Laboratory Mechanician 

                    SERIES CONCEPT
				

Laboratory Mechanicians perform or supervise mechanical work involving 
the design, fabrication, assembly, modification and maintenance and 
repair of specialized equipment and/or precision instruments of great 
variety; and perform other related duties as required.

Incumbents primarily perform work that requires machinist skills; 
however, at the higher levels, the duties require skills in other crafts 
e.g., sheetmetal and welding, as well as knowledge in such fields as 
electronics, optics and vacuum systems.

The Laboratory Mechanician series includes positions which range in 
level of skills from the trainee mechanician up to the mechanician who 
is required to conceptualize, design from rough ideas, and complete the 
fabrication and construction of complicated pieces of apparatus.



                    CLASS CONCEPTS

               Principal Laboratory Mechanician

Incumbents supervise mechanical work, and/or perform mechanical work 
which requires top machinist's skills as described at the Senior 
Laboratory Mechanician level as well as participate in functional 
design.

Participation in functional design is characterized by the following:

      1.  Guidelines provided consist mainly of rough sketches and oral 
          information is related only to the basic design of the apparatus.

      2.  Specific details as to component relationships, sizes, fits, shapes 
          and materials are not provided and such details are developed by the 
          incumbent as fabrication progresses.

      3.  Assignments require incumbents to apply a high degree of 
          comprehension of the researcher's needs and an understanding of the 
          restrictions of the test environment in which the equipment will be 
          operated.

      4.  Researchers depend on the originality and ingenuity of incumbents 
          for the solution of fabrication, assembly, installation and related 
          problems.

      5.  Incumbents frequently suggest changes in the design of an object to 
          solve problems which inhibit the functional utilization of the 
          device. These problems may include heat exchange; vibration; seals, 
          finishes; pump-out; mirror alignment and polish; telescopic 
          alignment; practical materials; interference; insulation; axis 
          orientation; electromechanical control; set up and winding of high 
          precision wire coils as in superconducting magnets or resistance 
          thermometers; pressure or vacuum (heli-arc) welding; expansion; and 
          stress.

      6.  Incumbents may suggest components and mechanisms such as mounts for 
          optical lenses; mirrors; filters; timing devices; springs; gear 
          trains; balance mechanisms; thermocouples; and coils and resistors.

When positions are allocated to the principal level solely on 
supervision, the incumbents are typically responsible for the management 
of the shop and the supervision of three or more mechanicians.

               Senior Laboratory Mechanician

Incumbents perform machining work that requires the knowledge and skill 
of a top level machinist.  The knowledge and skills include: knowledge of 
separate machining characteristics of a wide variety of materials; a 
comprehensive knowledge of shop practices and machining principles 
with standard and special machine tools; a high degree of manual 
dexterity to work within close tolerances on special shapes e.g., 
conical mirrors; microwave transition pieces; knife edge metallic gasket 
seals and metallic pinch gaskets, Incumbents perform other related 
duties as required.

Senior Laboratory Mechanicians may also perform such duties as 
fabrication of special templates and fixtures; progressive hard 
soldering; skilled sheetmetal and welding work; assembly, installation, 
repair and maintenance of specialized apparatus as well as participating 
in facilitative design.

Participation in facilitative design is characterized by the following:

    1.  Incumbents work from unchecked drawings, sketches or oral 
        instructions with responsibility for establishing or checking accuracy 
        of all dimensions and clearances supplied.

    2.  Incumbents discuss fabrication problems with supervisors, engineers 
        or researchers, outlining difficulties encountered; errors in 
        dimensions; improper location of fasteners and other similar 
        deficiencies; and may occasionally recommend changes or means to 
        solve minor fabrication problems or otherwise improve the object.

Incumbents may train a group of students in standard machine shop 
practices or work with graduate students who are in a training capacity 
in the construction of research apparatus.

CURRENT SALARY RATES:
 Mid: $63,100   High: $81,200