Repository Technician

About the role

The Repository Technician plays a key role in the receipt, inventory, storage, and shipping of clinical agents, chemical compounds, and biological specimens to clinical sites and laboratories. The role involves working with materials stored at temperatures ranging from ambient to -196°C, many of which may have potentially hazardous properties.

Responsibilities

• Receive, inventory, store, and ship clinical agents, biological specimens, chemical compounds, and investigational products in accordance with established procedures and customer requirements.
• Pick, pack, sort, arrange, count, and store items accurately for storage and shipment, ensuring all processing aligns with documented protocols and customer specifications.
• Sustain a high level of quality and accuracy so that customers receive the correct products within the requested timeframes.
• Absorb biological specimens, chemical compounds, clinical agents, and investigational products, ensuring proper handling and documentation.
• Verify the quality, type, and quantity of materials received against packing lists and other documentation, and confirm that all required paperwork is present and correct.
• Weigh dry chemical compounds using appropriate equipment and techniques to ensure precise measurements.
• Aliquot liquid biological samples or products following standard operating procedures and safety guidelines.
• Perform general documentation management tasks, including generating, reviewing, archiving, and destroying records as required by procedures and regulatory standards.
• Work in warehouse and repository areas under various temperature conditions, ranging from ambient to -196°C, while maintaining safe and compliant operations.
• Assure compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) regulations, including CFR parts 210 and 211, as well as internal quality systems.
• Follow standard operating procedures (SOPs), facility safety guidelines, and Food & Drug Administration (FDA) requirements applicable to repository and cold chain operations.
• Use inventory systems, Microsoft Office, and shipping software to support daily operational functions, including data entry and tracking of samples and materials.
• Recognize deviations from accepted practice and promptly escalate or correct issues to prevent errors and schedule delays.
• Maintain strong attendance and arrive prepared to start work promptly each day to support consistent repository operations.
• Provide professional and courteous customer service to internal and external stakeholders, ensuring clear and effective communication.
• Participate in one-on-one instruction, on-the-job training (OJT), and company training protocols to learn and apply repository procedures and safety practices.
• Travel, as needed and with advance notice, to division sites within the local area to support repository and cold chain activities.

Essential Skills

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Experience with data entry and basic digital literacy, including the ability to navigate inventory systems, Microsoft Office, and shipping software.
• Prior work experience in shipping and receiving or similar operational environments, preferably involving sample handling or inventory management.
• Ability to consistently and independently follow policies, procedures, instructions, and schedules.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills for interacting with colleagues and clients and for documenting work accurately.
• Good interpersonal and customer service skills to support internal and external client interactions.
• Ability to recognize deviations from accepted practice and take appropriate action to maintain quality and compliance.
• Readiness to maintain strong attendance and start work on time daily to support operational reliability.
• Physical ability to walk, stand, reach, and lift up to 50 pounds on a continuous basis, and to routinely push and pull up to 50 pounds.
• Comfort performing highly repetitive tasks while maintaining focus, accuracy, and adherence to procedures.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working with cold chain operations, including dry ice, -80°C freezers, and other temperature-controlled storage systems, is preferred.
• Certified Pharmacy Technician credential is preferred.
• Familiarity with repository operations and handling biological specimens and samples is beneficial.
• Knowledge of universal precautions, general laboratory practices, and quality assurance/quality control principles is preferred.
• Understanding of cGMP regulations (CFR parts 210 and 211) and FDA requirements related to clinical materials and investigational products is an advantage.
• Experience working with biological specimens, hazardous or infectious agents, or cryogenic materials is helpful.
• Demonstrated track record of meeting schedules and following established policies and procedures in prior roles.
• Ability to adapt to varying schedules, hours, and overtime needs based on business requirements.
• Willingness to travel up to approximately 25% of the time to nearby operational sites as needed and with advance notice.

Work Environment

This role is based in a warehouse and repository environment that involves working in cold conditions ranging from ambient room temperature down to -196°C. The position requires frequent exposure to dry ice, liquid nitrogen cryogenics, and potentially hazardous or infectious agents, as well as marked changes in temperature when moving between different storage areas. Work is highly repetitive and physically active, with continuous walking, standing, reaching, and lifting up to 50 pounds, along with routine pushing and pulling of similar weights. Employees may occasionally sit, kneel, crouch, or crawl to access materials and equipment. The schedule follows a first-shift structure, typically around 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but flexibility is required to accommodate varying schedules, hours, and overtime based on business needs.

Training

Training is delivered through one-on-one instruction, on-the-job training, and formal training protocols, supporting a culture focused on safety, quality, and reliable cold chain and repository operations.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Frederick, MD.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $20.00 - $20.00/hr.

Requirements

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.