Laboratory Technician

Job Title

Job Overview:

Requirement/Must Have:

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Ability to perform daily greenhouse plant care and routine research support activities.
• Ability to follow all safety and process protocols at all times.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to maintain plant and seed identity accurately across large volumes of materials.
• Ability to follow standard operating procedures and safety or ergonomics protocols.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• High degree of self-motivation and a positive attitude.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team with minimal supervision.
• Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office programs such as Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Ability to learn internally developed research software.
• Ability to stand and sit for long periods of time.
• Due to the nature of the job, the candidate should be able to lift 30 pounds with assistance.
• Ability to tolerate repetitive work in a warm, humid greenhouse environment with year-round pollen exposure.

Experience:

• Experience supporting greenhouse operations preferred.
• Experience with seeding, pollinating, transplanting, watering, harvesting, tissue sampling, and data collection preferred.
• Experience safely operating machinery and following protocols preferred.
• Experience in agriculture, horticulture, biology, or related research environments preferred.
• Three plus years of related experience preferred.

Responsibilities:

• Support preparation and execution of routine greenhouse and research duties, including seeding, pollinating, transplanting plants, watering, harvesting, tissue sampling, and data collection.
• Perform daily greenhouse plant care, including checking watering needs, harvesting, discarding plants, and seed processing and handling for corn, soybean, wheat, and other crops.
• Move carts of plants in and out of greenhouses.
• Assist with experiments, collect data, and maintain records.
• Safely operate threshing machinery as trained and according to protocols.
• Follow all safety and process protocols at all times.
• Perform routine greenhouse sanitation tasks, including discarding regulated material, destroying waste, cleaning pots and containers, and cleaning and sanitizing rooms.
• Carefully maintain plant and seed identity across thousands of unique samples.
• Maintain a professional, clean, safe, and compliant work environment.

Should Have:

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, horticulture, biology, or a related field preferred.
• Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience preferred.
• Experience with machinery operation preferred.
• Experience in greenhouse or controlled environment research settings preferred.

Skills:

• Greenhouse operations support.
• Plant care.
• Pollination support.
• Seeding and transplanting.
• Harvesting and tissue sampling.
• Data collection and record keeping.
• Seed processing and handling.
• Greenhouse sanitation.
• Machinery operation.
• Microsoft Office.
• Research support.
• Attention to detail.
• Safety compliance.
• Team collaboration.