Laboratory Technician III

University of Florida•Gainesville, FL

About The Position

The Laboratory Technician III conducts biological research using live specimens in controlled and clinical settings and assists with cadaver dissections. The role collects, processes, and stores blood and tissue samples; supports laboratory experiments and data collection and analysis; maintains equipment and monitors its maintenance; and helps prepare grant proposals, publications, and presentations. The position also supports clinical research, which may involve client-owned animals, and communicates with clients during that work. Responsibilities include monitoring research-animal health, providing project-related routine care, coordinating support personnel, and serving as a liaison with the principal investigators, Animal Care Services, and IACUC. The technician assists with IACUC applications and approvals and maintains records related to IACUCs, grant budgets, and purchases. The position supports veterinary-student laboratory instruction in anesthesia and surgery courses in the spring and fall semesters. Duties include preparing and checking equipment and paperwork, overseeing drug calculations, providing and logging controlled substances, and assisting students with handling dogs and horses for procedures such as intravenous catheterization and orotracheal intubation. The role also orders materials, supports student-lab budget requests, helps ensure safety and IACUC compliance, develops and delivers anesthesia simulation training, and assists students and house officers with research and appropriate animal care and laboratory methods. Administrative work includes assisting with the management of two laboratories and supervising graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, house officers, and other students. The technician maintains working relationships with campus regulatory offices and familiarity with related websites, serves as a liaison between the laboratories and the fiscal office, supports grant and course-budget management, and ensures compliance with university accounting and purchasing procedures. The role manages laboratory orders, safety codes, hazardous-material disposal and records, laboratory activity logs, workspace organization, and inventories of equipment, instruments, and chemicals. This is a time-limited position. A cover letter and resume must be uploaded with the application. The position requires a health assessment.

Requirements

Associate’s degree in an appropriate area of specialization and four years of related experience, or a high school diploma and six years of related experience.
Appropriate college coursework or vocational/technical training may substitute at an equivalent rate for the required experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience handling and anesthetizing domestic animals, laboratory animals, exotic animals, and wildlife.
Knowledge of anesthetic machines and monitoring equipment, anatomy, dissection techniques, and animal-tissue handling.
Previous experience in a teaching role instructing undergraduates.
Excellent communication, time-management, and organizational skills.
Experience with Windows and MacOS, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and statistical-analysis software.
Ability to oversee laboratory experiments and assist with reviewing and analyzing results.
Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments.
Ability to conduct scientific experiments with minimal supervision according to protocols and safety standards.
Ability to maintain accurate records and data.
Ability to work and solve problems with minimal supervision while following detailed written and verbal instructions.
Ability to multitask.
Ability to establish effective working relationships with department members and peers outside the department.

Responsibilities

Conduct biological research in live specimens in controlled and clinical settings and assist with cadaver dissections.
Collect, process, and store blood and tissue samples.
Maintain laboratory equipment knowledge and monitor equipment maintenance to support accurate, high-quality experimental results.
Assist with laboratory experiments, data collection and analysis, sample coordination, and spreadsheet organization.
Assist with grant proposals and preparation of publications and presentations.
Assist with clinical research, communicate appropriately with clients, monitor research-animal health, and provide routine care as dictated by research projects.
Coordinate and supervise support personnel assisting with animals and research projects.
Liaise with principal investigators, Animal Care Services, and IACUC; assist with IACUC applications and approvals and maintain accurate IACUC records.
Maintain accurate records of grant budgets and purchases.
Assist with veterinary-student training in anesthesia and surgery laboratories during spring and fall semesters.
Ensure student-laboratory equipment is working and required paperwork is available.
Oversee student drug calculations, provide drugs in an organized manner, and log controlled substances.
Assist students handling dogs and horses for procedures such as intravenous catheterization and orotracheal intubation.
Order materials and assist with budget requests for student laboratories.
Help ensure compliance with safety and IACUC standards in laboratories involving animals.
Assist with developing and delivering anesthesia simulation training for veterinary students and house officers.
Assist veterinary students with faculty-mentored independent research projects and instruction in research methods, animal care, and laboratory safety.
Assist with the general management of two laboratories and supervise graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, house officers, and other students.
Maintain rapport with campus regulatory offices, including IACUC, EH&S, and DSR, and familiarity with associated websites.
Liaise between the laboratories and the fiscal office and assist with grant, course-budget, and other funding management.
Ensure compliance with university accounting and purchasing policies and procedures and maintain precise records.
Manage laboratory ordering, including placing orders, confirming arrival, and charging purchases to the appropriate account.
Manage laboratory codes and safety regulations, including hazardous-chemical and frozen-animal-tissue disposal and record keeping.
Maintain detailed laboratory activity logs, organize laboratory spaces, and update inventories of equipment, instruments, and chemicals.