I am interested in any comments on your experience with equipment maintenance
programs run by Maintenance Underwriters Group (MUG).  What are your comments on
1) service, 2)responsiveness, 3)staff satisfaction, 4)agreements, 5) costs and
6) savings.

JDG Associates has been retained by the National Institute of Standards &
Technology (NIST) to recruit the Head of their Boulder (Colorado) Laboratories.

This key role will oversee the entire operation of the Labs and will be an
integral member of the NIST Leadership Team.  I encourage you to review the
Position Announcement below.

To submit your resume or recommend individual(s) for this role, please contact
Jennifer Moss at moss@... or 301-340-2210.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Moss
__________________________________________________

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) plays a vital role in
supporting technical innovation -- critical to the future economic security of
our Nation. NIST accomplishes its mission through a broad interdisciplinary
approach leveraging its physical sciences and engineering expertise. Its broad
scope and technical expertise is matched by few other laboratories in the world.
NIST is organized around scientific and engineering disciplines and encourages
research programs that leverage the full talent and expertise across the
organization.

NIST programs are at the scientific forefront nationally and internationally,
and they provide an important contribution in support of industry, academia, and
other government entities. NIST is a dynamic and complex organization
undertaking research and scientific endeavors in a multidisciplinary, diverse
culture. NIST human resources are also diverse with over 2,800 full-time
employees and over 1,500 foreign and domestic guest researchers, contractors,
and other associates. The primary facilities are located in Gaithersburg,
Maryland and Boulder, Colorado.

The position of Boulder Laboratories Site Manager (BLSM) is organizationally
located within the Office of the Director, NIST. The Department of Commerce
(DOC) has three agencies with a presence on the Boulder campus: NIST, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

(NIST's website is www.nist.gov)
Introduction:

This executive position has a challenging and unique blend of responsibilities
on behalf of the DOC and NIST.  The BLSM works under the supervision of the NIST
Deputy Director and is a member of NIST's Leadership Team, being considered one
of their Chief Officers.  He/she will participate in NIST's weekly executive
staff meetings, being involved in strategic planning and issue resolution.  This
individual is expected to exercise the critical judgment and maturity required
to manage the Boulder campus. Supervision in the "normal sense" is not provided,
but the capability to lead and manage is judged over the long term by the NIST
Deputy Director and the NOAA and NTIA Chief Administrative Officers based on
progress in meeting program and administrative objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• As an integral part of the management team, the BLSM is responsible for
carrying out the mission of the organization in the most efficient and effective
manner, using the precepts of sound management practices, and operating within
the confines of the merit system.
The BLSM has significant decision and policy-making responsibilities concerning
the direction of high-level programs of vital importance to the Nation, and in
the management of resources assigned to the program.

• The BLSM has the responsibility to work closely with the NIST Laboratory
Directors; the NIST Special Assistant for Environment, Safety, and Health; and
the NIST Chief Officers (Chief Financial Officer, Chief Facilities Management
Officer, Chief Human Capital Officer and Chief Information Officer) to ensure
that:

(1) operations support issues that cut across the Boulder laboratory programs
are coordinated and resolved, and
(2) the interests and needs of the Boulder laboratory programs for operations
support are represented effectively to NIST headquarters.

• The Site Manager initiates and leads strategic and operational planning and is
responsible for accomplishing the following activities:

(1) General Management:
- Directing activities at the Boulder site in the event of emergencies,
including declaring the site to be shut down or re-opened based on safety or
security conditions.
- Leading continuity of operations preparations for the Boulder site, in close
cooperation with NIST, NOAA and NTIA senior officials at the Boulder
Laboratories.
- Managing campus-wide emergency preparations, including the conduct of required
drills and exercises, to improve readiness to respond to safety, security, or
facilities-related events.

(2) Security:
- Establishing, maintaining and ensuring compliance with standards for physical
access to the Boulder site; and ensuring Boulder duty-stationed employees,
contractors, and guest workers are educated on, and comply with, site-wide
physical security requirements and responsibilities.

(3) Safety:
- Enforcing and ensuring external regulatory compliance for the site and
facilities, including applicable regulations from the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration, other Federal entities, and state and local governments.
- Work with the NIST Special Assistant for Safety, Health and Environment to
ensure that  NIST Boulder's managers and technical staff are cognizant of the
goals, requirements and  intended outcomes of the NIST safety program and their
roles and responsibilities within  that program.
- Ensure that risk-management plans are developed and implemented to identify
and control workplace hazards.
- Ensure compliance with required laboratory safety policies and procedures and
applicable workplace and environmental laws and regulations.
- Monitor laboratory and other workplace activities of NIST staff, guest
researchers, contractors and students.
- Stop work if activities are found to be in non-compliance with safety policies
and procedures and/or with applicable workplace and environmental laws and
regulations.

(4) Liaison Responsibilities:
- Serving as the Department's primary liaison and representative with federal,
state and local governments, community-based interest groups, and the general
public on matters affecting the operations, safety, and security of the Boulder
facilities.

5) Operations Support for NIST Laboratories:
- Working closely with the NIST Laboratory Directors, the NIST Special Assistant
for Environment, Safety, and  Health and the NIST Chief Officers (Chief
Financial Officer, Chief Facilities Management Officer, Chief Human Capital
Officer, and Chief Information Officer) to ensure that:

1. Operations support priorities of the Boulder laboratory programs are
addressed.
2. Operations support issues that cut across the Boulder laboratory programs are
coordinated and resolved, and
3. Interests and needs of the Boulder laboratory programs for operations support
are represented effectively to NIST headquarters.

Operations support functions at the Boulder Laboratories include:
1. Acquisitions Management
2. Human Resources Support
3. Information Technology and Security
4. Facilities Management
5. Construction Management
6. Campus and Building Physical Security
7. Safety

Education: Advanced degree preferred

Location: Boulder, Colorado

Compensation: To $177,000 + bonus eligibility (Senior Executive Service-level
position) Relocation and interviewing expenses will be paid.

EEO: JDG Associates recognizes that NIST is an Equal Opportunity Employer and
will conduct all recruiting efforts accordingly.  All candidates will be
considered without regard to race, color, age, gender, religion, national
origin, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or
disability.

Deadline: To be considered, applications must be received no later than
midnight, June 1, 2009.

Citizenship: U.S. Citizenship required.

Contact:
Jennifer Moss
JDG Associates, Ltd.
1700 Research Boulevard
Rockville, MD  20850
301-340-2210
Email: moss@...


JDG Associates, established in 1973, is a leading provider of executive
recruiting services to federal/state/local government, non-profit organizations,
trade associations, Fortune 1000 corporations, and a variety of government
contractors.

In tandem with the developing and more critical nature of Kenya 's consumer
society, Laboratories will be expected to sustain best practice in analysis and
testing to world standards. The conference aim to provide a forum in which
laboratories, stake holders, suppliers et all can showcase the efforts being
made to achieve world class standards and to identify action plans for
standardization throughout the East African Community. The conference will be at
Laico Regency, 30th and 31st March 2009.

Theme for the conference is:
"Enhancing Consumer Confidence Through Laboratory Best Practice".
Sharing Information to Raise Laboratory Standards in East Africa

We have invited experts from other countries to share their experience to help
us get one step forward with Laboratory Standardization and accreditation in
Africa. The conference is held under the Auspice of The Ministry of East African
Community and supported by Association of Kenya medical Laboratory Scientific
Officers.

As a laboratory professional, you're facing new challenges and more
responsibilities every day. As you rise to these challenges, you need a
professional partner and a powerful support system. We're here to help and
empower you—with educational programs, networking opportunities, and resources
that can help you maximize your potential as a laboratory leader.
1.      Objective
The objective of the conference is:
"In tandem with the developing and more critical nature of Kenya 's consumer
society, laboratories will be expected to sustain best practice in analysis and
testing to world standards.
With this in mind Quality Plus in association with In-Sync have agreed to
provide a forum in which laboratories, stakeholders, suppliers et al can
showcase the efforts being made to achieve world class standards and to identify
action plans for standardisation throughout the East African Community."
2.      Who is the conference aimed at?
The Conference will have several key audiences:
•         Owners and Managers of laboratories.
•         Food and Dairy Technicians,
•         Healthcare employees especially those involved with laboratories and
testing
•         Representatives of Food Processing Organisations
•         Members of East African Standards Bureaux
•         Product Identification Technology Suppliers
•         Media Representatives
•         Consultants to the Food Industry
•         Industrialists requiring accurate lab testing
•         Consultants to the Healthcare industry
•         Suppliers to the laboratory industry
•         Traceability System organisations for the fresh produce and dairy
industry

3.      Evaluation and Outputs
There will be several outputs from the event:
• Increased knowledge among technical managers and ICT managers in the  East
African fresh produce/perishable foods/ dairy sectors of the latest
international trends and standards in laboratory technology.
•   Increased awareness amongst the industrial testing laboratories of the
latest trends and standards.
• Increased awareness among laboratory personnel about the vital role technology
has to play in their traceability of samples – and the range of technologies and
systems available.
• Informed media coverage that will help build a profile for the issues under
           discussion.
• Brokering of relationships between suppliers and users of laboratory systems
for  the fresh produce/perishable foods sector.
•   Developing action plans for development of East African Laboratory practice
to achieve better practice.

Should you have a topic that you feel it should be addressed in the forum,
kindly send in your suggestion to eunicew@...; I hope that your
organisation shall be able to join us as we make this event successful. With
your suggestions and outcome of this conference, we hope to make this an Annual
Event.

This next issue is being mailed this week. It's a Pittcon issue and very full with a 100 page folio. Lots of great content.

Get a sneak peak at the TOC here or some featured articles below:
http://www.labmanager.com/february/

Next-Generation Laboratories
New open-plan labs are meeting the need for more customized lab settings, including the ability to modify bench setup and support areas as needs change and increase interaction among researchers - now seen as preconditions for scientific breakthroughs.
Victor J. Cardona, AIA

Life Online
As sites and tools for online networking and collaboration evolve, they are gaining a permanent place in most laboratories and businesses.
Gloria Metrick

Hi.. I've received some answers - and thanks to those who have
provided them, but, yes, the question does need more substance.  I'm
trying to form a picture of current lab management, how long they stay
in their positions [the question posed], where and what kind of
training/education are they getting in automation & computing
technology.  What are their priorities... Some of this I'm getting
through published surveys, but the time-in-job question wasn't covered
in anything I've found so far.

As for why: Any substantive advancement in the application of
automation & computing to lab work is going to depend more on
management than it will on new product development; at least in the
near term. Part of our work is providing management with the tools it
needs to understand, manage, and apply technologies.  In order to do a
better job, I have to test my understanding of lab managers; and in
case you are wondering, I was one once, but that was a long time ago.

  thanks
  joe

  web: www.institutelabauto.org
  email: j.liscouski@...

Jake Alaniz
Laboratory Director
Thomas Analytical Services, Inc.
Phone: (979) 774-7485
Fax: (979) 774-1604
Cell: (979) 229-3139
jake@...
www.thomasanalytical.com

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 9853
College Station, TX 77842

Shipping Address:
11183 State Hwy 30
College Station, TX 77845

-----Original Message-----
From: labmanagers@yahoogroups.com [mailto:labmanagers@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of jliscouski
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 7:25 AM
To: labmanagers@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [labmanagers] lab managers

greetings,

I'm looking for the following information: how long do lab managers,
directors, and individual contributors stay in their jobs?

This is for some work I'm doing in lab automation... if you'd like
respond to me via email ( j.liscouski@institutelabauto.org ). All
information will be kept confidential, I'm looking to build an
aggregate data set, although if I get enough, segregation by industry
might be interesting.

thanks
joe

web: www.institutelabauto.org

greetings,

I'm looking for the following information:  how long do lab managers,
directors, and individual contributors stay in their jobs?

This is for some work I'm doing in lab automation... if you'd like
respond to me via email ( j.liscouski@... ).  All
information will be kept confidential, I'm looking to build an
aggregate data set, although if I get enough, segregation by industry
might be interesting.

thanks
joe

web: www.institutelabauto.org

The subject pretty well covers it: I'm looking for information on the
financial consequences of implementing lab automation systems
(robotics, LIMS, ELN, etc.) in any lab environment.  Were the
incentives for doing a project financial, what were the results, etc.
  If the savings were from reduced labor costs, how were they reflected
in the labs budget (didn't have to hire more people, savings on
overtime, etc.).

You can post responses here or email them to
j.liscouski@...
I'm look to work with aggregate data, so no names will be used.

Thanks,
joe
email: j.liscouski@...
web: www.institutelabauto.org

I listed some featured articles below, but here is also a link to the main TOC.
http://www.labmanager.com/january/ 

Would you like to send information about water management intsrument
to my email. I want to look for fund for this project.

--- In labmanagers@yahoogroups.com, "Jake Alaniz" <jake@...> wrote:
>
> What scope of analyses are you looking to perform? And what
involvement are you looking for?
>
>
> Jake Alaniz
> Laboratory Director
> Thomas Analytical Svcs
> Cell: (979) 229-3139
> Sent via BlackBerry
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "pengelolaanair" <pengelolaanair@...>
>
> Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2009 23:47:10
> To: <labmanagers@yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: [labmanagers] water management laboratory
>
>
> Dear all of my friend
> I want to develope laboratory of water management at Bogor
> Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia. Who would like to
> colaborate with us. Thank you verry much.
>

Jake Alaniz
Laboratory Director
Thomas Analytical Svcs
Cell: (979) 229-3139
Sent via BlackBerry

Dear all of my friend
I want to develope laboratory of water management at Bogor
Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia. Who would like to
colaborate with us. Thank you verry much.

This Spring the JALA will include an article by Neil Benn and myself
on a "Discussion of Open Source Methodologies in Laboratory
Automation".  As part of that project I'd like to construct a
directory of open source hardware and software for
laboratory/scientific use (we currently have one entry, a LIMS product).

If you know of open source products that would be suitable for a
directory, please send me the details (name, URL, description). Thanks
in advance.

Joe Liscouski
email: j.liscouski@...

--- In labmanagers@yahoogroups.com, hcrouch@... wrote:
>
> I need to purchase a TOC analyzer.  The material to be sampled is:
>           Aqueous solution of NaCl, where NaCl concentration is 300
gram /
> liter (+/- 10)
>           Aqueous solution of KCl, where KCl concentration is 300
gram /
> liter (+/- 10)
>
> The TOC specification for these materials is < 7 ppm by weight.
> Sample frequency is 2 per week for each material.
>
> Does anyone have any recommendations, either for or against?
>
> - Harold
>

Hi Harold,

We have had two Shimadzu TOC's over the last 18 years.  We ran the
the first one daily for about 14 years when it gave up the ghost and
we decided to purchase another.  We do not run brine samples as you
do, but I imagine that would just mean you will have to do more
washing of the catalyst - I wouldn't think it would be a big issue.

Cheers,
Kerry

I've posted a few notes in the past about work Delphinus has been
doing in education, in particular the recently held "Manager's Guide
to Laboratory Automation & Technology Management" Course.

After some consideration, we've moved all of the educational work to a
non-profit - it just made more sense to do it that way.  So,the point
of this note is to make you aware that the organization "Institute for
Laboratory Automation" exists as a 501(c)3 non-profit.

The web site is http://www.InstituteLabAuto.org

I can be contacted via j.liscouski@...

look us up!
joe

--- In labmanagers@yahoogroups.com, "linda.rothbart" <rothbart@...> wrote:
>
> Hi – I am wondering if you know of any information regarding incentives
> used to have scientists fill out their Laboratory Notebooks
> completely/properly?  …or where I would begin to look for this
> information.  My company would like to adopt "best practice" incentives
> to encourage scientists to comply with lab notebook procedures – maybe
> tying compliance to performance evaluation.  Any thoughts on this would
> be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.
>
It has always been my experience that in order for lab personnel to
conform to a particular method such as keeping their notebooks up to
date and organized training sessions with frequent follow up will help
them.  Once clear expectations are set of what the notebook should
look like, with examples, then you have set the bar.  Now you can let
them try and hold them accountable if performance is not met.  With
frequent follow up eventually they will get it.
That's just a thought.

Hi – I am wondering if you know of any information regarding incentives
used to have scientists fill out their Laboratory Notebooks
completely/properly?  …or where I would begin to look for this
information.  My company would like to adopt "best practice" incentives
to encourage scientists to comply with lab notebook procedures – maybe
tying compliance to performance evaluation.  Any thoughts on this would
be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

Hi,
I wanted to let your Yahoo Group members know about an opening for a Director of
Enzymatic Carbohydrate Chemistry at Danisco in Cedar Rapids, IA.  If anyone is
interested in considering this please contact me directly.
Thanks,
Cyndi

Cyndi Cartwright
303-495-3547
cyndi.cartwright@...

a NEW COURSE for lab managers and directors, is now available from
Delphinus, Inc.

The successful use of automation and information technologies in
laboratory applications depends as much upon the policies and goals
defined by lab management as it does on the skills of those
implementing projects. Whether you are responsible for one lab or a
laboratory complex, setting the guidelines within which automation is
implemented across lab organizations is fundamental to cost-effective,
successful, and supportable systems.

The purpose of this short-course is to introduce management to lab
automation: what it is, management's role in laboratory automation,
the policies that need to be developed to help ensure successful
projects, process models of laboratory work that can be used to define
automation needs and product requirements, and an overview of the
technologies used.

The benefits of the course include:

• Improving the effectiveness of automation systems, and their ability
to be successfully implemented and supported

• Improving the interaction between labs and company departments or
customers that either need controlled access to reported data, or to
submit information. Lab managers have to address both internal
operational issues and the need to interact with customers and other
corporate departments

• Reducing laboratory operating costs, and improving Return On
Investment in automation / computing technology

• Meeting the demands of regulatory agencies

• A basis for coordinating the work of IT groups, outside contractors
& equipment vendors

• Protect / enhance the value of the labs intellectual property, and
• Make the most effective use of people's talents

Since the participants are expected to bring with them a range of
experiences and perspectives, we expect this course to be interactive.

Laboratory automation is often viewed as a technology effort.
Successful projects will depend on managements ability to set goals
and policies to guide the development of systems that can be
integrated, reduce operational costs, and meet their goals. Managers
have an active role in lab automation projects, and should understand
how those projects can be used to increase the lab's effectiveness,
and the lab's ability to work with other organizations.


For more information see: http://www.Delphinus-LAE.com/course