Laboratory Technician - Microbiology Teaching Laboratory

Job Title

Laboratory Technician - Microbiology Teaching Laboratory

Agency

Texas A&M University

Department

Vet Med Pathobiology

Proposed Minimum Salary

$15.85 hourly

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Glimpse of the Job

Do you enjoy sharing your expertise and seeing people grow and learn? Would you like to play a critical role in educating the next generation of medical professionals – including doctors, veterinarians, and more?

At Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, we're seeking a team-oriented, dedicated Laboratory Technician to join our Microbiology Teaching Laboratory team. In this role, you’ll be instrumental in preparing future scientists and medical professionals by ensuring the smooth operation of our teaching lab. You will prepare materials, maintain equipment, manage inventory, and provide hands-on coaching to undergraduate and graduate students in essential microbiological and parasitological laboratory techniques, such as bacterial culturing, microscopy, and media preparation.

Opportunities to Contribute

Educational Mentorship: Guide and instruct students in essential microbiological and parasitological laboratory techniques, fostering their learning and development.

Foster an Effective Learning Environment: Maintain a clean, organized, and well-stocked laboratory, providing a secure space conducive to heads-on learning.

Collaborative Team Environment: Work closely with faculty and fellow technical staff team members, contributing to a collaborative environment where teamwork is key to delivering outstanding education.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent combination of education and experience
• One year of experience in a biology/microbiology laboratory, teaching microbiology/biology, or an equivalent combination of education and experience in a related scientific field (e.g., Biology, Microbiology, or a closely related life science)
  
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Proficient in microbiological and parasitological laboratory techniques, including but not limited to bacterial culturing, microscopy, and parasite identification
• Basic knowledge of laboratory safety protocols and procedures, including handling of biohazardous materials
• Excellent communication (both written and verbal) and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to train and instruct others in laboratory techniques
• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others
• The well-qualified candidate will also have completed coursework in microbiology, parasitology, and/or poultry disease at the undergraduate level or above and will possess experience training or instructing others in microbiological and parasitological laboratory techniques. Experience managing laboratory inventories, including reagents, disposable supplies, and equipment, and experience with inventory management/purchasing software and learning management systems is also preferred. Bachelor’s or master’s degree in microbiology, Biology, Medical Laboratory Science, or closely related field is a plus.
  
  
  

What You Need To Know

Salary: $15.85/hour

What You Need To Do

Apply! A cover letter and resume are strongly recommended and will help in our review. You may upload them on the application under the CV/Resume section.

Some Responsibilities include:

• Laboratory Maintenance: Maintains a clean, organized, and safe laboratory environment, including equipment, supplies, and common areas. Ensures proper functioning of laboratory equipment through basic maintenance tasks and maintenance of safety-related documents (e.g., cleaning, calibration). Collaborates with the other technician on the management of inventory and procurement of laboratory teaching materials (e.g. reagents, disposable supplies, and equipment), prioritizing cost-effective purchasing. Assists with the purchasing and inventory of course materials including chemical reagents, disposable materials used for microbiology and parasitology, slides, specimens, and microscopes. Adheres to all laboratory safety protocols and procedures.
• Training and Instruction: Facilitates laboratory exercises through preparing and managing teaching materials and demonstrations. Provides technical support and instruction to students during lab sections, including demonstrating and critiquing various lab techniques. Assists with updating course content on Canvas. Assists with setup and teardown before and after each teaching lab section each week.
• Media Preparation: Prepares and quality-checks various types of microbiological media (e.g., agar plates, broths). Racks and sterilizes test tubes for media preparation. Maintains inventory of media preparation supplies.
  
  
  

Why Texas A&M University?

We are a prestigious university with strong traditions, Core Values, and a community of caring and collaboration.  Amenities associated with a major university, such as sporting and cultural events, state-of-the-art recreation facilities, the Bush Library and Museum, and much more await you.  Experience all that a big city has to offer but with a reasonable cost-of-living and no long commutes. 

• Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life and AD&D, flexible spending accounts, and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M contributing to employee health and basic life premiums
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas
• Health and Wellness: Free exercise programs and release time
• Professional Development: All employees have access to free LinkedIn Learning training, webinars, and limited financial support to attend conferences, workshops, and more
• Educational release time and tuition assistance for completing a degree while a Texas A&M employee
• Living Well, a program at Texas A&M that has been built by employees, for employees
  
  
  

Instructions to Applicants: Applications received by Texas A&M University must either have all job application data entered, or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to pre-populate the online application.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer.