Technician, Structures and Materials

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Posting Information:
This posting is for an existing vacancy.

The internal posting deadline for this position is October 16, 2026, at 11:59PM.

Job Description:

Primary Purpose

The Technician, Structures and Materials provides support for the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, with a focus on Structures & Materials laboratories. Support encompasses assisting in the design, sourcing, construction, development, troubleshooting, and maintenance of research and teaching equipment with a focus on equipment and related infrastructure, test specimen construction, handling, and storage. This includes assisting faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students, and contract technicians when they work in the labs.

The Structures & Materials Technician is also expected to assist with the management of facilities, equipment, and supplies for a multi-user, multi-disciplined research area.

Key Accountabilities

Undergraduate Laboratory Instruction

• Provide laboratory instruction, when required, for undergraduate teaching labs

• Assist the Structures & Materials Group with lab development

• Prepare lab equipment and order supplies required for conducting teaching labs

• Make improvements to existing experiments and exercises so they are more suitable for achieving educational goals in the context of a civil engineering education

• Guide CEE Capstone Projects

• Train and assist undergraduate students, teaching assistants, faculty, and other technical staff in the safe and effective use of specialized testing, data acquisition, and servo-hydraulic equipment, including sensor calibration and verification of equipment operation

• Provide technical support across CEE laboratories, with a primary focus on the Structures & Materials laboratories, including the fabrication, setup, operation, troubleshooting, repair, calibration, and modification of research and teaching equipment

• Keep current with test standards, teaching methodologies, and modern equipment

• Work with other technical staff and teaching assistants to ensure that all experiments in all courses are fully operational before classes meet

• Co-ordinate and liaise with Technical Staff on laboratory activities

Assist with Research Activities

• Assist graduate students and researchers with the design, assembly, commissioning, operation, troubleshooting, and analysis of laboratory experimental systems, equipment, and data collection activities

• Train and support users in the correct use of specialized testing equipment and servo-hydraulic test systems, including verification of proper equipment operation, to ensure predetermined operational standards are consistently maintained

• Assist in the design, fabrication, and assembly of custom jigs and fixtures used for research

• Provide technical assistance in all CEE labs, as required

Health, Safety & Environment

• Responsible for the safety of all users of the Structures & Materials labs. This includes ordering safety materials, cleaning up work areas, removal and proper disposal of refuse, and overseeing user clean up

• Act as the HSE supervisor for undergraduate laboratories and field trips

• Responsible for the establishment of safe field and laboratory practices for all lab users, working closely with the Departmental HSE Coordinator

• Understand and manage the hazards of the lab and field environment and ensure that students are implementing appropriate safety measures, and when applicable, wearing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment

• Maintain Laboratory Safety Inspections

• Develop and review Job Hazard Analyses, Standard Operating Practices, Field Risk Assessments and Laboratory Risk Assessments

• Complete and maintain all HSE training required for the position, including maintaining first aid certification

General Accountabilities

• Promote and maintain safety standards
• Perform the fabrication, modification, calibration, repair, evaluation, and handling of research and testing equipment in support of laboratory teaching and research activities, with guidance and oversight from senior staff

• Assist in the maintenance, service, and repair of research and teaching equipment

• Attend and assist with student labs and clinics

• Assist in equipment procurement planning and evaluation, maintenance, and upgrades in the Structures & Materials labs, including the set-up, repair and maintenance of the servo hydraulic system
• Assist in the management of labs, including
  • maintenance of Chemical and SDS inventory
  • maintenance of equipment inventories
  • supporting workplace inspections
• General consulting, design, assembly, and rework
• Be flexibly responsive to evolving research and teaching needs
• Other duties as assigned

Other

• Assist CEE Technical Resources Assistants, co-op students, and contract personnel when required

• Assist with the setup and running of departmental competitions and special events: Capstone Design Symposium, Design Days, Explorations, Open Houses, and student teams

• Work collaboratively with the other technicians on the team

• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

Education

• Diploma, apprenticeship, certification, or equivalent experience in Civil, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, Architectural, or related technical disciplines, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. Demonstrated hands-on technical expertise may be considered in lieu of formal academic credentials.

Experience

• Several years of experience in a laboratory, research, manufacturing, industrial, mechanical, fabrication, construction, testing, or related technical environment involving the operation, maintenance, troubleshooting, modification, or construction of equipment and systems.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Demonstrated mechanical aptitude and experience troubleshooting, repairing, fabricating, or modifying equipment and experimental systems

• Experience operating machine shop, fabrication, welding, or related industrial equipment is an asset

• Experience with hydraulic, pneumatic, electromechanical, instrumentation, or testing systems is an asset

• Ability to safely operate hand tools, power tools, and shop equipment.

• Experience supporting technical users in laboratory, industrial, manufacturing, or construction environments is an asset

• Strong computer skills

• Ability to manage multiple, competing priorities

• Ability to maintain attention to detail in a fast paced, multitasking environment

• Flexible in assisting with new tasks as assigned

• Excellent written and oral communications

• Excellent organizational, time management, interpersonal, and analytical skills

• Experience working with hand and power tools

• Valid G Driver’s License required

• Knowledge and experience in destructive structural testing and materials testing an asset

• Knowledge of instrumentation and data collection systems and methods an asset

• Experience in lab course development and instruction an asset

• First Aid Certification is an asset

Equity Statement

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is coordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion.  As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.