Mass Spectrometry Research Officer, Chemistry

Mass Spectrometry Research Officer, Chemistry

Primary Purpose: This position manages the daily operations of the mass spectrometer laboratory and acts as an instrument specialist in the Department of Chemistry in partnership with the Saskatchewan Structural Sciences Centre (SSSC). The key focus is ensuring faculty, staff, and students in the department as well as SSSC users more generally are supported in their ongoing research. This involves running measurements, assisting with data interpretation, designing experiments, consulting with researchers and providing technical support for a suite of mass spectrometry equipment. While the majority of work relates to research carried out through the SSSC, occasional technical duties related to supporting undergraduate teaching equipment, including maintenance and service of mass spectrometry and affiliated chromatography instruments, will also occur. The overall purpose of this position is to provide essential instrumental service for research and teaching.

Nature of Work: This position is expected to be self-directed, independent and self-sufficient. New situations, challenges and problems arise daily and they are solved with minimal supervision. Administrative reporting is formally to the Finance and Operations Manager and under the direction of the Department Head, though reporting will be seconded to the SSSC Management.

On a daily basis, analytical mass spectrometry services are provided. Providing services involves running measurements as per request of researchers regarding the type of experiment required, discussing experimental design with researchers, and researching and developing scientific methodology for analysis. Current equipment in the SSSC includes four mass spectrometers (MALDI-Q-ToF, LC-Q-TOF, LC-TOF and GC-TOF), all of which may need to be operated in a variety of different modes, depending on experimental needs. New mass spectrometry instrumentation can reasonably be anticipated to be brought into the SSSC over the lifetime of the position, and the instrument technician will need to become rapidly proficient at working with and providing maintenance for new instrumentation. Mass spectrometry equipment in the undergraduate chemistry labs will also be supported as needed.

Instruments are maintained on a regular basis. Some aspects of maintenance are daily, weekly or monthly. Instruments are diagnosed and repaired when broken, with remote conversation with service engineers if needed. Most repairs are done in-house by SSSC staff working in the SSSC. Maintenance that is beyond tuning and making the instruments operational include, but are not limited to, servicing oil-based vacuum pumps, monitoring cooling in the laboratory, maintaining state-of-the-art software on instruments, and backing up data.

Additional routine duties may include training and teaching of student researchers and postdoctoral fellows, maintenance of lab safety and recordkeeping, updating a chemical inventory in the mass spectrometry lab and ordering necessary chemicals, and developing methods to handle custom-prepared chemicals that have no available SDS.

Typical Duties or Accountabilities

Enabling Research, Teaching and Scholarly Work

• Provides state-of-the-art mass spectrometry services for students, faculty and other researchers.
• Carries out mass spectrometry measurements for researchers.
• Assists with data interpretation.
• Ensures mass spectrometers are working properly.
• Designs experiments to state-of-the-art research standards by discussing ideas with the researchers and consulting literature and other technical experts.
• Maintains technical and scientific knowledge to keep up with researchers’ needs.
• Coordinates instrument time for users.
• Assists with gathering technical information for grant applications and getting quotes from vendors and goes on site visits for demonstration of the equipment.
• Provides help to department members and the undergraduate teaching laboratories with their equipment such as liquid chromatographs, gas chromatographs and mass spectrometers.
• Directs researchers to resources on campus.
• Maintains confidentiality as required.

Communications/Relationships

• Maintains an effective and collaborative relationship with faculty and staff in Chemistry, the SSSC, and across campus.

Financial and Resource Management

• Requests quotations and negotiates pricing for parts needed for maintenance.
• Minimizes costs for the operation and maintenance of instruments.
• Enters billing information into administrative software.
• Maintains an account ledger for yearly expenses in the MS laboratory.
• Orders supplies and consumables for the Mass Spectrometry Laboratory.

Best Practices

• Maintains a safe working environment. Teaches and ensures proper safety and instrument handling protocol is followed.
• Routinely backs up data.

Education: A minimum of a graduate degree (MSc or PhD) in science or engineering.

Experience: Several years’ experience in research specializing in mass spectrometry and instrumentation.

Skills

• Possesses demonstrated knowledge of mass spectrometry instrumentation including a solid understanding of technical concepts, experience with maintenance and troubleshooting experience and familiarity with multiple chromatography (HPLC & GC), ionization (MALDI, ESI, EI, and field desorption) and mass spectrometry techniques (including some subset of single and tandem MS).
• Ability to learn and explore new software packages as they become available and are related to the job.
• Ability and skills in electronics and mechanical technology relevant to mass spectrometry are essential, particularly vacuum technology.
• Proactive, independent and a strong problem solver.
• Strong one-on-one communicator with the ability to discuss research projects with difficult personalities.
• Professional, accountable, flexible, and willing to meet constantly changing priorities and deadlines.