Instructional Support Specialist (ICP Lab Manager)

Founded in 1911 ESF is the nations oldest and one of the most respected academic institutions dedicated to building a sustainable future and the study of the environment. The Colleges main campus is in Syracuse New York and it has regional campuses and field stations throughout Central New York and in New Yorks Thousand Islands and Adirondack Mountain regions. ESF consistently earns high academic research and sustainability rankings in Forbes Petersons Guide The Princeton Review The Washington Monthly US News and World Report and other national college ratings and guidebooks.

Title: Instructional Support Specialist

Unit:Analytical and Technical Services

Professional Rank and Salary: SL 4 $64474to $75000 DOQ

Location:Syracuse

Job Summary

The Analytical and Technical Services (A&TS) unit provides specialized customer-focused value-added support services contributing to the ESFs instruction research and public service. Analytical and Technical Services manages several shared resource analytical laboratories maintains a chemical/laboratory apparatus stockroom and provides support for research and instruction.

The Instructional Support Specialist manages supervises maintains and operates the A&TS Inorganics Analysis laboratory comprised of instruments including Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES) Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) Laser Ablation with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) and Direct Mercury Analyzer (DMA) as well as ancillary equipment for sample preparation.

The ISS provides instructional support to ESF lab-based advanced chemistry courses including individualized training to ESF students ESF faculty and external academic research collaborators engaged in sponsored research.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Provide College-wide services to ESF researchers and collaborators by performing the spectrometric analysis of inorganics using ICP-OES ICP-MS LA-ICP-MS and DMA; interpreting and evaluating data; maintaining records; and writing reports.
• Collaborate with researchers in the design development and implementation of sophisticated routine and non-routine research projects for various environmental media requiring inorganics analysis.
• Provide instructional support for ESF instructors and researchers in the proper sample preparation operation and maintenance of analytical equipment interpretation of data and experimental design for the ICP facilities.
• Manage the operation and scheduling of the Inorganics Lab facilities by researchers to protect the equipment and to maintain efficient utilization rates.
• Develop analytical methods for inorganics analysis using current literature and expertise to achieve appropriate quality control and to provide data quality assurance to A&TS customers.
• Perform routine maintenance on instruments in the Inorganics Lab facilities. Maintain records of maintenance and repair issues. Purchase parts and supplies for equipment to minimize downtime. Schedule repair and service calls with manufacturers authorized service providers.
• Maintain a database for each instruments billing for internal and external customers. Submit monthly billing reports to the Director.
• Maintain the lab facilities following recommended industry housekeeping practices to provide a safe and healthy work environment. Follow best management practices for chemical and sample storage sample disposal and hazardous waste disposal.
• Support A&TS Directors unit administration including web-based communications billing planning and budgeting.

Required Qualifications:

• B.S. Chemistry or related field
• Three years of relevant working experience with inorganics and mercury analytical methods. M.S. or PhD degree may be used as experience credit.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Able to work independently with minimal supervision
• Ability to create and maintain collaborative relationships with customers
• M.S. Chemistry or related field
• Supervision of student workers in academic setting.
• Knowledge of pedagogical practices or training on analytical instrumentation
• Functional knowledge of MS365 including Teams and data management practices
• Written communication skills including preparation of proposals and technical reports
• Ability to develop and support a collegial lab environment for users
• Experience with cost and revenue analysis

About the College of Environmental Science and Forestry Ranger School:

ESF is a specialized college within the 64-campus SUNY system and the Ranger School is a regional campus of ESF where the Colleges Associate degree programs are delivered. With an annual enrollment of 50-60 students living in residence during the academic year a close-knit community of learners faculty and staff work together to accomplish a field-intensive learning experience. Ranger School education occurs on the 2800-acre Dubuar Memorial Forest and adjacent state preserve lands. Located inside the Adirondack Park numerous opportunities exist for experiential coursework research and public outreach.

Located in southern St. Lawrence County Wanakena is a small community of less than 100 year-round residents and a vibrant summer community of several hundred located on the upper reaches of Cranberry Lake at the mouth of the Oswegatchie River. Cultural events occur throughout the summer at Wanakenas Z-Park and Ottos Abode offers fresh produce and other groceries camping supplies and other needs. Wanakena is located midway between the larger towns of Star Lake and Cranberry Lake with access to medical services fire and emergency services gas and convenience stores. Larger towns including access to grocery stores big box stores university services and more are within a 1.5 hour drive of Wanakena.

Pursuant to Executive Order 161 no State entity as defined by the Executive Order is permitted to ask or mandate in any form that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation or any prior compensation history until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time please contact the Governors Office of Employee Relations at or via email at

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The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is committed to creating and sustaining a diverse community that promotes equity and inclusion for all its members. Diversity that arises from differences such as but not limited to gender race ethnicity ability sexual orientation socioeconomic status national origin or religious traditions is central and indispensable to the institutional excellence and mission of the College.

ESF is actively recruiting diverse faculty of all efforts and our commitment to the goal of building a diverse workforce we are participating in PRODiG. PRODiG (Promoting Recruitment Opportunity Diversity Inclusion and Growth) aims to increase the representation of historically underrepresented faculty at SUNY including underrepresented minority (URM) faculty in general and women faculty of all races in STEM fields (WSTEM). is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex gender identity sexual orientation race color religion national origin disability protected veteran status age or any other characteristic protectedby law.

Application Procedure:Applications should provide: a cover letter summarizing qualifications and interest in the position; a curriculum vitae or resume and contact information for three references (we will not contract references without prior permission).

Application Deadline: Although applications will be accepted until the position is filled candidates should submit their application by August 17 2026 to ensure optimal consideration.

Internal Procedures: UUP-represented employees of ESF desiring consideration under the Advanced Internal Application Procedures should submit application materials online and notify the Office of Human Resources that they would like early consideration by August 1 2026.