Laboratory Assistant

CSS, Inc•Charleston, SC

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Laboratory Assistant serves as a vital technical bridge within the Coral Health and Disease Lab, providing the operational continuity necessary for high-precision research. Working under the direct supervision of full-time technical staff, the incumbent executes the foundational "bench-level" tasks that ensure the integrity of all experimental work. This role is a hybrid of meticulous glassware preparation and technical assay support, requiring scientific literacy and manual dexterity. The primary mission of this position is to maintain a "zero-fail" environment for sensitive experiments that involve determining cellular physiological stressor thresholds, toxicological benchmarks, reproductive impacts. This includes the rigorous cleaning and preparation of experimental glassware to prevent chemical leaching or contamination that could compromise months of longitudinal data. Beyond hygiene, the Assistant acts as a secondary operator for sophisticated diagnostic tools, including microscopes and plate readers, transforming biological samples into structured data sets according to laboratory protocols. By managing the critical details of water chemistry, inventory, and sample processing, the Assistant enables senior researchers to focus on data synthesis and experimental design. This role demands an individual who thrives in a structured laboratory setting, possesses an uncompromising eye for detail, and understands that the success of complex bioassays begins with the precision of routine preparation and maintains detailed documentation in a laboratory notebook.

Requirements

Education: Must be currently enrolled in an accredited graduate program (M.Sc.) in Marine Biology, Biological Sciences, Ecology, or a related field.
Safety Training: Completion of institutional Laboratory Safety, Hazardous Waste Handling, and Biosafety training within the first 10 days of the contract.
Laboratory Hygiene 98% Residue-Free: Glassware must show no visible streaks or chemical film after cleaning to prevent experimental contamination.
Bioassay Precision Standard Deviation Threshold: Plate reader results for technical replicates must fall within the lab's established CV (Coefficient of Variation) range (e.g., <10%).
Equipment Care Zero Negligence: Microscopes and plate readers must be powered down, covered, and lenses cleaned daily. Any instrument errors must be logged immediately.
Physical Stamina: Ability to stand for long periods (up to 4 hours) and lift equipment or seawater containers up to 30 lbs.
Attention to Detail: Must demonstrate the ability to follow complex, multi-step Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) with zero unauthorized deviations.

Responsibilities

Assay Execution: Assist full-time staff in setting up and conducting biological assays, including precise pipetting and sample labeling & preparation.
Instrumentation: Operate and perform routine care and cleaning on microscopes and plate readers to collect experimental data. Inform senior technical staff of any issues or variances with instruments.
Imaging: Capture and archive high-resolution digital images of coral fragments and larvae for growth and health tracking, sea urchin embryos for developmental anomalies, and algal cell counts for population growth scoring.
Glassware Management: Execute multi-step cleaning and sterilization protocols (e.g., acid washing, autoclaving) to support long-term, contaminant-sensitive coral or other reef organismal experiments.
Workstation Upkeep: Maintain a clean and organized bench environment; ensure all common areas are free of hazardous waste and debris.
Waste Management: Follow EPA Laboratory Standards for the safe disposal of bioassay reagents and chemical waste.
Daily Monitoring: Assist as needed in conducting water quality testing (salinity, pH, alkalinity, nutrients) and log results in the lab database.
System Maintenance: Assist as needed in performing routine cleaning of tanks, pumps, and filters to ensure a stable environment for long-term experiments.
Documentation: Maintain meticulous records in a laboratory notebook or data sheets as appropriate to the task, ensuring all metadata for bioassays is recorded in real-time.
Inventory Control: Monitor and restock essential laboratory consumables (tips, gloves, reagents) to prevent project delays.
Technical Reporting: Consolidate raw data from instrumentation into organized spreadsheets for review by senior researchers.
SOP Adherence: Strictly follow all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and safety protocols to ensure research reproducibility.
Collaboration: Participate in weekly lab meetings to provide status updates on husbandry and assay progress.