Research Technician

Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences•Boothbay Harbor, ME

20h•$22

About The Position

Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences invites applications for a Research Technician working with the Zooplankton Ecology Laboratory. This entry-level position will be responsible for working with the entire team to meet mission objectives and conduct research projects for which lab is funded or contracted to execute. This is a full-time (37.5 hours/week) position with an ideal start date of Feb 1, 2026. Starting salary is $22.22/hour, with a generous benefits package including health care, retirement contribution, and paid time off.

Requirements

Applicants must hold a BS in a field of biology or environmental sciences at the time of hire. Preference is for those with demonstrated knowledge of and experience with Zooplankton and image analysis.
Applicants must have strong oral and written communication skills. This includes, but is not limited to, ability to document daily activities; ability to keep accurate, clear and detailed records related to projects; ability to coordinate communication with multiple internal and external groups; and ability to follow clearly stated laboratory protocols.
Applicants must have a high level of self-confidence; the ability to independently gain new knowledge required for the conducting their tasks thoroughly; and demonstrated strong organization skills with superior attention to detail.
Applicants must have strong computer skills, and comfortability with using cloud-based software packages (e.g., G-suite, Eco-taxa and other platforms).
The position requires the ability to work both as an individual and as part of the lab, currently 3 staff members . The applicant must be self-motivated, have a high degree of integrity, and a strong work ethic.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with the flowCam-Macro and image analysis software is a plus.

Responsibilities

Conduct projects for which the lab is funded/contracted. This task will require reasonable laboratory skills including the handing and maintenance of live zooplankton cultures and field sampling including long days on a boat. Familiarity with the flowCam-Macro and image analysis software is a plus. While projects will change with the funding, examples of past projects include collecting, processing and analyzing samples (CHL, zooplankton and CTD data) from offshore sites.
Conduct bench projects contracted to the lab such as culturing copepods, measuring respiration rates or calculating biomass from net tow samples. This task will require reasonable culturing skills and the ability to work with delicate sensors.
Many students and interns pass through the lab. This position will involve working with student, helping them to set up experiments and general maintained of the lab. The later will require washing dishes and strong organizational skills
Position will likely involve exposure to information on proprietary research efforts and requires heightened sensitivities to intellectual property protections.
Reporting any potential or perceived violations of applicable laws, rules, or Laboratory policies to the immediate supervisor, Executive Director, the Human Resources Officer, or the Vice President for Research and Administration as appropriate.
All employees at Bigelow must adhere to institutional policies and procedures as outlined in the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences Handbook.
The successful applicant will be required to be part of the “Boat Sampling” team. This requires the ability to be available for weather dependent boat trips with a few days’ notice. Some weekend trips will be required.