Student Microbiology Lab Assistant

University of Kansas•Lawrence, KS

9d•Onsite

About The Position

This student position supports the Microbiology Laboratory Coordinators in the Media room of Haworth Hall. The assistant helps prepare and dispense growth media, make reagents and chemicals, wash labware, lab coats and bins, dispose of biohazardous waste, and restock supplies for Microbiology teaching lab sections. Student workers help the teaching labs operate efficiently and smoothly. The work is divided between media preparation and disposal (50%) and general housekeeping (50%). Tasks include preparing media, learning to operate an autoclave for safe disposal, cleaning reusable media-preparation items, washing dishes and bins, doing laundry, cleaning and calibrating equipment, maintaining inventories, checking incubator and refrigerator temperatures, handling deliveries, replacing worn labels, and disposing of specified waste. The position offers shifts of at least two consecutive hours, up to 20 hours per week. The student must be able to lift up to 50 pounds and stand for extended periods while performing lab tasks. During the semester, student employees must be enrolled in at least six credit hours. Summer eligibility requires meeting one of the stated enrollment or admission conditions. Student employees are not eligible for remote work unless an exception is approved by unit leadership and HR. This is an hourly, non-exempt position and cannot be held concurrently with a salaried, exempt graduate or undergraduate position listed in the posting.

Requirements

During the semester term of the appointment, be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours.
For summer periods, meet at least one of these conditions: have been enrolled in at least 6 hours in the past spring semester; be pre-enrolled in at least 6 hours in the upcoming fall semester; be enrolled in summer session; or be admitted to study in the upcoming fall semester.
Be able to lift up to 50 lbs. when handling lab deliveries.
Be comfortable standing for extended periods during lab tasks.
Be available for shifts of at least 2 consecutive hours.
Student workers may be undergraduate or graduate students.
Submit a resume, a cover letter addressing qualifications, and contact information for at least 2 professional references.
Student employees cannot hold this hourly/non-exempt position concurrently with a salaried/exempt graduate or undergraduate position (GRA/GTA/GA/RUA/RGA).

Responsibilities

Prepare media for use in Microbiology laboratory experiments.
Learn to operate an autoclave for proper and safe disposal of used media.
Restock supplies used for media preparation, including petri plates, tubes, caps, and flasks.
Use equipment such as autoclaves, an Omnispense, and a steam kettle to prepare and dispose of media.
Clean reusable media-preparation items, including flasks, bottles, and media-machine tubing.
Wash dishes and bins, do laundry, and put away clean dishes and bins once dry.
Clean equipment, including pipettors, microscopes, incubators, the steam kettle, water baths, and media refrigerators.
Calibrate equipment, such as pipettors.
Refill and autoclave pipette-tip boxes and Eppy boxes.
Maintain inventories of media, reagents, chemicals, and related items.
Check incubator and refrigerator temperatures weekly and as needed.
Put away deliveries of supplies or media for the Media room.
Replace labels that are old, unreadable, or torn on reagent bottles, Gram Stain kits, and other items.
Dispose of sterile media, cardboard, and other items designated for dumpster disposal.
Disinfect surfaces, refrigerators, incubators, and labs between semesters.
Support the Microbiology Laboratory Coordinators and teaching lab sections by preparing and dispensing growth media, making reagents and chemicals, washing labware, lab coats and bins, disposing of biohazardous waste, and restocking supplies.