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Instructional Laboratory and Organism Care Technician
Haverford College
Havertown (Delaware County)
On-site
USD 40,000 - 55,000
Full time
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Job summary
Haverford College is seeking an Instructional Laboratory and Organism Care Technician for a full-time position, offering a diverse range of responsibilities including laboratory setup and organism care. The role requires a bachelor's degree in biology or a related field, with experience preferred. Strong communication and collaboration skills are essential, as well as a commitment to fostering an inclusive educational environment.
Benefits
Qualifications
- Six months prior experience with laboratory organisms.
- Willingness to learn scientific concepts.
Responsibilities
- Coordinate the Biology 100-level laboratory experience with faculty.
- Provide organism care for the greenhouse and saltwater aquarium facilities.
Skills
Education
Job description
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Haverford College invites applications to our full-time (37.5 hours per week), non-exempt, benefits-eligible Instructional Lab and Organism Care Technician opportunity.
Haverford Offers Great Benefits: The College offers a comprehensive benefits program that includes possible work-from-home opportunities, automatic 10% retirement contribution to your retirement account upon eligibility (no match required), a 50% tuition benefit for dependent children upon eligibility, 14 paid holidays (including the week before New Year’s Day off), Health Savings Account contribution of $700 for individuals and$1400 for families (no match required), affordable medical plans, and a beautiful arboretum campus with walking trail and easy public transportation access. Please visit the Benefits page (https://www.haverford.edu/human-resources/benefits) for more information.
About the Biology Department:
The Biology Department at Haverford College houses eight full-time tenure-track faculty and is a research active department which holds federal grants and awards from NIH, NSF, Dreyfus, and the Kaufman Foundation. Haverford’s expectations for excellence in research are aligned with the internal resources offered to faculty, including a full-time instrument specialist, media prep/autoclave specialist, a machinist that specializes in scientific instrument fabrication, a purchasing agent, a science librarian, and an administrative assistant. Modern biology has seen tremendous growth in our ability to understand and compare the structure and function of living organisms at the cellular, molecular and genetic levels, and what were traditionally regarded as many different areas of biology have become integrated, particularly in the research laboratory. We involve students in the process of discovery in a research-focused curriculum that stresses the experimental method as a teaching tool. Students at all levels of the curriculum frame their own experimental questions and use current research techniques to search for answers. Our curricular approach allows students to develop the conceptual tools to both follow and contribute to the rapid advance of knowledge and understanding.
About the Position
The Instructional Laboratory and Organism Care Technician’s responsibilities encompass two primary roles: (i) the coordination and execution of the Biology 100-level laboratory experience in conjunction with faculty teaching the course, and (ii) organism care and support of the Biology Department’s greenhouse and saltwater aquarium facilities. The Biology Department is launching a first-year introductory biology course that includes four 3-hour laboratory modules in 4 weeks of each semester, with 3-4 sections in each week. The Technician is responsible for preparing and coordinating these laboratory activities with faculty throughout the semester. Additionally, the Technician provides organismal care and day-to-day operations maintenance of both organismal facilities, which includes animal husbandry and plant care, assisting with supervision of student workers, interfacing with the Facilities department, troubleshooting maintenance problems, and contributing to the on-call responsibilities that are necessarily involved with facilities that house live organisms year-round.
Primary Responsibilities
Biology Department 100-level laboratory support (approximately 17.5 hours per week)
- Liaise with multiple Biology faculty co-teaching BIO100 to coordinate the set-up and tear-down of laboratory spaces and equipment
- Order and handle biological and chemical reagents appropriate for introductory labs
- Handle chemical and biological hazardous waste resulting from laboratory exercises
- Prepare and assemble handouts and visual aids
- Develop safety training modules for BIO100 in consultation with Biology faculty and Laboratory Safety Committee
- Train Biology teaching assistants
- Assist Biology faculty in 100-level laboratory instruction
Organism Care (approximately 20 hours per week):
For Biology Department Greenhouse
- Routinely care for plants and regularly maintain greenhouse including watering, trimming, planting, potting, hand pollination, and seed collection
- Monitor for pests and coordinate treatment
- Train student researchers in greenhouse maintenance
- Share in on-call responsibilities
For the Biology Department Saltwater Aquarium
- Routinely care for adult sea urchins and larvae
- Regularly maintain the saltwater aquarium and associated equipment
- Work directly with the Biology Instrument Specialist for equipment upkeep and repairs
- Assist with record keeping, managing logs, and monitoring of life support systems
- Train and manage the schedule of student employees
- Share in on-call responsibilities
Line of Report
The Instructional Laboratory and Organism Care Technician reports the Chair of the Biology Department.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in biology or related discipline (natural science)
- Bachelor’s degree in biology or related discipline (natural science)
- Six months prior experience working with laboratory organisms in some capacity, or demonstrated potential to work in a biological research setting
- Background that indicates familiarity with scientific concepts and principles, or a willingness to learn scientific concepts and principles
- Effective oral and written communication skills
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively
- Ability to build relationships with individuals from different backgrounds with diverse life experiences
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in biology or environmental science, with strong interests in undergraduate instruction
- Prior experience in animal and/or plant care
We are aware that some people are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet qualifications as described in the job advertisement. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and recognize that a successful candidate may come from a less traditional career trajectory, and have skills and abilities gained outside a classroom context, or an equivalent skill set. We encourage you to apply and share how you meet the position’s qualifications.
To Apply: Interested applicants are invited to submit an application, to include a cover letter and resume by visiting https://haverford.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/External/job/Haverford-Campus/Instructional-Lab-and-Organism-Care-Technician_R663. The application deadline is June 19, 2025. Application review will begin after the deadline has passed. Please email recruiting@haverford.edu with questions about submitting your materials. Should the search committee be interested in pursuing your candidacy, you will hear from them directly. Finalists will be asked to provide three professional references.
Haverford College is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice, and providing equal opportunities and access to all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, disability, or veteran status. Women, non-binary and transgender individuals, people of color, Indigenous people, and those with other or multiple historically marginalized and/or underrepresented identities are especially encouraged to apply.
We at Haverford College recognize that we live and work on Lenape land and pay respect and honor to the caretakers of this land, from the time of its first human inhabitants until now, and into the future. We seek to maintain and build upon our current and ever-evolving connections with members of Lenape tribes and communities, in recognition of our intertwined histories and with a goal of moving toward right relationship between the Haverford of today and Lenape peoples.
- Seniority levelEntry level
- Employment typeFull-time
- Job functionEducation and Training
- IndustriesHigher Education
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