Laboratory Technician

Koch; Louisiana (MO); On-site; USD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid parental leave

Adoption assistance

Job summary

Koch is seeking a safety-focused Chemist / Laboratory Technician for their Louisiana plant laboratory. The role involves field sampling, laboratory analyses, and data analysis to ensure product quality.

Candidates should have an associate degree in Chemistry or related experience, with proficiency in wet chemistry and lab techniques. Benefits include comprehensive healthcare and paid parental leave.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in Chemistry or 2+ years of hands-on laboratory experience.
• Experience performing laboratory analyses using wet chemistry.
• Must be able to work shifts and respond to plant events beyond normal hours.

Responsibilities

• Perform laboratory and field sampling and analyses using established methods.
• Prepare chemical solutions and maintain accurate laboratory records.
• Follow site safety procedures and safely handle hazardous chemicals.
• Support quality control activities including QC checks and corrective actions.

Skills

Laboratory analyses using wet chemistry

Instrumental techniques (titration, spectroscopy)

Data analysis using Excel

Quality control processes

Education

Associate degree in Chemistry or related field

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or related field

Tools

LIMS

Gas Chromatography (GC)

Ion Chromatography (IC)

Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP)

Job description

Job Overview

We are seeking a safety‑focused, detail‑oriented Chemist / Laboratory Technician to join the Koch Methanol plant laboratory team. The role performs field sampling, routine wet chemistry and instrumental analysis, safe handling of hazardous materials, and laboratory data analysis to support plant process control and product quality.

This position is performed in a laboratory environment in a rotating 12‑hour, 5‑5‑4 shift schedule.

We are targeting a start date in September 2026, with flexibility based on candidate and business needs.

Koch Methanol, part of Koch Ag & Energy Solutions, operates a world‑class methanol production facility in St. James, Louisiana.

Responsibilities

• Perform laboratory and field sampling and analyses using established wet chemistry and instrumental methods (e.g., titration, pH, spectrophotometry, ion chromatography, gas chromatography, ICP).
• Prepare chemical solutions, standards, and dilutions; maintain accurate laboratory records and data systems.
• Maintain, calibrate, and troubleshoot laboratory equipment; document calibration and maintenance activities.
• Follow all site safety, environmental, and laboratory procedures; safely handle hazardous chemicals in accordance with SDS and PPE requirements.
• Support quality control activities including QC checks, control charts, investigation of out‑of‑spec results, and corrective actions.
• Collaborate with operations, maintenance, and engineering to support troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement.
• Provide coverage during plant events such as shutdowns and startups, as needed.

Basic Qualifications

• Associate degree in Chemistry or a related field OR 2+ years of hands‑on laboratory experience in an industrial or manufacturing environment.
• Experience performing laboratory analyses using wet chemistry and/or instrumental techniques (titration, spectrophotometry, etc).
• Must be able to work shifts as required, and to respond to plant events beyond normal hours when necessary.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or a related field with 2+ years of hands‑on laboratory experience in a plant setting.
• Experience with advanced analytical techniques (e.g., Karl Fischer, GC, IC, ICP, TOC).
• Experience with quality systems, including QC/QA processes, basic statistics, and data trending.
• Experience using LIMS and strong Excel skills for data analysis.

This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship.

Benefits

Our benefits plan includes medical, dental, vision, flexible spending and health savings accounts, life insurance, ADD disability, retirement, paid vacation/time off, educational assistance, infertility assistance, paid parental leave, and adoption assistance. Specific eligibility criteria is set by the applicable Summary Plan Description, policy or guideline and benefits may vary by geographic region.

Legal & EEO

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. Except where prohibited by state law, some offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test. This employer uses E-Verify.