Technical Director, Studio and Production Facilities (71101)

Description

The Director of Technology, Studio, and Production Facilities is responsible for the oversight and development of studio and event spaces, shops and labs, and facilities and operations within Pratt spaces at Pfizer, supporting approximately 275 students and 30 faculty members on site.

• The Director will oversee Pratt’s Pfizer spaces and their functions, as well as the analog and digital fabrication facilities including supporting and coordinating studios;
• and overseeing the operations and general facilities within Pratt’s Pfizer spaces including the Knit Lab; MFA Fashion spaces;

critique spaces and classrooms; and storage spaces.

• The position entails both administrative and technical duties : Maintaining and stocking the shops / repair of digital hardware and machinery;
• establishing and enforcing safety protocols according to EPA and OSHA guidelines; Hiring, training and supervising and student monitors and graduate assistants;

supervising supporting on site technicians, and guiding students in the safe use of equipment and spaces.

This position requires extensive communication with Pratt’s academic leadership team, including the Deans of the Schools of Architecture and Design, Chairs in these schools, with special attention to the Chair of Fashion, and staff technicians and operations managers within both schools to ensure the safety of students, spaces, and equipment and to ensure that program outcomes are met.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES :

Administrative Oversight

• Oversee Pratt’s operations and facilities at Pfizer. Serve as a liaison between all Pratt entities supporting operations including but not limited to : Facilities Department, Information Technology, Campus Safety and Security, and Pfizer’s building management team and maintenance staff.
• Partner with the Deans of the Schools of Architecture and Design and respective department Chairpersons to assure facilities meet programmatic needs for students assigned to studio spaces, interdisciplinary textiles lab AKA Knit Lab, and for scheduled events planned within the Accelerator space.
• Partner with Operations Manager and Chair of Fashion Design Department to oversee operations and general facilities needs for the MFA Fashion program.
• Partner with Director of the School of Design Productions Labs and Director of School of Architecture Production Facilities to coordinate rotational technician staffing to support wood / metal shops and auxiliary spaces.
• Liaise with Pratt Public Safety to schedule Pfizer shuttle; ensure safety protocols are followed and in place for spaces.

Communicate pass along schedules and announcements to Pfizer students.

• Orient incoming students to Pfizer during orientation week and on an as needed basis.
• Manage all facility announcements to Pfizer students.

Facilities and Operations Management

• Liaise with Pfizer / Acumen security team to manage building access for students and faculty.
• Liaise with management to address any issues that require the building management’s attention.
• Liaise with Pratt maintenance staff to ensure common spaces are regularly maintained.
• Administer / manage parking inquiries for temporary passes, as needed.

Classroom, Lab, and Studio Management

• Assign individual and group studios to students, retaining contracts and records of occupants. Monitor and manage the check-in / check-out process for studios each semester, including signing of studio contracts, maintenance of contract files and updating access with Pratt security.
• Conduct orientation sessions for new students for the facilities at Pfizer during orientation week.
• Ensure compliance with regard to OSHA , EPA, and health and safety protocols through regular studio inspections, with the support of technician staff and graduate assistants.
• With the help of the facilities department, ensure that all vacant studios are clean and ready for incoming occupants.

Inspect vacated studios and assess charges to students who have moved out and left damages.

• Receive and schedule classroom reservations for times outside of scheduled classes; ensure that the classroom spaces are maintained with support from the IT department, maintenance staff, and technicians.
• Maintain a critique, open research studio, and event space calendar and receive / schedule requests for reservations; ensure that the critique spaces are maintained, with support from maintenance staff and graduate assistants.
• Ensure storage spaces are kept neat and contractual agreements are followed; schedule clear-out days for storage spaces with Pratt maintenance staff.

Shops Management

Supervise and support technicians on site as scheduled in wood / metal shops; ensure that technicians train students and faculty on the proper use of equipment.

Supervise Knit technician supporting the Knit Lab.

• Administer and train graduate assistants, supporting hiring processes and ensuring staffing needs are met.
• Liaise with Facilities and technicians on capital budgets, projects, facilities conditions reporting and assessment, and equipment upgrades.

Coordinate equipment maintenance and repair schedules. Order equipment and request upgrades as needed.

• Manage budget for facilities, fixtures and equipment. Order equipment for the shops, labs, studio spaces and classrooms, based on on-site and knit technicians' input and recommendations.
• Liaise with SoD and SoA faculty to coordinate demos and workshops as needed.

Technology

• Liaise with Pratt’s Information Technology staff on dedicated TEC seminar rooms and networking / wifi issues. Ensure spaces are functioning and troubleshoot onsite issues as they arise.
• Perform other related duties and assignments as needed.

Qualifications

Education :

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in an art or design-related field is required; master’s degree (MFA) preferred.

Experience :

Five (5) years of shop tech experience in a higher educational institution with some knowledge of digital manufacturing platforms, wood and metal fabrication.

A minimum of three years’ academic administrative or managerial experience within a college or university setting, or professional equivalent.

Knowledge and Skills :

• Knowledge of industry material resources and a general knowledge of education in design disciplines.
• Excellent organizational, communications and interpersonal skills, and the ability to develop rapport with a diverse faculty and student body.

Ability to communicate effectively with faculty, technicians, staff, and students alike.

• General knowledge with the operation of shops and equipment, and general knowledge of common fabrication tools.
• Knowledge of shop safety and environmental health hazards, including emergency procedures.
• Capacity to build trust and cooperation across diverse communities; and demonstrated level of cultural competence.
• Competence with budget management systems.

Preferred Knowledge and Skills :

Preference will be given to candidates with expertise in at least one of the following : computerized 3d knitting technology, woodworking, or metalworking.

Salary & Benefits

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications, ranging from $80,900 to $87,700 .

This position will be onsite 5 days a week .

Generous Benefits :

• 403B Retirement Program
• Supplemental Retirement Account
• Tuition Benefits for Employees and Dependents
• Tuition Program
• Summer hours Exchange
• Flexible Spending Accounts - commuter, medical, dependent care
• Child Care Benefit
• Paid Parking Available on Brooklyn campus
• Basic life and AD&D insurance provided by Pratt
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Care Coverage

About Pratt Institute :

Pratt Institute provides the creative leaders of tomorrow the professional knowledge and experience to make a better world.

A world-class and internationally ranked college with programs in art, design, architecture, liberal arts and sciences, and information studies, Pratt offers nearly 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

The Institute’s impact expands beyond its 25-acre residential campus in Brooklyn to cutting-edge facilities throughout the borough, a landmark building and public gallery in Manhattan, as well as an extension campus, Pratt Munson College of Art and Design in Utica, New York.

On Governors Island, Pratt is a core partner on the Stony Brook University team selected to develop the New York Climate Exchange, a research and educational hub poised to establish New York City as the global leader for the most pressing issue of our time : climate change.

Another extension of Pratt’s campus is the Research Yard, a 20,000-square-foot facility that brings together the research activities of Pratt Institute under one roof in the Brooklyn Navy Yard (BNY).

Application Instructions

• Please submit your cover letter and resume.
• If you are selected for an interview, please be prepared to provide at least 5 References via our online reference tool system.

At least 2 of your References must be, or have been, your direct managers.

Application Process

This institution is using Interfolio's Faculty Search to conduct this search. Applicants to this position receive a free Dossier account and can send all application materials, including confidential letters of recommendation, free of charge.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion or belief, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, marital or domestic partnership status, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity or expression, age, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Pratt Institute recognizes and values the benefits of a diverse workforce.