Lab Technician

Tate and Lyle•San Diego, CA

About The Position

The Lab Technician supports the site’s safety, environmental, quality, production-volume, cost, GMP, training, and personnel goals. The role follows cGMP and GLP requirements, company Cardinal Rules and Principles, standard operating procedures, and safety standards. The technician uses SOPs and sample results to monitor and analyze production processes, report findings, and support changes to fermentation. The position involves frequent coordination with union operators, lead personnel, supervisors, and engineers about experimental instructions, observations, and results. The technician maintains chemical and material inventories for daily media preparation and 12L flask inoculation; maintains CDL ISO procedures and responds to related non-conformities; participates in inspections and safety walk-throughs; and assists with process improvements, training, and maintenance of CDL equipment and computer systems. The technician may also assist with CDL standardization and safety inspections and cover lab-ware tasks when the lab-ware technician is unavailable. The role requires self-management, punctuality, good attendance, teamwork, clear communication about safety and procedures, and the ability to take on assignments at short notice. Work takes place in a 24/7 operating environment with different shifts, including day, swing, graveyard, and relief shifts. Overtime may be required on short notice, as well as weekend and holiday coverage. The position involves continuous physical activity and work in potentially wet, loud, and humid outside conditions. Employees must follow applicable company, state, and federal safety and environmental requirements and use required PPE, including hard hat, safety glasses or goggles, hearing protection, steel-toed footwear, gloves, long pants, and long-sleeve shirt. Additional PPE may include smocks, coveralls, hair or beard nets, and masks as required by GMP policy.

Requirements

Basic math and English-language reading skills appropriate to the position.
Intermediate computer skills, including email, Word, and Excel.
Good interpersonal and communication skills.
Ability to work effectively in a team environment and demonstrate effective teamwork behavior.
Ability to perform under conditions of continuous physical activity and comply with safety and GMP requirements.
Ability to work a variety of shifts in a 24/7 environment, including day, swing, graveyard, and relief shifts.
Ability to work overtime on short notice and provide weekend and holiday coverage.
Ability to manage work independently, maintain punctuality and good attendance, and carry out new assignments at short notice.
Ability to work in potentially wet, loud, and humid outside conditions.
Ability to use or quickly learn relevant processes, equipment, and techniques, including bright-field microscopes, pH meters, viscometers, centrifuges, YSI sugar analyzers, scales, and refractometers.
Knowledge of or ability to learn Gram staining and identification of contaminants, including gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
Knowledge of or ability to learn contamination prevention and contamination definitions, including confirmed versus unconfirmed contamination.
Knowledge of or ability to learn frozen culture preparation and validation, CDL autoclave operation, aseptic techniques, and 12L flask inoculation.
Ability to use PPE required by GMP policy, including hard hat, eye and hearing protection, steel-toed footwear, gloves, long pants, and long-sleeve shirt.

Nice To Haves

Science college coursework is desired, preferably in microbiology and chemistry.

Responsibilities

Support site goals related to safety, environmental performance, quality, volume, cost, GMP, training, and personnel.
Follow cGMP, GLP, company Cardinal Rules and Principles, safety standards, and applicable SOPs.
Use SOPs and sample results to monitor and analyze production processes, report results, and support changes in fermentation.
Maintain chemical and material inventories for daily media make-up and 12L flask inoculation.
Maintain CDL ISO procedures and respond to CDL-related non-conformities.
Participate in routine area inspections and safety walk-throughs.
Assist with identifying and implementing new processes and procedures.
Assist with training as required and help enforce adherence to CDL/SBP SOPs.
Implement and support the EH&S management system and the Quality & EH&S Policy.
Assist with CDL standardization and safety inspections as needed.
Cover lab-ware tasks when the lab-ware technician is unavailable.
Assist in coordinating maintenance of CDL equipment and computer systems.
Communicate experimental instructions, observations, results, safety issues, and procedural issues with operators, lead personnel, supervisors, and engineers.
Use required PPE and follow company, state, and federal safety and environmental guidelines.