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Laboratory Mechanician
UCI Series Concepts
Class Specifications - G.40
Principal Laboratory Mechanician - 8651
Senior Laboratory Mechanician - 8652
Laboratory Mechanician - 8653
Laboratory Mechanician Helper - 8654
May, 1972
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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.
Laboratory Mechanician
Incumbents perform journeyman level machining work; set up and operate
all standard machine tools; apply accepted shop practices, machining
principles and standard techniques; perform sheetmetal and welding work;
read and interpret blueprints, sketches and other guides in the
assembly, installation, repair and maintenance of specialized apparatus;
and perform other related duties as required.
Laboratory Mechanician Helper
Under the supervision of a higher level mechanician, incumbents perform
skilled and semi-skilled mechanical work involved in the assembly,
maintenance, and repair of specialized apparatus; and perform other
related duties as required.
The Laboratory Mechanician Helper is typically used for trainees who are
acquiring journeyman skills in the operation of all standard machine
shop equipment and may perform additional related craft duties at a
semi-skilled level.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Principal Laboratory Mechanician
Graduation from high school or a General Education Diploma and eight
years of experience in general machine shop work, tool and die making or
instrument making; or an equivalent combination of education and
experience.
Senior Laboratory Mechanician
Graduation from high school or a General Education Diploma and six years
of metal shop experience and journeyman skill in the operation of all
standard machine shop equipment; or an equivalent combination of
education and experience.
Laboratory Mechanician
Graduation from high school or a General Education Diploma and four
years of metal shop experience and journeyman skill in the operation of
all standard machine shop equipment; or an equivalent combination of
education and experience
May, 1972 Mechanician series
Laboratory Mechanician Helper
Graduation from high school or a General Education Diploma and two years
of experience in general shop work or in a skilled trade, or an
equivalent combination of education and experience.
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