What are the responsibilities and job description for the Fabrication Shop Manager position at Inside Higher Ed?
Job no: 493304
Work type: Exempt Staff
Location: Gambier, OH
Categories
Kenyon College is seeking a Fabrication Shop Manager in the Studio Art Department responsible for departmental fabrication spaces. The Fabrication Shop Manager will supervise open shop hours, assist with teaching demonstrations, help students and faculty with fabrication needs, and maintain equipment and consumable parts. In consultation with department faculty, the Fabrication Shop Manager will also create and implement department safety and equipment-use policies, and ensure that participants are properly trained and that the equipment is used in accordance with these policies. This is a 10 month position with full benefits.
Responsibilities
Maintain, oversee, and supervise the sculpture and installation shop and classroom areas in Horvitz Hall 101, 114, 116, and 303.
Assist students in choosing proper equipment for their work and ensure they have appropriate training in the chosen equipment.
Monitor students’ work for safe operations and good art-making decisions
Ensure safe operations in the sculpture shop and departmental fabrication areas as assigned.
Allow only students currently enrolled in studio art courses that have undergone safety and equipment operation training to use the facilities.
Regularly check all fabrication shop equipment to ensure it is in good working order and is not damaged.
Conduct routine maintenance on equipment, including replacing all worn blades, belts, etc.
Coordinate with other studio art faculty for periodic upkeep duties.
Clean and maintain safety equipment- goggles, shields, gloves, etc. and ensure that it is in good working order. Coordinate ordering of new equipment when necessary.
Check that all users are wearing proper safety equipment and using proper technique.
Shop Safety Training
Provide safety training for courses that use the wood shops and metal shop (sculpture, painting, canvas construction, installation art, advanced studio seminar and other multimedia seminar courses).
Conduct training sessions at least five times per semester (beginning/intermediate/advanced levels, and specialized training, as necessary).
Provide safety training for student monitors supervising shop hours.
Sculpture Studio Monitor (Student Work Study) Hours Management
Supervision of studio monitors and approval of time cards
Sculpture Studio Supervision During Classes
Supervise shop activities during classes that utilize studio facilities (sculpture, painting canvas construction, installation art, advanced studio seminar and other multimedia seminar courses) in addition to the course instructor.
Weekly coordination with instructors regarding upcoming techniques and how the course content can be best supported.
Ordering Supplies and Equipment Maintenance
Order necessary supplies and replacement parts for departmental fabrication studio equipment.
Repair and maintain sculpture studio equipment.
Conduct inventory checks, identify damaged or missing items, and order replacements as needed.
Exhibition Installation and Deinstallation
Oversee installation and deinstallation in the Lobby Gallery and Seminar Gallery.
Senior and class exhibitions: Assist students in selecting appropriate equipment and ensuring safe operation during installation and deinstallation. Repair walls and reconfigure temporary walls as need for subsequent exhibitions.
Act as a consultant and advisor for senior thesis shows.
Visiting artist exhibition responsibilities will depend on artwork loan agreements, but may include installation and deinstallation, packing, and shipping of artworks, and management artwork loan agreements and/or insurance documentation.
Manage hazardous waste, communicating with the Kenyon Chemical and Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator.
Check and clean spray booth for clean filters, effective respirators, and a newspaper supply.
Check welding area daily - tanks shut off, equipment functioning, consumable parts and supplies available.
Refill general shop supplies - glue, sandpaper, drill bits.
Check the hand tool cabinet regularly and straighten and reorder.
Require shop users to clean up after themselves.
Cleaning of sculpture shop studio area
Ensure That The Sculpture Shop Studio Is Kept In An Orderly Condition.Remind Students To Clean Before They Leave, And Enforce This Requirement. Ensure That The Sculpture Shop Studio Is Clean And Ready For The Following Day’s Work Prior To Leaving For The Day. Implement Improvements To Studio Operation As NeededManage Studio Art Specialized Waste And Recycling Coordinate With All Studio Faculty To Ensure Excellent Performance Of Facilities.Check In And Check Out Authorized Students To The Lighting Studio & Create The Lighting Studio Schedule For Fall And Spring.Assist With Student Field Trips, Including Driving Kenyon Vans.During Non-supervisory Hours
Assist faculty in studio art lab maintenance and improvement.
Assist in occasional general departmental needs.
Art department chemical inventory– usually done during January or February and May.Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Success Factors
Knowledge, expertise and experience in technical aspects of art studio; woodworking, welding, and painting.
Emotional stability: ability to operate under pressure and not be easily frustrated.
Judgment: ability to make sound decisions under time pressure and/or in emergencies.
Results-oriented; high personal energy level and initiative, self-starter.
Creativity: ability to recognize new methods, adapt to the changing needs of the department, and establish appropriate procedures for the shop.
Collaborative experience with faculty and student workers.
Strong organizational skills; keeping inventory of building materials and ordering as needed, within budget.Supervisory Responsibilities
Responsible for supervising students in the shop, during shop hours, classes and exhibitions.
Oversee work study students and track their hours. Working Conditions
Working in an academic office environment when not in the shop.
Daily environment is within a shop space; power tools, woodworking and welding equipment, paint booths, cement floors, shelving units, sawdust.
Ability to stand for long periods of time.
Hours required during the week: Sunday to Thursday, 12-9 pm with an hour break.
Ability to lift 80 pounds.
Minimum Qualifications
MFA plus equivalent 3-5 years experience preferred, or BFA plus equivalent 3-5 years experience.
Demonstrated knowledge of and experience with workshop tools.
Valid driver’s license for at least 2 years.To apply for this position, please upload all required materials:
Cover letter
CV/resume including, fabrication and gallery preparation skills and years of experience
Portfolio(20 images max) demonstrating your expertise as a maker, shop manager, and/or teacher. Each image should be accompanied by a brief caption providing context. The images can be personal art work, student work, commission work as a fabricator, and/or managed facilities.
List of names and contact information of 3 references.
For application questions, please get in touch with Manami Ishimura at ishimura1@kenyon.edu. For full consideration, applications must be submitted by April 23, 2026.
Kenyon College is a nationally prominent, private liberal arts college where academic excellence goes hand in hand with a strong sense of community and close relationships among students and professors
Compensation And Benefits
Salaries at Kenyon are competitive and commensurate with experience. In addition to an attractive salary, Kenyon offers benefits for employees and their family members. Children of employees are eligible for 100% tuition waivers at Kenyon, and through the Great Lakes Colleges Association, children of employees are eligible for 90% tuition waivers at nineteen other of the nation's finest liberal arts colleges.
We also offer health, dental and vision insurance, TIAA retirement, and many other benefits, including provisions for a spouse, families, and domestic partners. Details about benefits as well as conditions of employment are described more fully in our Staff Handbook.
Kenyon is a unique place to live and work. To discover why it should be your next home, click here.
Kenyon College is an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome applications from all qualified individuals. It is the College's policy to evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, physical and/or mental disability, age, religion, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by institutional policy or state, local, or federal law. Kenyon College has a strong commitment to an inclusive environment that welcomes all voices and perspectives.
Advertised: 07 Apr 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: Open until filled
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Work type: Exempt Staff
Location: Gambier, OH
Categories
Kenyon College is seeking a Fabrication Shop Manager in the Studio Art Department responsible for departmental fabrication spaces. The Fabrication Shop Manager will supervise open shop hours, assist with teaching demonstrations, help students and faculty with fabrication needs, and maintain equipment and consumable parts. In consultation with department faculty, the Fabrication Shop Manager will also create and implement department safety and equipment-use policies, and ensure that participants are properly trained and that the equipment is used in accordance with these policies. This is a 10 month position with full benefits.
Responsibilities
Maintain, oversee, and supervise the sculpture and installation shop and classroom areas in Horvitz Hall 101, 114, 116, and 303.
Assist students in choosing proper equipment for their work and ensure they have appropriate training in the chosen equipment.
Monitor students’ work for safe operations and good art-making decisions
Ensure safe operations in the sculpture shop and departmental fabrication areas as assigned.
Allow only students currently enrolled in studio art courses that have undergone safety and equipment operation training to use the facilities.
Regularly check all fabrication shop equipment to ensure it is in good working order and is not damaged.
Conduct routine maintenance on equipment, including replacing all worn blades, belts, etc.
Coordinate with other studio art faculty for periodic upkeep duties.
Clean and maintain safety equipment- goggles, shields, gloves, etc. and ensure that it is in good working order. Coordinate ordering of new equipment when necessary.
Check that all users are wearing proper safety equipment and using proper technique.
Shop Safety Training
Provide safety training for courses that use the wood shops and metal shop (sculpture, painting, canvas construction, installation art, advanced studio seminar and other multimedia seminar courses).
Conduct training sessions at least five times per semester (beginning/intermediate/advanced levels, and specialized training, as necessary).
Provide safety training for student monitors supervising shop hours.
Sculpture Studio Monitor (Student Work Study) Hours Management
Supervision of studio monitors and approval of time cards
Sculpture Studio Supervision During Classes
Supervise shop activities during classes that utilize studio facilities (sculpture, painting canvas construction, installation art, advanced studio seminar and other multimedia seminar courses) in addition to the course instructor.
Weekly coordination with instructors regarding upcoming techniques and how the course content can be best supported.
Ordering Supplies and Equipment Maintenance
Order necessary supplies and replacement parts for departmental fabrication studio equipment.
Repair and maintain sculpture studio equipment.
Conduct inventory checks, identify damaged or missing items, and order replacements as needed.
Exhibition Installation and Deinstallation
Oversee installation and deinstallation in the Lobby Gallery and Seminar Gallery.
Senior and class exhibitions: Assist students in selecting appropriate equipment and ensuring safe operation during installation and deinstallation. Repair walls and reconfigure temporary walls as need for subsequent exhibitions.
Act as a consultant and advisor for senior thesis shows.
Visiting artist exhibition responsibilities will depend on artwork loan agreements, but may include installation and deinstallation, packing, and shipping of artworks, and management artwork loan agreements and/or insurance documentation.
Manage hazardous waste, communicating with the Kenyon Chemical and Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator.
Check and clean spray booth for clean filters, effective respirators, and a newspaper supply.
Check welding area daily - tanks shut off, equipment functioning, consumable parts and supplies available.
Refill general shop supplies - glue, sandpaper, drill bits.
Check the hand tool cabinet regularly and straighten and reorder.
Require shop users to clean up after themselves.
Cleaning of sculpture shop studio area
Ensure That The Sculpture Shop Studio Is Kept In An Orderly Condition.Remind Students To Clean Before They Leave, And Enforce This Requirement. Ensure That The Sculpture Shop Studio Is Clean And Ready For The Following Day’s Work Prior To Leaving For The Day. Implement Improvements To Studio Operation As NeededManage Studio Art Specialized Waste And Recycling Coordinate With All Studio Faculty To Ensure Excellent Performance Of Facilities.Check In And Check Out Authorized Students To The Lighting Studio & Create The Lighting Studio Schedule For Fall And Spring.Assist With Student Field Trips, Including Driving Kenyon Vans.During Non-supervisory Hours
Assist faculty in studio art lab maintenance and improvement.
Assist in occasional general departmental needs.
Art department chemical inventory– usually done during January or February and May.Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Success Factors
Knowledge, expertise and experience in technical aspects of art studio; woodworking, welding, and painting.
Emotional stability: ability to operate under pressure and not be easily frustrated.
Judgment: ability to make sound decisions under time pressure and/or in emergencies.
Results-oriented; high personal energy level and initiative, self-starter.
Creativity: ability to recognize new methods, adapt to the changing needs of the department, and establish appropriate procedures for the shop.
Collaborative experience with faculty and student workers.
Strong organizational skills; keeping inventory of building materials and ordering as needed, within budget.Supervisory Responsibilities
Responsible for supervising students in the shop, during shop hours, classes and exhibitions.
Oversee work study students and track their hours. Working Conditions
Working in an academic office environment when not in the shop.
Daily environment is within a shop space; power tools, woodworking and welding equipment, paint booths, cement floors, shelving units, sawdust.
Ability to stand for long periods of time.
Hours required during the week: Sunday to Thursday, 12-9 pm with an hour break.
Ability to lift 80 pounds.
Minimum Qualifications
MFA plus equivalent 3-5 years experience preferred, or BFA plus equivalent 3-5 years experience.
Demonstrated knowledge of and experience with workshop tools.
Valid driver’s license for at least 2 years.To apply for this position, please upload all required materials:
Cover letter
CV/resume including, fabrication and gallery preparation skills and years of experience
Portfolio(20 images max) demonstrating your expertise as a maker, shop manager, and/or teacher. Each image should be accompanied by a brief caption providing context. The images can be personal art work, student work, commission work as a fabricator, and/or managed facilities.
List of names and contact information of 3 references.
For application questions, please get in touch with Manami Ishimura at ishimura1@kenyon.edu. For full consideration, applications must be submitted by April 23, 2026.
Kenyon College is a nationally prominent, private liberal arts college where academic excellence goes hand in hand with a strong sense of community and close relationships among students and professors
Compensation And Benefits
Salaries at Kenyon are competitive and commensurate with experience. In addition to an attractive salary, Kenyon offers benefits for employees and their family members. Children of employees are eligible for 100% tuition waivers at Kenyon, and through the Great Lakes Colleges Association, children of employees are eligible for 90% tuition waivers at nineteen other of the nation's finest liberal arts colleges.
We also offer health, dental and vision insurance, TIAA retirement, and many other benefits, including provisions for a spouse, families, and domestic partners. Details about benefits as well as conditions of employment are described more fully in our Staff Handbook.
Kenyon is a unique place to live and work. To discover why it should be your next home, click here.
Kenyon College is an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome applications from all qualified individuals. It is the College's policy to evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, physical and/or mental disability, age, religion, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by institutional policy or state, local, or federal law. Kenyon College has a strong commitment to an inclusive environment that welcomes all voices and perspectives.
Advertised: 07 Apr 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: Open until filled
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