Laboratory Technician

Posting Details

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Working Title Laboratory Technician Department Biological Sciences Compensation Title Position Number 30017625 Position Status Regular Work Schedule

Monday – Friday Full time.
Schedules are set at the start of the semester and typically vary day-to-day between 7 AM and 5 PM, up to 10-hour shifts.

Hours per Week 37.5 Months per Year 12 Commitment to Inclusive Excellence

Northern Kentucky University is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access/Affirmative Action institution. We embrace inclusiveness, equity, and global awareness in all dimensions of our work and seek excellence through diversity among our students, administrators, faculty, and staff. Application by members of diverse groups is encouraged.

Purpose of Position

• Coordinate, prepare, pre-test, and clean-up upper division microbiology and molecular labs for students majoring in Biological Sciences. Employee will have complete responsibility for BIO 302 labs (Microbiology for Majors, 2-3 sections/semester) and BIO 349 labs (Genetics, 2-3 sections/semester), but occasional support for other upper-level courses ( BIO 311, 304, 400, 422, 430, 470, and 475) is also required.

• This will require knowledge of microbiology, molecular biology, and genetics laboratory techniques. Employee may be asked to shadow sections of BIO 302L and BIO 349L in their first semester to learn how the labs are run.

Primary Responsibilities

• Oversee preparation of all cultures, chemicals, media, and other needs for use in lab. Perform quality control on all lab materials. Ensure proper disposal of waste materials. Document culture, media, and chemical preparation in lab notebook and on K Drive.
• Work closely with the Lab Manager. Serve as the back-up staff member responsible for managing the 3rd Floor Lab Prep room, student workers, and related staff when the lab manager is off for vacation or sick time. Schedules are set at the start of the semester and typically vary day-to-day between 7 AM and 5 PM, up to 10-hour shifts.
• Oversee inventory of all chemical and biological supplies in third floor labs. Identify course needs and coordinate with Lab Manager to ensure timely ordering and receipt of lab materials. Follow-up on items not received or items on back-order.
• Coordinate maintenance, calibration, and repair of microscopes, balances, and micropipettes with Lab Manager and CINSAM Instrument and Technology Manager. Maintain and repair small shared equipment and instrumentation items in biology teaching labs (examples include plate stacker, Unispense, pH meters, centrifuges, water baths, electrophoresis gel rigs, gel imagers, etc.).
• Provide training and certification to faculty and research students on use of all shared equipment, including autoclaves, spectrophotometers, glassware washers, biosafety cabinets, liquid nitrogen dewers, incubators, ultra-low freezers, etc. Coordinate usage of equipment and materials with groups external to the department and university.
• Oversee and maintain bacterial and fungal cultures.
• Responsible for safe storage of chemicals used on the third floor, including corrosive, flammable, hazardous, and carcinogenic chemicals. Perform monthly safety audits.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will have:
• Bachelor’s Degree in biology or related field with one year experience in microbiology and genetics laboratory preparation.
• Ability to effectively communicate with faculty, students, and other staff members in weekly meetings, written communications, and on-the-fly requests. Good documentation and interpersonal skills are necessary.
• Ability to perform quality control on all materials and organisms, calculate dilutions, have experience in and be able to troubleshoot molecular biology techniques, and work with microscopes, micropipettes, incubators, freezers, and computers.
• Ability to perform gram stains on bacteria and distinguish their gram stain reactions and morphologies.
• Ability to streak bacteria for isolation, recognize pure cultures of applicable bacteria, and distinguish contaminated cultures and media.
• Ability to perform DNA isolations, PCR, and work with specialized molecular biology materials including plasmids, primers, competent cells, and purification kits.
• Ability to be on call with facilities management for emergencies, work occasional weekends and holidays, and stay late when problems arise, meetings run late, and deadlines must be urgently met.

Any candidate who is offered this position will be required to go through a pre-employment criminal background check as mandated by state law.

Northern Kentucky University is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access/Affirmative Action institution. We embrace inclusiveness, equity, and global awareness in all dimensions of our work and seek excellence through diversity among our students, administrators, faculty, and staff. Application by members of diverse groups is encouraged.

Minimum Education Bachelor's Degree Preferred Education Bachelor's Degree Minimum Experience 1 year Salary $15.35-$17.48/hour Pay Grade S67
Requisition Number 2021S1358 Job Open Date 06/07/2021 Job Close Date Open Until Filled Yes Quick Link https://jobs.nku.edu/postings/10296 Is this an internal only posting? Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. * What is your highest level of education?
   • Bachelor's degree
   • Master's degree or higher
2. Please describe your lab work experience, emphasizing what techniques in microbiology and genetics you have mastered.
   
   (Open Ended Question)
   
   
3. How do you stay organized? What methods do you use to plan ahead and stay on track?
   
   (Open Ended Question)
   
   
4. How do you address situations where lab results do not come out as expected? Can you describe a past situation where you dealt with this?
   
   (Open Ended Question)
   
   

Documents Needed to Apply
Required Documents

1. Resume
2. Cover Letter/Letter of Application
3. References

Optional Documents

1. Letter of Recommendation 1
2. Letter of Recommendation 2
3. Letter of Recommendation 3