Southern Oregon University is a welcoming community committed to inclusive excellence and the celebration of diversity. Without diversity, our educational process is diminished. Working together in support of our commitment to diversity, we strengthen and enrich our role as learners, educators and members of a tightly connected global community. We encourage those who share in our commitment to diversity, to join our community and we expect all our employees to demonstrate an ability and desire to create an inclusive campus community.
Department: Biology
Salary/Rate: $18.92/hr @1.0 FTE
FTE: 1
Position Summary:
Science Laboratory Preparator (Biology Storeroom Manager) provides technical support for faculty in the sciences (primarily in Biology) in the preparation and clean up of laboratory and field courses; procures and maintains supplies and equipment; manages storeroom inventories, live plants, animals, and cultures; supervises student workers; and provides administrative assistance with matters related to the biology storeroom. Ability to interact successfully with a diverse population is a must.
Minimum Classification Qualifications:
Twelve college credit hours with passing grades in a physical and/or life science, which included laboratory procedures, such as anatomy, biology, botany, chemistry, general science, geology, physics, or zoology; AND one year of laboratory experience which provided a knowledge of laboratory testing and/or demonstration methods and techniques.
Preferred Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in a natural science. Experience with repair and maintenance of laboratory equipment including microscopes, and in setting up and running computer equipment, including data acquisition software.
All Listed Duties:
Training and oversite. Hires and trains student workers in the proper handling and maintenance of equipment and materials and the correct procedures for preparing and cleaning up teaching laboratories. Trains and oversees students in the maintenance of live organisms used in teaching. Manages student work schedules and work assignments. Instructs students, faculty, and staff regarding equipment use and chemical handling.
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Procurement. Determines needs and procures or arranges for procurement of equipment and supplies, including human cadavers for biology labs and research. Performs or arranges for pick up and delivery of materials and equipment. Works with vendors and SOU administrators arranging bids. Stocks freight.
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Testing, calibration, and maintenance of instructional, laboratory and field equipment. Becomes familiar with departmental equipment in order to train faculty and students in equipment use. Performs and/or makes arrangements for equipment repair and maintenance. Performs regular microscope maintenance and minor repairs. Assists faculty with new equipment set up.
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Laboratory and field trip preparation. Prepares solutions, media, and supplies for teaching labs and field trips directly or through supervision of student workers. Checks the freshness of materials and replaces when needed. Collects and maintains live plants, microbial cultures and animals as needed. Coordinates use and resolves conflicting needs for shared equipment and supplies used in different courses. Prepares and maintains records for laboratory preparation and standard operating procedures.
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Laboratory clean up. Cleans up or arranges for the clean up of laboratory classrooms, equipment and labware. Arranges storage or disposal of leftover materials and proper disposal of hazardous wastes.
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Care and maintenance of the Biology greenhouse, teaching and research collections, and live organisms such as fish, small mammals and cultures.
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Special projects and innovations. Carries out special tasks as directed by the Biology department chair. In cooperation with faculty, develops new procedures and techniques for eventual use in teaching laboratories.
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Administration. Provides administrative assistance to the department chair and office coordinator in matters related to procurement, student workers, equipment, innovations, storage and inventories. Maintains vendor records and invoice entries. Participates in the Chemical Hygiene Plan Committee and maintains Material Safety Data Sheets. Ensures compliance with OSHA, DEQ, and DEA regulations. Organizes and maintains a storage system for biology equipment, supplies, and chemicals. Conducts and records inventories. Initiates and follows up on facilities maintenance work requests for program.
Special Instructions to Applicants:
Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
Must be able to work additional hours and adjust working hours to meet special jobs. May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.
Must be able to successfully pass a pre-employment background check.
Under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): -Position classifications defined as
SOU provides career-focused, comprehensive educational experiences to over 6,200 students. Along with an emphasis on student success and intellectual growth, SOU is committed to diversity, inclusion and sustainability. Theoretical and experiential learning programs provide quality, innovative experiences for students. At SOU, students build strong community connections through internships, mentorships, field studies, capstone projects, volunteer opportunities and civic engagement.