Chemistry Laboratory Technician

About the role

Prepares and assembles media and equipment used in chemistry experiments and demonstrations; operates and services scientific equipment; assists students and faculty with instructional activities; and orders, issues, receives, and stores laboratory materials and supplies. General supervision is received from an academic supervisor. Functional supervision is received from instructional staff. Work direction may be provided to student employees.

Responsibilities

• Schedules and oversees the use of one or more chemistry laboratories by students, faculty and staff.
• Instructs students individually in the proper and safe use and operation of a variety of equipment and tools and orients students to established policies within the instructional laboratory.
• Prepares and dispenses solutions and chemical materials used for lab classes which may include reagents, chemicals, acids, bases, buffers, and stains.
• Ensures the return of all solutions and chemicals used in laboratory exercises.
• Assembles supplies and constructs apparatus; sets up, takes down, and may assist in conducting classroom experiments and demonstrations.
• Issues and receives materials and equipment for student use in laboratory and classroom assignments; keeps records and effects the return of supplies and equipment checked out to students for laboratory use.
• Operates, maintains, and makes minor adjustments and repairs on laboratory equipment such as microscopes, balances, centrifuges, emulsifiers, and homogenizers.
• Maintains inventory records of supplies, materials, and equipment, and prepares request forms and/or purchase orders to restock inventory as needed.
• Safely stores supplies and equipment, arranges for disposal of solutions according to guidelines, and keeps storerooms and working areas orderly and clean.
• Washes and sterilizes laboratory glassware.
• Performs clerical work related to laboratory activities such as word processing, record keeping, filing, and answering telephone inquiries.
• Maintains material safety data sheets for all department chemicals and products.
• May perform elementary glass blowing in making simple