab facilities.
The Lab Manager supports the efforts of three regular faculty teaching media arts and design, including preparation of annual budgets in consultation with faculty and the Department Administrator, purchasing equipment and supplies as required, and forecasting and tracking expenditures to ensure fiscal oversight. The lab manager also supports a small number of visiting faculty in Media Arts and Design. During Academic Year 2014-15, the Lab Manager will work closely with faculty to research, budget and purchase equipment for the new facilities in McMurtry, taking into consideration short- and long-term goals and objectives, the requirements of current and upcoming courses, and rapidly changing technologies.
The Lab Manager is occasionally called upon to conduct class workshops on general lab use or on specific pieces of equipment. Solid workshop skills related to teaching basic media art practices are essential.
Supervisory duties: the Lab Manager recruits, trains, hires and manages students assistants as needed to assist in the labs and oversee open lab hours.
Equipment checkout: the Department maintains a variety of equipment to be checked out to students in undergraduate media arts level courses. The Lab Manager is responsible for establishing and implementing checkout policies and procedures in conjunction with faculty, coordinating checkout times and student assistance, overseeing check-in to ensure all gear is returned in good order and on time, and imposing appropriate remedies for missing or damaged gear. The Lab Manager also currently collaborates with the Photography Lab Manager to manage a separate pool of gear available to the Department’s MFA students in Art Practice and Design.
Qualifications
The Media Arts Lab Manager will have a strong background in electronic/media arts, a proven ability to quickly adapt to new technology and rapidly learn new hardware and software skills, advanced knowledge of both Macintosh and PC operating systems, and the ability to install and use current multimedia hardware and software. The Lab Manager must also be able to install and maintain printer drivers and networks, run video capture and editing suite equipment, assess hardware and software compatibility, upgrade all lab equipment, and trouble-shoot hardware and software problems. The Lab Manager should be prepared to assist faculty with integrating new technologies as they become available. Experience with contemporary art, analog electronics, computer-aided design, interactive media and Linux are highly desirable.
The Lab Manager must possess excellent organizational, analytic, communication and interpersonal abilities, work well autonomously as well as collaboratively, take initiative, and employ good judgment. Strong time management and problem-solving skills and the ability to develop and implement new projects are vital. The Lab Manager must also be able to work collaboratively and constructively with students, staff and faculty in a variety of disciplines, team environments and administrative units, and also work with vendors and others in professional sectors as necessary.
An MFA in a related field is required, as well as a minimum of 3 – 5 years’ professional experience.
Apply Online
Applications must be made via Stanford’s online system. Go to http://stanfordcareers.
