Laboratory Education Support Associate

About the Job

Laboratory Education Support Associate

This position works in-person at the University of Minnesota Rochester campus in Rochester, MN. This position is not eligible for H-1B or Green Card sponsorship.

The principal responsibility for this 12-month, 40-hour per week position is to assist with laboratory education support services for all science-based disciplines at the University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR) in a fashion that is consistent with the environment of respect, inclusiveness, collaboration, and professionalism that makes up the core of the UMR mission. Laboratory classes may include chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, biology, and physics.

Emphasis is given to supporting laboratory services located within One Discovery Square; a portion of the UMR Campus, while also working with the Laboratory Services team to support laboratory activities across the campus. Responsibilities include managing laboratory space to meet the needs of UMR’s academic and teaching / learning research priorities, including daily coordination and preparation of academic instructional lab space;

managing laboratory stock and disposal; and maintaining compliance with all applicable safety and security regulations.

• On a regular basis, manage laboratory prep rooms and maintain adequate inventory of consumable and non-consumable stock to meet the needs of the academic and teaching / learning research missions of UMR. This includes moving materials from storage area, prep area or other labs into the laboratory being set up; arrangement of materials; oversight of others (e.g., student employees) assisting in lab set-up;
  
  and efficient and safe use and disposal of chemicals or other materials.
• Clean laboratory spaces pre and post instruction, teaching / learning research, or other use; including maintaining all aspects of laboratory facilities and associated laboratory and safety equipment. Laboratory cleanup includes moving materials out of the laboratory; proper collection, storage or disposal of leftover reagents, media; cleanup of equipment, glassware, benches; proper disposal of hazardous wastes according to University Waste Program guidelines;
  
  and general oversight of anyone assisting in cleanup.
• Arrange laboratory materials both for use during and storage between semesters in which the assigned course is offered; organization should be planned such that others can reasonably find the materials in absence of the employee.
• Responsibilities may be extended to include inventory and equipment in teaching / learning laboratories while ensuring adequate functionality of laboratory equipment. May provide maintenance care and / or arrange for preventative maintenance, repair and / or calibration of equipment associated with laboratory instruction.
• Maintain documentation, keeping notes for lab set up and accurate records of inventory and other documentation.
• Supervise and instruct student workers as to the proper procedures to maintain safety and compliance.
• Prepare, draft, review, and / or write standard operating procedures (SOPs) for laboratory experiments and activities to ensure accuracy. This may require performing the experiments.

• Procure or assist in the procuring of consumable and non-consumable goods and equipment for laboratory instruction and teaching / learning research needs at the most cost effective price.
• Determine which media, reagents, specimens, and other materials are needed for each lab period through reading of laboratory manuals and consultation with faculty and teaching assistants in the course.
• Perform accurate calculations and manipulations to assure correct preparation of the media and reagents, making the media and reagents themselves if appropriate or necessary, assuring adequate supply of media and reagents during the laboratory.

• Assist faculty instructors in the coordination and management of experiments as necessary or requested.
• Attend lab meetings and / or maintain contact with faculty members to be able to handle any last-minute changes from the faculty and to instruct others in any new protocols / procedures not familiar to them.
• Direct and monitor the work performed by student lab support staff; supervision of student lab support staff may be regularly occurring and / or infrequent in nature and usually required less than 50% of the work week.
• Monitor the labs in order to become aware of issues that may arise and provide timely resolutions.
• Prepare equipment and laboratory supplies for lecture and laboratory classes and experiments, including mixing and maintaining adequate supplies of chemicals and solutions in predetermined quantities specific to the academic…