Job Details

Undergraduate Laboratories Program Manager

Position Number: 6867501
Location: Boulder, CO
Position Type: Science - Physics

Undergraduate Laboratories Program Manager

Requisition Number: 69618
Location: Boulder Colorado
Employment Type: University Staff
Schedule: Full Time
Posting Close Date: 17-Feb-2026
Date Posted:

Job Summary

The Department of Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder, welcomes applications for the Undergraduate Laboratories Program Manager! This role is responsible for the technical and operational management of the Department of Physics' undergraduate laboratory program, ensuring a high-quality, hands-on learning experience for students. This position exists to maintain and advance the department's instructional laboratories, which are central to its mission of delivering rigorous and engaging physics education. The Program Manager serves as the lead subject matter expert for laboratory equipment and processes, providing technical guidance and innovative solutions to support faculty and students. Responsibilities include designing, fabricating, and maintaining instructional apparatus, managing day-to-day lab operations, and ensuring compliance with safety protocols.

We are looking for someone comfortable machining a part for a lecture demo in the morning, troubleshooting a Python data acquisition script in the afternoon, and mentoring students in the lab on experimental techniques before the day ends. You will serve as the primary technical expert for laboratory equipment, providing technical guidance to support faculty, staff, and students.
CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The research conducted by the faculty, staff, and students in the CU Physics Department is vibrant and groundbreaking across the broad scope of most subfields in physics.

The discovery of the Higgs boson was made at the CERN supercollider, in a collaboration involving our high-energy physics faculty. Nobel-prize caliber research is carried out in studies of quantum gases and quantum optics. Condensed-matter theorists and experimentalists unravel the mysteries of many-body systems, including liquid crystals and the quantum mechanical nature of the electrical and magnetic behavior of materials.

The Undergraduate Laboratory Program is where physics comes to life for thousands of students. We are a team of educators and technical experts whose guiding principle is to help students realize their own capacity for authentic scientific inquiry and discovery. Our labs move beyond rigid recipes, allowing students to engage in genuine scientific inquiry by developing computational models, designing experiments, and building apparatus to link theoretical concepts to real-world applications. Our core mission is to inspire and equip the next generation of scientists and engineers.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Innovate & Fabricate: You will collaborate with faculty and staff to design and build next-generation lecture demonstrations and lab apparatus, utilizing machine shop tools, CAD, and electronics fabrication to bring abstract physics concepts to life.
Modernize Operations: You will take a leadership role in advancing the technical transition of our demo program to a new web platform, leveraging significant progress already made to retire outdated systems and implement modern inventory and documentation strategies.
Digital Outreach & Content Creation: You will capture and develop high-quality digital content (e.g., videos, social media assets) from our lecture demonstrations and laboratory courses to enhance departmental outreach, recruitment, and visibility.
Operational Leadership: You will manage daily operations for PHYS 2150 (Experimental Physics II) and the Lecture Demonstration facility, while also providing key technical and operational support across our upper-division curriculum, including the electronics (PHYS 3330), advanced (PHYS 4430), and quantum labs (PHYS 4700).
Mentorship & Supervision: You will supervise staff and student workers, fostering a collaborative environment where technical skills are passed down and professional development is prioritized.
Safety Stewardship: You will serve as the primary liaison for safety compliance (lasers, chemicals, radiation), ensuring a culture of safety is maintained across all undergraduate labs and demonstrations.

What You Should Know

Standard Business Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday - Friday.
Occasional work outside of these hours may be required to support lab and course needs, as well as special events.
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
This is a full-time, on-site role that requires a strong physical presence in the laboratories, workshops, and lecture halls.
The work environment is dynamic and diverse, ranging from office-based project planning to hands-on work in active machine shops, laboratories, and chemical storage areas.
You will serve as the program's safety leader, responsible for translating university EH&S policy into hands-on procedures and training for the safe use of chemicals, lasers, and radioactive sources.

What We Can Offer

The starting salary for this position is $88,000 annually.
Onboarding assistance may be available within department guidelines.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be collaborative. Be dynamic. Be Boulder.

What We Require

BA/BS degree in physics, applied physics, engineering physics, or a closely related STEM field.
5+ years of relevant experience in an experimental physics lab, engineering research and development setting, electronics shop, or a similar technical environment.
1+ year of experience in a manager, supervisor, or work-leader role.

What You Will Need

Project Management: Proven success managing multiple complex projects simultaneously with high attention to detail.
Technical Proficiency: Hands-on experience troubleshooting laboratory equipment and proficiency in programming for data acquisition or analysis (preferably Python).
Communication: The ability to communicate complex technical concepts effectively to diverse audiences, including students, faculty, and staff.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

A current resume.
A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.

We may request references at a later time. Please apply by February 17, 2026 for consideration. Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.
In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

To apply, visit https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/Undergraduate-Laboratories-Program-Manager/69618