Laboratory Technician - Science (Temporary) (2 Positions)

Los Rios Community College District•Elk Grove, CA

About The Position

Under general supervision of the assigned manager or supervisor, the Laboratory Technician performs specialized and technical duties in the operation and maintenance of science instructional laboratories and stockrooms, including hazardous-material storage, cleanup, and disposal. The role prepares, receives, stocks, and issues laboratory supplies, materials, and equipment; coordinates requisitions and expenditures for supplies, equipment, repairs, alterations, preventive-maintenance contracts, and blanket purchase orders; and trains and directs student help. The technician supports Biology, Chemistry, and Physics laboratory activities. Duties may include preparing cultures, media, solutions, reagents, and demonstrations; handling living or preserved organisms; testing and analyzing chemical or physical properties; assembling and maintaining equipment; and assisting with experiments. The position maintains safe, clean, and orderly laboratory and stockroom spaces, supports hazardous-waste handling and regulatory compliance, and maintains inventories, records, and budget information. The successful candidate must demonstrate an equity-minded focus and sensitivity to the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, including students with physical or learning disabilities and differing learning styles, and foster an inclusive educational and employment environment. This is a temporary posting with two positions. Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States; sponsorship is not available.

Requirements

One year of responsible and successful work experience in a science laboratory or stockroom, or equivalent training.
Completion of two years of college education, including 19 semester units in Biology, Chemistry, and/or Physics.
Additional experience or education may be substituted year for year for the required experience or education.
Education must be from an accredited institution.
Demonstrated equity-minded focus, responsiveness, and sensitivity to diverse community college students and the ability to foster and support an inclusive educational and employment environment.
Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States; the employer cannot sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa.

Responsibilities

Generate purchase orders for laboratory supplies, materials, and equipment, and prepare instructional materials and equipment for instructor demonstrations and student use.
Organize and facilitate collection, cleanup, and disposal of biohazardous and toxic chemical waste; coordinate with hazardous-waste disposal vendors and comply with applicable health, safety, storage, and disposal laws and regulations.
Maintain laboratory and stockroom spaces in a safe, clean, orderly condition, including functional checks of eyewash stations, showers, fire extinguishers, and hoods.
Ensure the availability of laboratory supplies, materials, and equipment, and train instructors and new technicians in stockroom operations.
Prepare and issue materials and equipment for student use; clean, sterilize, make minor repairs to, adjust, and maintain laboratory and stockroom equipment.
Train and direct student help as assigned, and operate equipment related to science laboratories and stockrooms.
Order, receive, and store supplies, materials, and equipment; communicate test and analysis results; and prepare and maintain operational records and reports, including expenditure and consumables-use records.
Use word-processing, spreadsheet, and database applications; maintain supply, materials, and equipment inventories and related accountability records.
Control expenditures within assigned budget allocations, provide data for budget estimates, and prepare budget estimates.
Operate a motor vehicle as needed and meet with science faculty, Instructional Assistants, and other Laboratory Technicians to assist with the design and development of experiments and demonstrations.
For Biology assignments, prepare and maintain microbial cultures and media and solutions; handle living and preserved organisms; move biological models; operate autoclaves; clean glassware and equipment; and use dissecting tools.
For Chemistry assignments, prepare solutions, solids, unknowns, demonstration materials, standard volumetric solutions, and reagents; test and analyze chemical and physical properties of liquids, solids, and gases; maintain a student chemical checkout library; assign and maintain lab lockers; and track glassware breakage and shortages.
For Physics assignments, prepare and assemble equipment and materials for demonstrations and laboratory use; make equipment repairs using basic electronics skills; calculate data for comparison with expected values; maintain sensors and probes; and potentially work with nuclear materials.
Perform related duties as required.