Simulation Engineer

Department: MED-NU Simulation
Salary/Grade: NEX/15

Job Summary:

The Northwestern Simulation (NU SIM) is a state-of-the-art educational service center within the Feinberg School of Medicine (FSM) Department of Medical Education. Our mission is to provide exceptional simulation-based education to improve patient care while transforming healthcare through education, innovation, and research. NU SIM serves all FSM learners, including undergraduate medical education, graduate medical education, physician assistant, physical therapy, and continuing medical education. Additionally, NU SIM partners with external clients and affiliates to further its educational mission.

The Simulation Engineer performs complex technical work and supervises select staff within NU SIM. The Engineer operates and maintains simulation equipment for experiential learning activities. The Engineer will collaborate with the Manager oversees survey data collection for outcomes of programs and clinical scenarios and aggregate data for analysis and budget preparation. The Engineer maintains an inventory of center equipment and supplies and sets up video conferences, audio-visual, and/or video recording or streaming technology to accompany training sessions. They will serve as the lead technician for in-situ simulations at affiliated hospitals. The incumbent will audit, test, and ensure all equipment and systems run efficiently according to current specification requirements and keeps abreast of new releases and updates to equipment and products. The Engineer will recommend enhancements to the simulation environment, such as manikins, task trainers, and related simulation technologies

Specific Responsibilities:

Programs

• Operates simulation equipment to provide experiential learning programs (UME, GME, CME, Non-CME).
• Organizes and prepares spaces, equipment, and supplies for simulation experiential learning and virtual reality sessions and cleans up after training sessions.
• Programs equipment to reproduce realistic clinical scenarios and makes complex manipulations to programming and equipment in real-time during training sessions based on trainee actions and/or faculty preferences.
• Prepares and distributes all needed supplies to participants for experiential
• learning sessions and collects unused supplies at end of the session.
• Describes the functions of simulation equipment and conducts room orientations in support of educational sessions.
• Assembles task trainers and prepares for use.
• Prepares and operates medical equipment including ventilators, monitors, defibrillators, anesthesia machines, ultrasound machines, and other medical equipment.
• Attends to the needs of medical learners and faculty during regularly scheduled training sessions and on a walk-in basis.
• Set up video conferencing, audio-visual, and/or video-recording and streaming technology to accompany training sessions.
• Troubleshoots moderately complex technical issues independently and complex issues with assistance.
• Collects and enters course outcomes, evaluation, learner performance, usage, and other data relevant to curricula and operations of NU SIM.
• Acts as a standardized patient/nurse/other clinical position in experiential scenarios as required.
• Collaborates with the manager and NU faculty on planning and implementing the simulation-based curriculum.
• Prepares for and participates in in-situ learning activities as required.

Technical

• Assists with NU SIM operations, maintains orders, and organizes simulation technology and supplies.
• Assists managers in organizing and implementing the day-to-day operations of the NU SIM.
• Maintains simulation equipment to ensure proper functioning.
• Makes simple repairs to simulators, networking, and related computer programs and systems, elevating more complex issues to the Manager.
• In collaboration with the NU SIM managers, creates orders and liaises with vendors regarding supplies and models and initiates requests for equipment maintenance.

Administration

• Supports simulation-based research and scholarship activities for the center.
• Collects research data as directed, following all IRB protocols regarding the collection and storage of data.
• Organize data in a format as directed or ensure data organization in an alternate format that may be easily migrated to other formats.
• Stays up to date on simulation-based research and emerging technologies to support the research and education mission of the center.
• Coordinates daily work schedules of technicians who support the center's mission and conducts annual performance evaluations for Simulation Technicians and Simulation Specialists.
• Make recommendations to resolve issues that might affect the operations of the center and experiential learning activities.

Miscellaneous

Performed other duties

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

• Bachelor's Degree in a biological science or healthcare-related field or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience from which comparable skills can be acquired.
• Three years of experience in a healthcare setting and/or some formal healthcare training (EMT, nurse, PA, PT, respiratory therapist, or other healthcare service industry worker)
• Experience in an academic healthcare setting

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Knowledge of medical terms and procedures
• Detailed knowledge of IT/AV infrastructure, hardware, and software
• Proficiency in set-up, use, troubleshooting, and maintenance of technical equipment, computers, and various hardware and software.
• Ability and willingness to learn new educational modalities to support curricula.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to lead others to achieve organizational goals

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• Bachelor's Degree in a biological science or healthcare-related field or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience from which comparable skills can be acquired.
• Three years of experience in a healthcare setting and/or some formal healthcare training (EMT, nurse, PA, PT, respiratory therapist, or other healthcare service industry worker)

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Bachelor's Degree in a biological science or healthcare-related field or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience from which comparable skills can be acquired.
• Three years of experience in a healthcare setting and/or some formal healthcare training (EMT, nurse, PA, PT, respiratory therapist, or other healthcare service industry worker)
• Detailed knowledge of IT/AV infrastructure, hardware, and software
• Experience handling cadaver or human tissue in academic medicine or clinical environment
• Experience with animal use in a research setting.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to lead others to achieve organizational goals

Target hiring range for this position will be between $27.06 - 33.83 per hour. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

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