Lab Assistant

OSU Oregon State University; Corvallis (OR); On-site; USD 17,000 - 22,000; Part time

Job summary

Oregon State University in Corvallis invites applications for two part-time Lab Assistant positions in the Crop and Soil Science department. The Undergraduate Student Technical Assistant supports research and admin tasks in the Specialty Crops Lab, with duties spanning lab work, data entry, and sample preparation.

Successful applicants will be enrolled students, able to handle lab equipment, maintain accuracy, and contribute to ongoing projects while meeting modest weekly hours (up to 24).

Qualifications

• Must be academically enrolled in a high school, community college, or university and pursuing a program or course of study.
• Must meet Academic Standing Requirements; students on academic suspension are not eligible for employment.
• Undergraduate international student: 12 credit hours per term.
• Graduate student officially admitted to Graduate School: 5 credit hours per term.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the PI, Faculty Research Assistant and graduate students on a range of research activities, including initiating trials, observing, measuring, collecting and processing samples, entering data into spreadsheets, and preparing reports.
• 60% - assist with project initiation, observations, measurements, sample processing and data entry.
• 30% - assist with laboratory procedures and analyses, cleaning and maintaining glassware.
• 10% - support in acquiring and preparing samples for experiments, update websites/databases and assist with report revisions.

Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Professionalism

Education

High School student enrollment

Undergraduate student enrollment

Graduate student enrollment

Tools

Excel

Job description

Department: Crop and Soil Science

Special Instructions to Applicants: When applying you will be required to attach the following electronic documents: A Resume A Cover Letter

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

This position requires driving a university vehicle or a personal vehicle on behalf of the University; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a Motor Vehicle History Check, possess and maintain a current, valid driver's license in their state of residence, be determined to be position qualified and self-report convictions (as per Voluntary and Compulsory Driver Standards OSU Standard 125-155-0200) as per OSU Standard 576-056-0000 et seq. OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire. Note: All job offers are contingent upon Human Resources final approval.

Job Description

This recruitment will be used to fill two part-time (a maximum of 24 hours per week) Lab Assistant for the Crop and Soil Science department at Oregon State University (OSU). The Specialty Crops Lab seeks a motivated Lab Research Assistant in the discipline of Industrial Crops. The Undergraduate Student Technical Assistant performs routine to complex technical tasks in support of research or administrative work which includes laboratory, green house, field plot, data collection, simple analysis, or the care and maintenance of animals.

Position Duties

1. Collaborate with the PI, a Faculty Research Assistant and graduate students in a multifaceted role encompassing a range of research activities. Responsibilities include initiating research trials, conducting observations, taking accurate measurements, collecting and processing samples, help with harvesting processes, and preparing samples for diverse analytical procedures. They will also operate research instrumentation, enter data into Excel spreadsheets, and aid in website updates. Beyond these, the applicant will contribute to the creation and evaluation of reports, including assessing student submissions. A keen attention to detail is vital for this role, as it entails performing varied analyses and working seamlessly within a team to bolster ongoing research projects.
2. 60% - Collaborate with and assist the PI, Faculty Research Assistant and graduate students on a range of tasks including: Project initiation, conducting observations, taking precise measurements, collecting and processing samples and systematically entering data into spreadsheets.
3. 30% - Play a pivotal role in the lab by assisting with primary laboratory procedures and analyses. Cleaning and maintaining glassware.
4. 10% - Support the Faculty Research Assistant and graduate students in acquiring and preparing samples for forthcoming experiments. Additionally, aid in the evaluation and revision of reports, overseeing student submissions, and updating both websites and databases.
5. Additionally, the role might involve managing bags or containers of potatoes weighing up to 50 lbs.

Transferable Skill Development

OSU is committed to ensuring students are prepared for success after graduation through intentional skill development as student employees. The competencies students develop while working at OSU are defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) as the essential skills employers seek in their hires. In this position, students learn and build vital career-readiness skills in the primary areas below:

• Communication
• Teamwork
• Professionalism

Qualifications

Full Employment Eligibility Requirements can be found here: https://hr.oregonstate.edu/student-employment-manual/500-employment-eligibility-requirements

• Must be academically enrolled in a high school, community college, or university and pursuing a program or course of study.
• Must meet Academic Standing Requirements; students on academic suspension are not eligible for employment.
• Must meet the applicable minimal enrollment standard.
• High School student: Regularly enrolled in a high school or participating in a home-schooling program.
• Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate student: 6 credit hours per term.
• Undergraduate international student: 12 credit hours per term.
• Graduate student officially admitted to Graduate School: 5 credit hours per term.
• Graduate international student officially admitted to Graduate School: 9 credit hours per term.
• International students may be allowed to carry fewer hours than specified above and still be considered "full-time" by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A reduced course load is approved by the Office of International Services (OIS), and must be provided to the Student Employment Center.

Additional Required Qualifications

This position requires driving a University vehicle or a personal vehicle on behalf of the University; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a Motor Vehicle History Check, possess and maintain a current, valid driver's license in their state of residence, be determined to be position qualified and self-report convictions (as per Voluntary and Compulsory Driver Standards OSU Standard 125-155-0200) as per OSU Standard 576-056-0000 et seq.

Working Conditions / Schedule

Salary Range:

Anticipated Start Date: 2026-08-03

Anticipated End Date: 2026-08-31

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

About Oregon State University

Treasurer Chief Budget Officer Working for Oregon State University is so much more than a job! Oregon State University is a dynamic community of dreamers, doers, problem-solvers and change-makers. We don’t wait for challenges to present themselves — we seek them out and take them on. We welcome students, faculty and staff from every background and perspective into a community where everyone feels seen and heard. We have deep-rooted mindfulness for the natural world and all who depend on it, and together, we apply knowledge, tools and skills to build a better future for all.

FACTS

• Top 1.4% university in the world
• More research funding than all public universities in Oregon combined
• 1 of 3 land, sea, space and sun grant universities in the U.S.
• 2 campuses, 11 colleges, 12 experiment stations, and Extension programs in all 36 counties
• 7 cultural resource centers that offer education, celebration and belonging for everyone
• 100+ undergraduate degree programs, 80+ graduate degrees plus hundreds of minor options and certificates
• 35k+ students including more than 2.3k international students and 10k students of color
• 217k+ alumni worldwide

Locations

Oregon State has a statewide presence with campuses in Corvallis and Bend, the OSU Portland Center and the Hatfield Marine Science Center on the Pacific Coast in Newport. Oregon State’s beautiful, historic and state-of-the-art main campus is located in one of America’s best college towns. Corvallis is located close to the Pacific Ocean, the Cascade mountains and Oregon wine country. Nestled in the heart of the Willamette Valley, this beautiful city offers miles of mountain biking and hiking trails, a river perfect for boating or kayaking and an eclectic downtown featuring local cuisine, popular events and performances.

Total Rewards Package

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Basic Life
• OSU pays 95% of premiums for you and your eligible dependents.
• Free confidential mental health and emotional support services, and counseling resources.
• Retirement savings paid by the university.
• A generous paid leave package, including holidays, vacation and sick leave.
• Tuition reduction benefits for you or your qualifying dependents at OSU or the additional six Oregon Public Universities.
• Robust Work Life programs including Dual Career assistance resources, flexible work arrangements, a Family Resource Center, Affinity Groups and an Employee Assistance Program.
• Optional lifestyle benefits such as pet, accident, and critical care insurance, giving you peace of mind and the support you need to thrive in all aspects of your life.
• Future and current OSU employees can use the Benefits Calculator to learn more about the full value of the benefits provided at OSU.

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. At Oregon State University, no qualified person shall, solely by reason of disability, be denied access to, participation in, or the benefits of, any program or activity operated by the University. If requested, OSU will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants in order to provide access to the application, interviewing and selection process. You are not required to note the presence of a disability on your application to receive an accommodation. Please request any reasonable accommodations for disability as early as possible in the application and search process. Requests may be directed to the hiring unit, or to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at [phone]. See Request an Accommodation Procedures for the OSU policy. Oregon State University, in compliance with state and federal laws and regulations, including Title IX and its regulations, does not unlawfully discriminate and prohibits discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates, including in academic admissions and employment. The university prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin (including ancestry and ethnicity), citizenship, marital or family status, pregnancy or related conditions, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status / service in the uniformed service, or any other status protected by law or OSU policy. Inquiries about Title IX may be referred to OSU’s Title IX Coordinator, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (link to https://ocrcas.ed.gov/contact-ocr), or both. OSU’s Title IX Coordinator is the Executive Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (EOA). For information on OSU’s nondiscrimination policy and procedures, including how to report information about conduct that may constitute discrimination or make a complaint of sex discrimination under Title IX, contact EOA by phone: [phone], email: [e-mail], mail/location: 330 Snell Hall, Corvallis OR 97331, or visit EOA’s website: eoa.oregonstate.edu. Know Your Rights Oregon Family Leave Act: Department of Labor Family and Medical Leave Act: