Lab Technician

Miraterra; Ames (IA); On-site; USD 21,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Miraterra in Ames, Iowa is seeking a Laboratory Technician for our Soil Analysis Production team. You’ll handle high-throughput soil sample processing, prepare soil slurry, perform sub-sampling, and keep workspaces organized while meeting tight deadlines.

Work with experts across agriculture and analytics in a collaborative environment, contributing to accuracy and efficiency with pipetting, sample integrity, and safety practices in a lab setting.

Qualifications

• Must have strong pipetting skills and laboratory basics (e.g., pipettes, sample handling).
• Able to lift up to 50 lbs and stand for long periods.
• Reliable, punctual, and able to multitask in a fast-paced environment.
• Must maintain organized and clean workspace and adhere to safety practices.

Responsibilities

• Perform high-throughput processing of soil samples (sample preparation).
• Comply with Trace safety and company practices.
• Process samples per customer orders and meet deadlines.
• Ensure sample integrity and proper storage.
• Clean and maintain equipment and workspace; assist with other duties as needed.

Skills

Pipetting proficiency

Stand for long hours

Attention to detail

Multi-tasking

Organized workspace

Reliability and punctuality

Able to lift up to 50 lbs

Noise-tolerant

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Life Sciences or Chemistry

Tools

LIMS

Lab automation

Job description

FULL-TIME, SEASONAL POSITION

At Miraterra, we’re on a mission to create a healthier, more efficient, and sustainable future. Our breakthrough digital measurement technology is transforming how we understand the world around us, unlocking critical insights across soil, plants, feed, food, and more.

By combining our breakthroughs in Raman spectroscopy, machine learning, chemometrics, and AI, we empower farmers, food producers, and industries to make smarter, more sustainable decisions. Our solutions drive both environmental and economic impact, improving efficiency, sustainability, and quality. Our recent acquisition of Trace Genomics’ assets, including its Iowa lab and DNA-based soil biology capabilities, accelerates our ability to deliver breakthrough soil-to-table measurement at scale.

YOUR ROLE AT MIRATERRA

As a Laboratory Technician on our Soil Analysis Production team, you’ll be at the heart of our high-throughput soil processing workflow. Your day-to-day will include preparing soil slurry, sub-sampling for our various measurements, and keeping tools and workspaces clean and organized. You’ll also help manage our inventory of samples and materials, ensuring everything runs smoothly to meet tight deadlines. Strong organization, communication skills, and comfort with basic lab techniques (ie. pipetting) will be key to your success.

In our collaborative environment, you’ll work alongside experts in agriculture, analytics, microbiome, and molecular biology, contributing ideas and learning from the best. This is your chance to grow your skills while helping build a more sustainable future in agriculture.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

You will report directly to and work closely with the Lab Supervisor.

IN THIS ROLE, YOU WILL

• Perform high-throughput processing of soil samples (sample preparation)
• Comply with all Trace safety and company practices
• Process soil samples according to customer order requests and in a timely manner
• Ensure integrity of the samples
• Cleaning and maintaining equipment (pipettes, other tools, station)
• Comply with all Trace safety and company practices
• Other duties as needed

WE’RE LOOKING FOR

• Proficiency in pipetting
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs
• Responsible (punctual, reliable)
• Attention to detail
• Comfortable multi-tasking
• Ability to maintain an organized/clean working space
• Ability to stand for long hours (max 10 hours/day)
• Comfortable working in a noisy environment

WE VALUE, BUT DON’T REQUIRE

• Experience with lab automation and LIMS
• Bachelor’s Degree in Life Sciences or Chemistry

LOCATION

• On-site at our lab in Ames, Iowa

JOB TYPE

• Full-Time, Seasonal (Fixed-Term)

WHAT WE OFFER

Inclusive culture: At Miraterra, we believe diverse perspectives drive breakthrough innovation. We are committed to building a safe, inclusive workplace where individuals of all backgrounds and walks of life can thrive. We strongly encourage applications from marginalized and underrepresented groups, recognizing that varied experiences enrich our team and fuel our mission.

• Impactful work: Contribute to a healthier, more sustainable future. Our solutions empower smarter decisions across soil, plants, food, and beyond, amplifying environmental impact, improving food security, and lowering costs across the value chain.
• While we thank all applicants for their interest, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.