STEAM Studio Operations Manager #006467

Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina, UNC Asheville is the designated public liberal arts campus in the University of North Carolina system. UNC Asheville is nationally known for the quality of our student-centered teaching, mentoring of undergraduates in research, interdisciplinary learning, and a welcoming campus community.

In addition to award-winning faculty, UNCA has also ranked high in Research.com, US News & World Report and the Princeton Review in 2025.

Research.com – #8 in Best Colleges, #11 Most Affordable Colleges in NC, #16 Best Value Colleges in NC

US News & World Report – #9 in Top Public Schools

Princeton Reviews – #7 in Top 50 Guide to Green Schools

Employees of UNCA are provided with a comprehensive benefits package as well as other resources, policies and programs to ensure a happy and healthy work/life balance. Benefit eligible employees have access to dental, vision and health insurance plans – eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available. Eligible employees have access to tuition waivers for up to three courses per academic year; employees may enroll at any of the constituent UNC System campuses. Also offered are group exercise classes, and free access to the campus recreation center for full time employees, vaccine shots are also offered on campus, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays and 24 hours of paid community service leave each year. Leave earning employees (staff and 12-month faculty) who work at least half of the working days of their first month of employment will begin accruing vacation and sick leave immediately. Paid parental leave after 12 months of continuous service.

EHRA Staff

STEAM Studio Operations Manager #006467

006467

$60,000-$70,000

Typical hours for this position are Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Evening and weekend work will occasionally be required. The successful candidate must be willing to work a varying schedule as dictated by studio needs.

Full-Time

12 Months

STEAM Studio (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) is a growing network of state-of-the-art fabrication labs and makerspace environments. The main facility is an 11,647-square-foot fabrication lab housed off campus. STEAM Studio’s mission is to teach students how to use tools to design, build, and solve problems. STEAM Studio serves students, faculty, and staff across disciplines, promoting collaborations where students work side-by-side with instructors using advanced digital fabrication, along with traditional woodworking, metal fabrication, and other material processing methods. Through academic classes, special projects and shop jobs, and community outreach, the STEAM Studio network provides an environment where students develop and prototype viable products, engage in creative exploration and design thinking approaches in real-world contexts.

The STEAM Studio Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the STEAM Studio facilities to ensure a high level of user experience. Responsibilities include developing and administering programs and procedures to support material literacy and training in a wide range of manufacturing processes; tracking and maintaining consumable inventories; ensuring equipment and vehicle functionality; and providing oversight of safety training for all studio users. The employee in this position independently establishes safety policies, approves significant expenditures, selects equipment, and makes decisions affecting how the STEAM facilities operate. This role will be STEAM Studio’s primary point of contact with Campus Operations and EHS and is responsible for facility maintenance requests and ensuring facilities are OSHA compliant.

The employee in this position may have co-teaching responsibilities of up to 3 classes per academic year and may periodically be asked to support after-school and summer camp programs for youth.

Exempt

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, art, or related field with at least 5 years of experience in a large-scale makerspace, production, or manufacturing environment.
• Experience working in an academic fabrication shop
• Experience implementing safety standards in a manufacturing or jobsite environment
• Experience with teaching and training colleagues and students in both formal and informal settings
• Experience with on the fly troubleshooting and problem solving issues with tooling and equipment

Master’s degree in engineering, art, or related fields

• Knowledge of woodworking, textile, and metal manufacturing processes
• Ability to troubleshoot and maintain industrial machines and equipment
• Experience creating, teaching, and enforcing safety regulations and standard operating procedures
• A working understanding of CNC and manual machining
• A working understanding of metal fabrication (MIG and Tig welding steel and aluminum)
• Experience managing inventories of consumables, materials, and spare parts in a shop environment
• Ability to hire, train, and manage student workers
• Experience with 3D modeling software, preferably Fusion 360 or SolidWorks
• OSHA 30 Certification
• Clear verbal and written communication skills
• An ability to lift 50lbs to waist height

To be considered, application must be made online.

Attach a cover letter, current resume, and a list of professional references (including complete contact information with name, title, address, email, and phone) to complete the application. For questions and additional information, please contact the search committee chair, Sara Sanders, sjsander@unca.edu.

Must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship.

E0593

10/26/2026

11/09/2026

Yes

UNC Asheville uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify. Proper documentation of identity and employability are required at the time of employment.

All new employees are required to have listed credentials/degrees verified within 30 days of employment. All new employees who will be teaching are required to provide official transcripts within 30 days of employment. Transcripts should be provided for the highest earned degree and/or the degree which is being used to satisfy credential/qualification requirements.

The UNC Asheville Annual Safety Report is available online at UNCA Safety Report. For more information please contact the Assistant Vice Chancelor for Institutional Integrity & Access/Clery Act Compliance Officer at (828) 232-5658 or email oiia@unca.edu . The report, required of all universities participating in Title IV student financial aid programs, discusses crime statistics, procedures for reporting suspicious or criminal activity, security, police authority, crime prevention strategies, university policies on substance abuse and sexual offenses, workplace violence and fire safety.