IT Laboratory Technician

JOB SUMMARY: Reporting to the Director of Planning and Operations (DPO), this position provides technical and operational support to students, staff, and faculty within the Faculty of Business and IT. The incumbent is one (1) of two (2) primary points of contact for all teaching and research laboratories and technical needs in the Faculty. Working proactively with the DPO, the role contributes to forward-looking planning, capital forecasting, and vendor engagement, ensuring Faculty IT infrastructure and lab environments are aligned with current and future academic and research requirements. Information, analysis, and recommendations flow to the DPO to inform Faculty decision-making. MAJOR DUTIES RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Faculty Support Liaison: Support the logistics and resource management behind Faculty space, furniture, equipment and other related resources/tools as it relates to the laboratories and related spaces/resources for teaching and research purposes Maintain a comprehensive inventory system covering all Faculty-managed equipment, including acquisition dates, life expectancy, replacement values, warranty records, and assignment status Work proactively with the DPO to develop and maintain a multi-year equipment lifecycle and capital forecast, incorporating replacement values, warranty status, and curriculum requirements Gather requirements from program directors, faculty, and staff to determine teaching and research technology needs; research solutions and obtain vendor quotes to support Faculty budget planning Represent Faculty IT interests in dealings with IT Services, OCIS, Facilities, and other university departments; facilitate logistics for Faculty space, furniture, and equipment initiatives Compile and present analysis, status reports, and inventory data to the DPO to support informed operational and strategic decision-making Assist the DPO and Program Directors with the implementation and monitoring of University and Faculty policies and procedures Liaise with Recruitment and Advancement to support tours, donor visits, and events that showcase Faculty laboratories and technology Work with student societies to support Faculty engagement initiatives, provide meeting space, and connect students with vendor and industry partners 2. IT Infrastructure Network Support: Install, configure, and maintain servers, networking equipment, and data centre systems, including switches, firewalls, UPS, and virtualization platforms (including but not limited to VMware, OpenStack, Proxmox, Hyper-V) Manage IP address allocation, VLAN configuration, network security protocols, system patching, and firmware upgrades across Faculty-managed infrastructure Monitor system health, review logs, and proactively address capacity, performance, and redundancy concerns; escalate enterprise-scope issues to university IT Services through defined pathways Source and procure hardware, software, and services not provided by central IT; coordinate warranties, vendor repairs, and technology refresh cycles Cultivate and maintain relationships with vendors and manufacturers to stay current on relevant technologies and secure advantageous pricing and support Provide technical analysis and recommendations to the DPO to support infrastructure planning, capital forecasting, and budget preparation 3. Teaching Research Lab Support: Install, configure, and maintain lab computers, specialized equipment, and software for undergraduate teaching labs, research labs, and data centre environments Develop and maintain software images, deployment scripts, and station configurations to ensure consistent and current lab environments for each academic term Maintain specialized lab systems, including game development workstations (Unity3D, Maya), financial data platforms (Bloomberg, Capital IQ, Qualtrics, Rotman, SAS Viya), and research computing resources Perform routine maintenance tasks including password resets and assignments, software updates, hardware testing, IP address management, and resolution of day-to-day technical issues Liaise with IT Services and OCIS to coordinate computer replacements, software image development, lab upgrades, and shared service requests Work with Facilities Management to address power, climate control, and physical lab upgrade needs 4. Documentation Knowledge Management: Develop and maintain tutorial videos, how-to guides, and programming/platform demonstrations to support faculty, teaching assistants, and students' use of lab equipment and software Create and maintain a repository of Faculty policies, procedures, standard operating procedures, and technical workflow documentation Maintain communications platforms (e.g., Discord server for Game Development Lab) and shared information repositories; keep content current and remove outdated material 5. Lab Operations Student Coordination: Hire, schedule, and supervise student lab monitors and University Works positions; assign tasks, approve timesheets, and ensure adequate lab coverage Manage lab scheduling and room allocation for Faculty-managed spaces; resolve scheduling conflicts and coordinate with the Registrar’s Office where required Coordinate lab access permissions and ensure spaces are appropriately configured and resourced for scheduled teaching, research, and student activities