| Department: |
Kinesiology |
Effective Date: |
October, 2009 |
| Grade: |
USG 10 |
Reports to: |
Associate Dean of Graduate Studies |
General Accountability
In order for the Principal Investigator (PI), Richard Hughson, to function effectively and make a leading edge contribution, the PI, while maintaining ultimate responsibility and scientific leadership, must be able to delegate significant managerial responsibility to and receive substantial scientific input from, the incumbent of this position. The assemblage of grants and contracts awarded to Dr. Hughson currently include four Canadian Space Agency contracts, one CIHR, one National Research Council and an NSERC operating grant. These involve several distinct major research foci requiring close liaison with professional and technical staff, students, and the space agency partners.
Nature and Scope
In general…
- Assume day-to-day functional supervision of laboratory personnel (including undergraduate students, co-op students, graduate students, high-school placement students, other technicians/ technologists and off-site operators/engineers)
- maintain the laboratory facility at a state of readiness for research
- Provide leadership in projects involving a substantial ultrasound imaging and/or space-related component, including: technical supervision of project participants, providing hardware-specific technical expertise to research group members and students; assuming responsibility for lab safety and adherence of lab personnel to rules; ensuring project milestones and deadlines are met; possessing skills and knowledge required to operate and trouble-shoot instrumentation
- Possess expert knowledge on all clinical and research hardware and software including electrocardiogram, carbon dioxide analyzers, ultrasound, analogue-to-digital conversion boards, pre-amplifiers, tilt table, Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP)
- Install/commission new lab equipment; ensure that instrument performance conforms to standards required for reporting research results
- Documenting all lab processes and procedures, SOPs, lab tutorials
With respect to money …
- specifying and acquiring all consumable supplies (in 2008, supplies purchases in excess of $73,480.00)
- signing authority on all accounts ending in 6660 (consumables object code) and obtains signature from the PI on travel, requests for payment, other types of expenses
- Possessing extensive familiarity with computers (e.g., spreadsheet development [Excel], word processing [Word], slide preparation programs [Power Point] and other sophisticated data collection and plotting programs)
- maintain spreadsheets on all (currently 6) laboratory accounts and reconcile monthly in FORE
- maintain, balance and reconcile monthly two (2) purchasing cards (P-cards), one laboratory WATCARD
- assist Heather Murphy in Office of Research with year-end reconciliation
- assist Heather Murphy with creating quarterly Pro-Forma Invoices as required throughout the year (contractual obligations) for PWGSC auditors (Government of Canada Public Works and Government and Contract Services)
- preparation of equipment grant proposals to acquire funding for new instrumentation
- Upon award of such funding the incumbent also participates in assessing equipment available from various vendors of the desired equipment and in negotiating terms of the purchase
- process casual pay, requests for payment, shipping orders, IST Service Requests, Kinesiology Stores chits, travel forms for laboratory personnel
- tracking lab supplies usage for the purpose of maintaining appropriate stock
As a science resource…
- Delegate tasks to technical staff and verify that these tasks have been carried out properly and in a timely manner, in conjunction with the PI
- records archivist involving compilation and archiving of all laboratory data including ultrasound images, raw Chart data files, heart rate monitor files, excel spreadsheets and video
- keep abreast of new developments in techniques and instrumentation in cardiovascular physiology
- understanding and application of cardiovascular physiology related concepts including:
- baroreflex function & autonomic nervous system control over blood pressure
- β-adrenergic receptor function, nitric oxide function
- oxygen/CO2 delivery systems
- heart function/Starling Effect
- vascular stiffness
- blood markers of cardiovascular illness
- Pouseille’s Law, hydrostatic pressure, basic fluid dynamics, etc.
- Mediate conflicts between technical laboratory staff, graduate students and other users of the lab if the need should arise, and follow up recommendations of action items to the PI
With respect to Canadian Space Agency Projects…
Although the PI retains ultimate scientific responsibility, it is expected that the incumbent will demonstrate scientific initiative and participate fully as:
- a co-author of papers, reports, and proposals
- preparing project budgets
- writing abstracts
- interpretation and analysis of experimental results (including appropriate statistical analyses)
The incumbent will also:
- act as liaison with senior officials at the University of Waterloo, Canadian Space Agency, European Space Agency, NASA and other government institutions and regulatory bodies
- possess authority to act/sign on behalf of the Principal Investigator in meetings or discussions with space agency partners
- review information generated by other project team members (research data, abstracts, papers, presentations, etc.)
- write project related quarterly reports, progress reports and questionnaires (contractual obligations)
- travel to experimental test sites including but not limited to: Moscow, Russia; Florida; California; Texas; France.
- travel to conferences to attend and/or present papers
- Preparation/distribution of experiment milestones & schedules to the international project science team, e.g. Shuttle launches/landings, test dates, in-flight operations dates
- Receive training from NASA on correct useage of the NASA Internet Voice Distribution System (IVoDS). Skills include monitoring the restricted Space-to-Ground channels and using correct voice protocol on the Human Research Facility (HRF) channels, knowledge of call signs, call loops, phonetic alphabet (alpha, bravo, Charlie, etc.) and knowledge and maintenance of all associated software. Seek IT support from NASA Marshall Space Flight Research Center in Huntsville, Alabama as required.
- Complete ongoing maintenance of science and housekeeping data through downloading of all data received from Webmirage. Seek IT support from NASA Telescience Support Center in Houston, Texas as required.
- attend meetings as a representative of the Principal Investigator and/or project team
Statistical Data
Our research lab in Waterloo provides the single point of reference for all science planning, science scheduling and data archiving for this program that has received direct funding from CSA totaling more than $2.4M, with associated cost contribution from the Canadian, European and American Space Agencies (CSA, ESA and NASA) in excess of $10M. Furthermore, the incumbent supports and oversees the direct expenditure of all funds in the laboratory that have exceeded $4M since 2004.
Personnel reporting directly to the incumbent position currently consist of 9 graduate students, 1 post-doc (to be hired), and functional supervision of staff members. The incumbent is also responsible for supervising project activities and interacting with the entire Canadian Space Agency Projects group which consists of 8 professors (KS, RH, AB, PA, MAC, JR, RG, DH) from 7 different universities and 2 different countries, 5 Lockheed Martin NASA contractors, 2 Boeing NASA contractors, 1 Teledyne Brown engineer, 3 Canadian Space Agency Mission Scientists.
The position provides a service to the Agency Partners through primary liaison with the Life and Physical Space Sciences Department at CSA and NASA Contractors (Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Teledyne Brown) to schedule spacecraft science operations and data receipt, primary processing, archiving and distribution to participating members of the Projects team. This position is subject to contracted funding.
Specific Accountabilities
The incumbent is expected to have a high level of technical expertise, with a strong background in Biology, Human Anatomy and Cardiovascular Physiology. S(he) must be highly qualified by training and experience to undertake the responsibilities of this position. S(he) must:
- Work with minimal direct supervision
- function independently for extended periods of time in the PI’s absence
- assume duties usually associated with the PI during these periods
- adapt quickly and effectively to new challenges as they arise
- have above average communication, organizational and supervisory skills
- discharge the required responsibilities with a level of judgment and maturity normally associated with an experienced researcher holding a Ph.D. degree.
Working Conditions
Time on the job is divided between administrative support, clinical laboratory testing and travel. The office work portion is spent sitting and standing in a comfortable position using a laptop and desktop computer as well as completing hardcopy paperwork. The lab work is variable but may involve long hours standing, sitting, crouching, stooping and kneeling for ultrasound imaging, blood sampling, hooking human subjects to e.g. heart rate monitors, troubleshooting electronic equipment including cables, wires, fuses, capacitors etc. Travelling time is typically spent on airplanes, in cars and on trains.
