Job Description

Organizational Unit:

The College of Engineering serves over 6,000 students and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in 12 programs. The College of Engineering seeks to profoundly shape and impact lives through the steadfast pursuit of world-class engineering research, education, and innovation. We aspire to be at the forefront of engineering research and education, cultivating knowledgeable, passionate engineers who are dedicated to need-based, solutions-oriented engineering. We share a culture of excellence, characterized by an emphasis on students, research, innovation, partnership, inclusivity, agility, and the future.

The College of Engineering Facilities and Safety department is dedicated to providing quality facilities that are safe and to positively impact these spaces in which we learn, teach and work. Besides maintaining safe facilities, we are a department that is dedicated to customer service while achieving the best utilization and response to current and emerging needs.

Position Summary:

Responsible for managing and maintaining the College's physical space, ensuring safety, compliance, and operational efficiency. Oversees facility improvements, renovations, and new laboratory construction while coordinating the installation and security of specialized research equipment. Serves as a liaison with USF's Physical Plant and collaborates with faculty, staff, and students to address facilities-related concerns. Manages emergency preparedness, safety protocols, hazardous waste disposal, and laboratory compliance. Leads space assignments, inventory tracking, and building occupancy management. Provides strategic oversight of the College Machine Shop, vehicle fleet, and equipment logistics. Assists with budget planning, contract negotiations, and facility-related reporting to federal agencies. Supports College events, research initiatives, and administrative functions to enhance academic and operational goals.

Responsibilities

Responsible for the various matters associated with the management, auditing, maintenance, and safety of the College's physical space. Leads, coordinates and/or oversees facility improvements, renovation and new construction for laboratory space. Coordinates and oversees the installation, storage and security of specialized engineering research equipment. Serves on College and campus space and/or safety committees. Responds to complaints or questions regarding the facility operations as they apply to lab safety and takes appropriate action to resolve problems. As the main liaison to USF's Physical Plant manager reports daily faculty/staff/student facilities maintenance requests to Physical Plant and follows through the request to ensure completion. Collaborates with all College's constituents to identify and resolve facilities and safety compliance related issues and conflicts with discretion, diplomacy and confidentiality.
Provides oversight, assistance and consultation for needs assessment, project scope, Request for Proposal (RFP), Space Request Plans, permits and engages in job meetings with architects, engineers, contractors, consultants and vendors engaged in renovations, improvements, and /or new construction with regards to the College's physical space. Negotiates the best terms and prices for the services rendered, and provides consultation during contract and budget development.
Inventories, audits, organizes, analyzes and manages the data of the College's space assignments and usage. Creates and maintains building floor plans and occupancy databases concerning space. Collaborates closely with students, faculty, and staff as requested to help facilitate their academic, research, and university activities or commitments. Coordinates space and equipment and furniture moves. Responsible for the management and maintenance of the College's vehicles, boats and golf carts.
Serves as the College's primary emergency management liaison/designee. Responds to and resolves all citations and facility compliance issues. Oversees the safety and security of facilities in coordination with USF Facilities Planning, USF Physical Plant, USF Health and Safety, University Police and the campus-wide Emergency Operations Emergency Team. Helps coordinate and maintain the College Emergency Preparedness Plans and emergency equipment. Responds to security matters impacting the College. Oversees and helps coordinate hazardous and biological waste pickups and laboratory inspections.
Designated as College Receiver for the Hazardous Inventory Tracking System (HITS). Coordinates with campus Police and Physical Plant for evacuation drills, building inspections, and State Fire Marshall inspections. Helps to ensure laboratory protocols and operations comply with all relevant laws, rules and policies. Approves keys and card access for the College. Responds to requests for information and reports from various university departments including USF Property, USF Space, USF Facilities Planning, USF Health and Safety, and USF Physical Plant. Prepares administrative reports, budgets, estimates, studies, and planning documents for facilities, projects and building operations as required by federal funding agencies. Assures these reports are compiled and submitted in a timely fashion.
Manages the College Machine Shop. Develops and implements strategies, tactics and plans to enhance, expand, or redirect the activities in the machine shop in agreement with the College's needs and evolution of its academic and research enterprises. Prepares budgets and reports on the usage of this shop. Manages and approves the materials and supplies needed to run this College resource. Manages, act as a facilitator, and evaluates staff and students who work in the machine shop.
May participate in the development of operating goals and objectives for the College which includes recommending, implementing, and administering methods and procedures to enhance operations. Help facilitate College-related events and ceremonies. May research and pursue new funding sources and opportunities related to facility improvements or additions (may involve grant proposal writing.) Assists Principal Investigators with the facilitation of projects and initiatives within the College, as requested. Assists and supports the College Administration in the development, direction, coordination, and staffing of all functions associated with the academic/research mission of the College.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

The position requires master's degree in in an appropriate area of specialization; or a bachelor's degree in an appropriate area of specialization and two years of appropriate experience.. Directly related career experience may be substituted for the degree requirements on a year for year basis.

Preferred Qualifications:

The position requires master's degree in an appropriate area of engineering or the sciences with at least two years of experience in space or facilities management and safety and compliance; or a bachelor's degree in these areas expertise and more than six years of appropriate experience in space management, facilities maintenance management, laboratory and physical space upgrades, access control, safety and compliance, auditing, inspection and direct oversight of chemical, physical and mechanical laboratories and all the physical facilities within. Progressively responsible experience coordinating and overseeing safety protocols, hazardous material control, and scientific laboratory compliance, assessing equipment needs, design, and construction. Design involves both theoretical and practical knowledge of Engineering disciplines and use of specialized research equipment and software.

FLSB1310 Equivalency:
4 years of directly relevant experience may be substituted for bachelor's degree.
6 years of directly relevant experience may be substituted for master's degree.

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.

Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Contact the USF ADA Lead (hr-ADA-Request@usf.edu) to coordinate your accommodation request.

About Us

Working at USF

With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF's rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida's best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state's 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.

About USF

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF's Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

Compliance and Federal Notices

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws:

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.

University of South Florida

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Engineering Facilities & Safety Manager