Lab & Greenhouse Technician

Lab & Greenhouse Technician Contractor

Join a collaborative four-person research team supporting laboratory and greenhouse studies. This is a highly hands‑on position focused on the physical handling, preparation, movement, and disposal of soil and plant materials—not a traditional bench laboratory testing role. The successful candidate will spend significant time working with plants, soil, trays, pots, carts, greenhouse materials, and research applications, while also performing supporting laboratory tasks.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys active, hands‑on work, has experience with plant material and aseptic techniques, and is comfortable working in both laboratory and greenhouse environments. Candidates should be prepared for frequent lifting, moving, washing, cleaning, setup, breakdown, and handling of plant and soil samples as part of daily research activities.

Contract
:
One‑year assignment with potential annual extensions based on performance

Location
:
Laboratory and greenhouse environment

Pay Rate: $22/hr

Schedule
:
Monday–Friday, with a 7:00–7:30 a.m. start time due to early research activities

Saturday:
Approximately 2 hours one Saturday per month

As a Lab & Greenhouse Research Technician Contractor, you’ll support daily research operations involving hands‑on plant and soil material handling, plant study setup and breakdown, media preparation, inoculum preparation, chemical applications, and facility upkeep. Responsibilities rotate to provide variety and continued hands‑on engagement.

Handle, move, organize, tag, weigh, bag, and dispose of plant and soil materials used in research studies. This position involves substantial physical handling of samples and plant material rather than primarily performing bench‑based testing or analytical work.

Prepare research studies by placing plants into trays and pots, tagging plants, arranging materials, and assisting with research applications.

Mark plants for mobility studies and breakdowns, move plant materials onto carts, and support downstream handling and disposal activities.

Work directly with plants in greenhouse environments, including moving trays and carts, cutting flats into individual pots, handling plant material, and maintaining organized work areas.

Prepare research media, specified solutions, tubes, and bottles according to established procedures.

Assist with inoculating and harvesting stock, prepare inoculum for plant studies, and support large‑pot and leaf‑disc projects.

Prepare, maintain, harvest, and store fungal cultures under sterile conditions while following contamination‑control procedures.

Clean and rinse glassware and laboratory equipment and sterilize materials using an autoclave.

Safely handle and apply fungicides and other research‑related chemicals in accordance with established protocols.

Properly wear and use required Personal Protective Equipment, including Powered Air‑Purifying Respirators (PAPRs), for chemical and other hazardous tasks.

Maintain proper chemical labeling, storage, and disposal practices in accordance with safety guidelines and regulatory requirements.

Wash and move carts, clean work areas, cut flats into individual pots, bag and weigh plant material for disposal, and maintain clean laboratory and greenhouse benches and floors.

Empty and replace hazardous and non‑hazardous waste containers appropriately.

Scrub Growth and Dew Rooms and stock laboratories and greenhouses with necessary supplies.

This position should not be viewed as a traditional laboratory technician role centered on sitting at a bench and performing tests or analytical measurements. The majority of the work involves hands‑on support of plant and soil research, including moving and organizing plant materials, setting up and breaking down studies, handling samples, preparing inoculum, applying chemicals,…