Laboratory Technician Senior

Grade Level 40 | Full-Time Staff Position | Lexington, KY

Pay

$15.61–24.99/hour

Schedule

Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

About the Role

The University of Kentucky is seeking a Laboratory Technician Senior to join the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources within the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food & Environment. This position supports the forest management research program through the collection, management, and analysis of forest science data. The successful candidate will contribute to long-term research initiatives by conducting fieldwork, maintaining research systems and datasets, and assisting with technical documentation and research communications. This position is fully supported by external funding and is renewable annually based on the availability of funding.

Responsibilities

• Collect forest science field data using established forest inventory equipment and vegetation sampling techniques.
• Establish, maintain, and monitor long-term forest research plots in remote and rugged field environments.
• Conduct soil sampling, vegetation biomass sampling, seedling planting, and tree increment core collection activities.
• Manage and maintain microclimate monitoring equipment, greenhouse experiments, and related research infrastructure.
• Map forest stands and utilize geospatial technologies and GPS equipment to support research objectives.
• Enter, curate, and manage new and legacy research datasets, including tree increment core processing and database maintenance.
• Perform limited statistical and geospatial analyses and assist with data interpretation and reporting.
• Maintain detailed research records and assist with technical summaries, protocol documentation, and applied research manuscripts.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 1 year of related experience.
• Strong knowledge of forest vegetation sampling tools, methods, and field research practices.
• Ability to work safely and effectively in remote and rugged forested environments.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications for data management, documentation, and reporting.
• Experience using geospatial hardware and software, including global positioning systems (GPS).
• Ability to organize, manage, and maintain research datasets with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong written communication skills for technical documentation and research support.
• Familiarity with ArcGIS and Avenza is preferred.
• Interest in learning R for statistical computing and environmental data analysis.

Physical Requirements

• Significant time hiking and walking in outdoor settings.
• Lifting, pulling, pushing objects up to 25 lbs.
• Sitting for periods of time.

Benefits

• Opportunity to contribute to impactful forest management and natural resources research.
• Hands-on experience with field research, geospatial technologies, and environmental data collection.
• Participation in long-term research projects that support scientific discovery and resource management.
• Access to professional development opportunities through training, classes, and seminars.
• UK’s exceptional benefits package.