Job Description

University of Utah Job Description

Job Summary

Designs, fabricates and repairs customized glass apparatuses that will assist in scientific and research projects as well as classroom projects.

Qualifications

Completion of an accredited apprenticeship program or equivalency (one year of education can be substituted for two years of related work experience) plus two years glassblowing experience required; working knowledge of a myriad of glass products and their uses is necessary in order to ensure safety. Demonstrated human relations and effective communication skills also required.

The apprenticeship program consists of the completion of a 4 year, 8,000+ hour accredited program and of passing a comprehensive examination.

Applicants must demonstrate the potential ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined in the position description.

Disclaimer

This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification.  It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to the job.

Essential Functions

1. Confers with scientific and research departments to assess specialized needs.
2. Develops the designs and plans for creating unique requests.
3. Determines which materials should be used in order to provide functional, safe equipment.
4. Provides cost, time and material estimates, keeping resource saving techniques at the forefront.
5. Designs and constructs glass devices based upon the analysis performed.
6. Troubleshoots and repairs glass equipment.

Problem Solving

The incumbent will independently use specialized knowledge and diplomacy to balance meeting the needs of the customer with designing, developing and repairing a safe, functional product. Multiple categories of glass tubing, stopcocks, glass joints, glass plate, quartz and various metals can be manipulated by working with a 2,000-degree flame and will produce varying results. Determining which type of material to use in a given situation is instrumental to developing and repairing a safe and effective product.