Senior Laboratory Technician

University of Toronto; Toronto; On-site; CAD 81,000 - 104,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent Canadian educational institution is seeking a Senior Lab Technician to oversee lab operations and contribute to research projects. The successful candidate will have a Master's Degree and minimum three years of experience in a research environment. Key tasks include modifying experimental processes, drafting funding applications, and ensuring lab safety compliance. The role offers a two-year term position with a competitive salary range.

Qualifications

• Minimum three years of experience in an academic laboratory setting.
• Experience in writing standard operating procedures.
• Demonstrated experience with modifying experimental processes.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day lab operations and experiments.
• Edit and draft content for funding applications.
• Ensure safety compliance and routine maintenance of lab.

Skills

Organization

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Teamwork

Attention to detail

Education

Master's Degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Data sequencing technology

Laboratory automation tools

Job description

About us

Home to over 40 departments and institutes, the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine lies at the heart of the Toronto Academic Health Science Network and is a global leader in ground-breaking research and education, spanning clinical medicine, basic science and the rehabilitation sciences sectors.

Your opportunity

The Department of Biochemistry is a dynamic community of 70 faculty, 150 graduate students and 450 undergraduate students. Our research touches on fundamental questions relating to basic mechanisms of living systems as well as the discovery of new therapeutics against infection, cancer and neurodegenerative disease. We aim to prepare the best minds for careers in academia as well as the private sector.

As a Senior Lab Technician, you will be part of a broader team where you will oversee day-to-day lab operational needs and perform lab experiments. You will also contribute to various projects, including analyzing data and drafting content for funding applications and research papers. Additionally, you will champion safety and compliance, ensuring procedures are understood and routine lab maintenance is undertaken. Your solid communication and organizational skills will be key to ensure the effective operations of our laboratory.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Modifying experimental processes and implementing more efficient ways to conduct experiments
• Editing and drafting content for funding applications and research papers
• Coordinating routine maintenance of lab equipment, troubleshooting issues and liaising with service providers
• Developing a manual for best practices on lab operations and providing safety training to ensure compliance to procedures and standards
• Approving purchases within established limits
• Serving as a resource to others by providing (non-supervisory) job-related guidance

Essential Qualifications

• Master's Degree or acceptable combination of equivalent experience
• Minimum three (3) years of related, progressive experience within a University or comparable academic laboratory research environment
• Experience with implementing health and safety protocols including proper handling, culturing and genetic manipulation of bacterial and yeast cells
• Writing standard operating procedures and providing safety training to staff to ensure compliance
• Experience contributing to research findings in academic journals, performing detailed scientific analysis on large datasets and complex statistical reporting
• Experience with lab maintenance and troubleshooting issues, liaising with service providers to fix malfunctioning laboratory equipment
• Experience drafting content and editing funding applications and tracking their progress
• Demonstrated experience modifying experimental processes and providing detailed explanations on process and techniques including DNA/RNA isolation, ligation, digestion, amplification, large-scale human cell culture, organoid cell culture, etc.
• Experience with bacterial protein expression and purification, organoid cell cultures and large-scale human cell cultures
• Proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, SharePoint), basic computational tools (BLAST, primer design software), data sequencing technology (preparation of Illumina libraries)
• Experience using laboratory automation tools (robotics for liquid handling and strain library propagation)
• Extensive knowledge of safe handling procedures for specialized lab equipment and material
• Must be able to operate, calibrate and troubleshoot laboratory equipment
• Team player with excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal) with a desire to exchange information with other members of the lab on a daily basis
• Excellent time management, organizational and multi-tasking skills
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Ability to exercise a high degree of judgement and initiative in decision-making situations while working with various stakeholders

Assets (Nonessential)

• PacBio library preparation and analysis of NGS/WGS sequencing data
• Operation of liquid- and plate-handling robotics

To be successful in this role you will be

• Organized
• Proactive

Please Note

• This is a two (2) year term position.

Closing Date: 10/07/2025, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW
Appointment Type: Grant - Term
Schedule:
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:
USW Pay Band 12 -- $81,312. with an annual step progression to a maximum of $103,986. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol.

Job Category: Engineering / Technical
Recruiter: Sharon Hung

Lived Experience Statement

Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.

Diversity Statement

The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP

Accessibility Statement

The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact [e-mail]