SCIF Cleanroom Collaborative Work Policy

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, MERCED

SCIF CLEANROOM FACILITY

SCIF Cleanroom Collaborative Work Policy

Purpose

This policy defines the framework for collaborative work within the SCIF Cleanroom Facility. It establishes clear expectations regarding roles, responsibilities, scope of support, and recognition of contributions, while maintaining academic integrity and operational standards.

1. Definition of Collaborative Work

Collaborative work is defined as any activity in which SCIF Cleanroom staff contribute beyond standard training, routine assistance, or basic technical guidance. This includes meaningful intellectual, technical, or hands-on contributions to a user’s research project.

2. Scope of Collaboration

Collaborative work may include, but is not limited to:

  • Sample preparation or device fabrication with staff involvement
  • Process development, optimization, or advanced troubleshooting
  • Experimental design or methodology development
  • Data interpretation or technical analysis support

3. Establishment of Collaboration

All collaborative work must be discussed and agreed upon in advance.

The scope of work, expectations, deliverables, and level of staff involvement must be clearly defined prior to initiation.

When applicable, the user’s Principal Investigator (PI) must be informed and in agreement.

Collaborative work is approved solely at the discretion of SCIF Cleanroom staff. Approval is contingent upon staff expertise, availability, and alignment with facility capabilities. The Technical Director will determine whether the requested collaboration can be appropriately supported within the scope of SCIF operations.

4. Roles and Responsibilities

User Responsibilities

  • Maintain primary ownership and responsibility for the research project
  • Define research goals, objectives, and experimental direction
  • Ensure proper use of facility resources and compliance with all policies

Facility Staff Responsibilities

  • Provide technical expertise, guidance, and agreed collaborative support
  • Ensure safe and proper operation of instruments
  • Assist within the defined scope of collaboration
  • Determine, at their discretion, the extent and feasibility of collaborative involvement based on expertise, safety considerations, and facility priorities

Important Note

Facility staff support does not transfer responsibility for the research project to SCIF staff.

5. Requests and Documentation

Collaborative work requests must be submitted through iLab or, when applicable, by email to pkumar22@ucmerced.edu

.

All troubleshooting and user support requests must also follow the same iLab-based request process unless otherwise specified.

All collaborative activities must be properly documented, including instrument usage, process details, and the extent of staff involvement.

6. Cost and Recharge

SCIF Cleanroom instrument usage recharge rates apply to all collaborative work.

There are no additional charges for staff involvement under collaborative work.

All billing is based solely on instrument usage and standard facility recharge practices.

7. Academic and Professional Standards

All collaborative work will follow standard academic practices.

Contributions from SCIF staff must be appropriately acknowledged.

Authorship, data sharing, and intellectual property considerations must be discussed and agreed upon at the start of the collaboration.

8. Limitations

SCIF Cleanroom staff are not responsible for independently executing user research projects.

Collaboration is subject to staff availability, facility priorities, and resource constraints.

Approval of collaborative work is not guaranteed and remains at the discretion of the Technical Director, based on technical feasibility, staff expertise, and operational considerations.

Training and post-training support are provided in accordance with established SCIF Cleanroom Training Protocol and Post-Training Troubleshooting Protocol. These services are distinct from collaborative work and are designed to enable users to independently carry out their research.

Requests that fall outside the scope of training, standard support, or approved collaboration may not be accommodated.

Users are expected to follow the SCIF Cleanroom Troubleshooting and User Support Process prior to requesting staff intervention.

Troubleshooting support is limited to guidance and clarification and does not extend to performing user experiments or achieving research outcomes.

9. Alignment with Training and Support Framework

SCIF Cleanroom operates under a structured framework that distinguishes between:

  • Training (instruction on safe and proper equipment use)
  • Post-training support (troubleshooting guidance and process clarification)
  • Collaborative work (advanced technical or intellectual contribution beyond standard support)

The Technical Director’s role includes providing training, ensuring user competency, and offering structured post-training support through defined troubleshooting protocols. Collaborative engagement represents an elevated level of involvement and is not part of routine user support.

10. Alignment with Troubleshooting and User Support Process

Post-training support is provided in accordance with the SCIF Cleanroom Post-Training Troubleshooting Protocol and User Support Process.

Users are expected to review relevant SOPs, manuals, and training materials prior to requesting assistance. Users should make reasonable attempts to follow established procedures and identify potential issues based on training before seeking support.

Requests for assistance must be submitted through iLab or approved communication channels.

SCIF Cleanroom staff will provide guidance, clarification, and technical support within defined operational boundaries. Troubleshooting support is intended to assist users in understanding processes and resolving issues but does not include execution of user experiments, process optimization, or project-specific development unless formally established as collaborative work.

Final Statement

This policy ensures transparent collaboration, proper recognition of contributions, and alignment with academic and institutional standards, while preserving user responsibility for research outcomes and maintaining the operational integrity of the SCIF Cleanroom Facility.