CTE Student Worker - Biotechnology Lab Assistant

Chandler Unified School District Job Description

Job Title: CTE Student Worker – Biotechnology Lab Assistant

Job Location:
Casteel High School

Reports To:
Biotechnology Lab Instructor

Salary:
Unpaid Internship

Work Calendar: CUSD Student Calendar

Job Goal:

The Biotechnology Lab Assistant intern will actively bridge the gap between classroom instruction and professional laboratory operations. Working directly within our active Biotechnology Lab, the intern will support daily lab preparations, reagent and media creation, and routine quality control tasks. This hands-on, industry-connected experience is designed to refine the student's technical competencies in bioscience while cultivating essential professional skills, such as complex communication, teamwork, and critical thinking, which are necessary for a successful career in the scientific and medical fields.

• Currently enrolled as a CUSD student in 11th or 12th grade
• Currently age 16, or will turn 16 years old prior to start of 2nd quarter of the school year
• Must be a completer in an approved CTE Bioscience program
• Satisfactory school conduct background check
• Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a current CUSD teacher
• Must adhere to CUSD student dress code standards
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with staff, co-workers, and students

1. Lab Preparation & Reagent Formulation (Technical Standards 7.0, 8.0 & 10.0)

• Prepare and pour agarose and polyacrylamide gels for gel electrophoresis.
• Perform precise liquid handlings and aliquoting using standard micropipettes.
• Calculate, prepare, and pH-adjust chemical solutions, buffers (mass/volume, %, molarity), and dilutions (including serial dilutions).
• Prepare, sterilize (via autoclave), dispense, and store microbiological culture media.
• Accurately label and store chemical and biological materials with preparer initials, contents, dates, concentration, and hazards.

2. Equipment Operations & Quality Control (Technical Standards 1.0, 3.0 & 7.0)

• Operate, balance, and clean laboratory equipment, including balances, centrifuges, spectrophotometers, water baths, and pH meters.
• Utilize and maintain autoclave, fume hoods, and laminar flow hoods safely.
• Perform quality control tests on prepared reagents and maintain active equipment logs (e.g., eyewash, autoclave, and hood checks).
• Decontaminate and dispose of lab waste, glassware, and biohazard materials using sterilization protocols (e.g., autoclave and 0.5% sodium hypochlorite solution).

3. Documentation, Safety, & Standard Operating Procedures (Technical Standards 1.0, 2.0 & 5.0)

• Maintain a precise, up-to-date scientific laboratory notebook (paper or electronic) documenting all methods, observations, and data.
• Strictly adhere to laboratory Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and safety guidelines, including the correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Assist in maintaining inventory controls for lab materials and chemical safety data sheets (SDSs).
• Uphold high ethical standards regarding data integrity, confidentiality, and laboratory safety.

By the conclusion of this 130-hour internship, the student will have demonstrated growth and proficiency in the following areas:

1. Technical Skills (Arizona Bioscience Technical Standards)

• Basic Lab Instrumentation:
  Mastery in using micropipettes, analytical balances, pH meters, autoclaves, and centrifuges.
• Solution Prep & Calculations:
  Competence in utilizing dimensional analysis and molarity calculations to synthesize complex reagents.
• Aseptic Technique:
  Practical understanding of sterile environments, cell/microbiological propagation, and decontamination.
• Nucleic Acid & Protein Basics:
  Hands-on familiarity with electrophoresis, PCR protocols, and/or sample extraction.

2. Career Readiness (Arizona Professional Skills)

• Complex Communication (Standard 1.0):
  Ability to communicate technical scientific information clearly, listen actively, and utilize workplace technologies effectively.
• Collaboration (Standard 2.0):
  Demonstrating the ability to work productively within a diverse lab team to achieve collective organizational goals.
• Thinking & Innovation (Standard 3.0):
  Integrating technical knowledge to troubleshoot common protocol errors (such as electrophoresis run issues) and suggest process improvements.
• Professionalism & Self-Direction (Standards 4.0 & 5.0):
  Demonstrating strong time management, taking the initiative on daily lab prep duties, and adhering strictly to professional and safety boundaries.
• Legal & Ethical Practices (Standard 8.0):
  Prioritizing safety procedures, maintaining a safe working environment, and acting with complete data integrity.

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