Lab Tech III

Spectraforce Technologies; North Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Spectraforce Technologies in Lake County, IL is seeking a Lab Tech III to support daily laboratory activities in a biologics-focused team. This entry-level role involves preparing solutions, receiving reagents, labeling with expiration dates, and assisting with testing.

The team performs HPLC and chromatography using Empower, works with proteins and biologic products, and requires good teamwork and communication.

Qualifications

• Some prior laboratory experience is mandatory; college lab work is acceptable.
• Hands-on HPLC experience is helpful; college/university lab experience can be considered.
• Experience with solution preparation, pipetting, weighing, and sample prep is helpful.
• Experience with capillary electrophoresis is helpful; experience with proteins or biologic products is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Prepare solutions and standards; assist testing and lab ordering.
• Receive reagents; unpack, label, and date-expire materials.
• As you learn, perform assigned work and learn lab layout and processes.
• Perform HPLC and chromatography using Empower data acquisition; conduct capillary electrophoresis testing.
• Work with proteins and biologic products; perform preparation tasks for testing.

Skills

HPLC experience

Team communication

Laboratory work

Biologics knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in a scientific field

Master's degree in a scientific field

Tools

Empower software

HPLC instruments

Job description

Position Title: Lab Tech III

Work Location: Lake County, IL 60064

Assignment Duration: 12 Months (possible extension- performance based)

Position Summary: The team works on large-molecule biologics, including products such as Skyrizi and Humira, as well as new pipeline compounds. This is an entry-level laboratory position where the person will assist others with projects and support day-to-day laboratory activities.

Background & Context: The team works on large-molecule biologics, including products such as Skyrizi and Humira, as well as new pipeline compounds at our organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Responsibilities include preparing solutions and standards, assisting with testing, handling lab ordering, and putting away glassware.
• The role also involves receiving reagents, unpacking them, putting them away, labeling them, and adding expiration dates, particularly while the individual is learning the laboratory layout and processes.
• Once the individual becomes proficient in these operational activities, they will begin to receive their own assigned work.
• The team performs HPLC and chromatography-related work using Empower as the data acquisition system, along with capillary electrophoresis testing.
• The laboratory works with proteins and biologic products, and preparation work is involved in most testing activities.
• Common preparation activities include pipetting, weighing, QSing, using volumetric flasks, centrifuging, and other sample preparation activities.
• The main HPLC methods used are SEC and CEX. The team also performs polysorbate testing using HPLC with a different type of detector and peptide mapping by reverse-phase HPLC.

Qualification & Experience

• Some prior laboratory experience is mandatory, and college laboratory work is acceptable.
• Candidates should have some general understanding of biologics, laboratory work, and proteins.
• Hands-on HPLC experience is helpful, and college, university, or graduate laboratory experience can be considered.
• HPLC experience listed on a resume should reflect genuine hands-on experience rather than simply observing a professor use the instrument.
• Empower experience is helpful but is not a hard requirement. Candidates with strong HPLC experience using another chromatography data system can also be considered.
• Experience with solution preparation, pipetting, weighing, sample preparation, and similar laboratory activities is helpful.
• Experience with capillary electrophoresis is helpful, as is experience working with proteins or biologic products.
• Pharmaceutical CGMP or GLP experience is not mandatory but is helpful, particularly because of the documentation involved in laboratory testing.
• Experience with electronic laboratory notebooks is helpful, but candidates who have used paper-based systems can be trained on the electronic laboratory notebook.
• SEC and CEX experience are nice to have but are not mandatory.
• Candidates without SEC or CEX experience can still be considered if they have other relevant skills to offset the gap.
• Candidates should be able to work well with the team and communicate effectively. Strong technical skills alone are not sufficient if the candidate cannot communicate or function well socially in the laboratory and with other teams.
• Being willing to learn and being coachable, trainable, and teachable is a huge advantage.
• Candidates should be comfortable with the operational and assisting responsibilities involved in an entry-level laboratory position.
• Candidates with a bachelor's or master's degree and approximately one to three years of experience are within the range the manager would look for, although recent graduates can also be considered if they have decent laboratory experience through their education, lab work, graduate science work, or work with a graduate student.
• Industry experience is considered better, but university or academic experience can be considered because industry experience is more difficult to find.
• The preference is for candidates with a bioanalytical background, although someone with very strong HPLC experience in a small-molecule environment can also be considered.