Innovation Lab Technician

UWCSEA East is searching for a freelance, one-year-contract, hands-on Innovation Lab Technician (Design & Prototyping) to be the technical heart of our centre.

Reporting to the Head of Innovation, the incumbent will be responsible for the daily operation, maintenance, and safety of our state-of-the-art workshop, ensuring our equipment, from 3D printers and laser cutters to CNC machines and robotics kits, is ready for action.

Your primary role is to empower students by providing direct technical support, safety training, and mentorship, helping them turn their creative ideas into tangible projects. This is a technical, student-facing role focused on making, not administration.

Main Responsibilities

• Workshop & Equipment Management: Oversee the daily operation, maintenance, safety, and troubleshooting of all workshop equipment, including 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC routers, vinyl cutters, electronics stations, and hand/power tools.
• Student Training & Technical Mentorship: Act as the primary technical guide for students in the innovation space. Design and deliver safety orientations and skill-based training on all machinery to students when required. Provide hands-on assistance and expert advice to students working on their projects.
• Health & Safety Compliance: Champion a culture of safety in the workshop. Conduct regular safety checks and maintain a safe, organised environment.
• Resource & Inventory Management: Manage the inventory of all workshop consumables, tools, and materials. Evaluate and recommend new equipment or software and source materials needed for student projects and workshop upkeep.
• Project & Program Support: Collaborate with the Head of Innovation to support the technical requirements for competitions, workshops, and activities. Assist in prototyping, fabricating, and preparing materials for various innovation programs.
• Operational Support: Assist with essential operational duties that support the workshop's function, processing purchase requisitions for technical supplies, and coordinating logistics for tech-focused events if and when they occur.

Person Specifications

• A Diploma or Degree** in a relevant field such as Product Design, Industrial Design, Engineering, Mechatronics, Design Technology, or a related technical discipline is desirable.
• **Alternatively, equivalent vocational qualifications (e.g., Advanced Technician Diploma) combined with substantial, demonstrable experience in a professional workshop, makerspace, or prototyping lab are highly encouraged.
• Experience in a similar capacity. Experience in a K­-12 educational (students aged 5-18) environment is desirable.
• Experience with working in a professional capacity with children is desirable.
• Patient, positive and able to coach children of all ages.
• Comfortable with a hands-on approach, particularly an ability to improvise with audiences of varied ages, the use of hand tools, electronics, computer software, hardware and various other technologies.
• An effective collaborator, coordinator, team builder, and mentor and who is skilled at leveraging the talents of others and solving problems

Technical Skills

• Expertise in Rapid Prototyping: Demonstrable skill in operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting equipment like FDM/SLA 3D printers, laser cutters, and CNC routers.
• CAD/CAM Proficiency: Competency with design and manufacturing software (e.g., Fusion 360, LightBurn, XTools).
• Workshop Aptitude: Strong, confident skills with a wide variety of hand tools, power tools, and standard workshop machinery.
• Electronics & Robotics Knowledge: Familiarity with basic electronics, soldering, and microcontrollers (e.g., Arduino, Raspberry Pi) is a significant asset.

Personal Qualities

• A Natural Mentor: Patient, encouraging, and skilled at communicating complex technical concepts clearly to learners of all ages and abilities.
• Safety-First Mindset: Meticulous and proactive about creating and maintaining a safe working environment for all.
• Problem-Solver: Resourceful and adaptable, with a knack for improvising and troubleshooting technical challenges on the fly.
• Collaborative Spirit: An effective team player who can work closely with faculty and students to bring ideas to life.
• Passionate about Making: A genuine enthusiasm for technology, design, and empowering the next generation of innovators.

Application

Apply via our job portal by Monday, 25 August :59pm Singapore Time.

The UWC Mission is to make education a force to unite people, nations and culture for peace and a sustainable future. We are committed to creating a community in which all members feel safe and secure, and know that their authentic selves and individual differences are accepted with respect and care. At UWCSEA, we acknowledge that diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) is an ongoing and evolving process and strive to create and sustain a sense of belonging for all members of our community, past, present and future. All qualified applicants, including those who identify as a part of marginalized group(s) and individuals with (dis)abilities are all encouraged to apply. Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all the students in our care and expects all applicants to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices and all appointments are subject to interview, satisfactory references, identity and criminal record checks.

Job Type: Contract

Pay: From $2,000.00 per month

Work Location: In person