Lab Technician

High school diploma or equivalent and 5 years of related experience

• Independently prepare, culture, maintain, and monitor bacterial strains in accordance with BSL-2 laboratory practices and institutional biosafety requirements.
• Perform specialized laboratory procedures such as bacterial culturing, media preparation, aseptic technique, DNA and RNA extraction, PCR, qPCR, gel electrophoresis, protein isolation and characterization, microscopy, spectrophotometric analyses, and other experimental techniques required by ongoing research projects.
• Assist graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty investigators with experimental design, protocol implementation, and project execution.
• Plan and conduct assigned portions of research projects with minimal supervision, including coordinating experimental timelines, scheduling equipment usage, and prioritizing workloads to meet project deadlines.
• Collect, organize, analyze, and interpret experimental data using laboratory software, spreadsheets, databases, and statistical tools.
• Prepare summaries of findings, technical reports, figures, and documentation to support grant reports, laboratory meetings, research publications, and presentations.
• Evaluate experimental outcomes and determine when modifications to protocols, procedures, or controls are required to improve reliability and reproducibility.
• Troubleshoot laboratory procedures, equipment malfunctions, culture contamination, inconsistent experimental results, and protocol deviations by identifying root causes and implementing corrective actions.
• Exercise independent judgment when determining whether experimental results meet quality standards, require repetition, or warrant consultation with the principal investigator.
• Maintain detailed laboratory notebooks and electronic research records that comply with laboratory, institutional, and regulatory requirements.

• Maintain operational readiness of laboratory facilities, instrumentation, and equipment used for microbiology and molecular biology research.
• Monitor inventory levels of laboratory reagents, consumables, biological materials, chemicals, and equipment supplies.
• Independently determine replenishment needs and coordinate procurement activities to avoid disruptions to research operations.
• Prepare purchase requests and maintain records of orders, deliveries, inventory usage, and laboratory resources.
• Calibrate, maintain, inspect, and coordinate servicing of laboratory equipment according to manufacturer recommendations and established laboratory schedules.
• Establish and maintain organized systems for sample tracking, chemical inventories, laboratory records, equipment logs, and experimental documentation.
• Ensure compliance with University, federal, state, and laboratory requirements related to biosafety, chemical safety, hazardous waste disposal, and research recordkeeping.
• Conduct regular laboratory inspections and identify safety concerns, equipment issues, or procedural deficiencies requiring corrective action.
• Manage biological waste disposal processes and ensure adherence to BSL-2 containment and decontamination procedures.
• Coordinate laboratory organization, workspace optimization, storage systems, and equipment placement to support efficient workflow and safety.
• Assist with preparation for laboratory audits, inspections, protocol reviews, and compliance assessments.

• Train undergraduate students on laboratory safety practices, biosafety requirements, laboratory protocols, equipment operation, and proper documentation procedures.
• Demonstrate laboratory techniques and ensure students perform procedures according to established scientific and safety standards.
• Assign and coordinate routine laboratory tasks, data collection activities, laboratory maintenance responsibilities, and research support functions.
• Monitor student work quality and provide feedback to improve technical proficiency and adherence to protocols.
• Assist students with troubleshooting experimental procedures and understanding research methodologies.
• Serve as a resource regarding laboratory processes, research activities, and technical procedures.
• Evaluate student readiness to perform laboratory activities independently and recommend additional training when needed.
• Promote a safe, organized, and collaborative laboratory environment.