Laboratory Technician

Taleo; Pasadena, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 32,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Caltech on the Pasadena campus seeks a Laboratory Technician to support day-to-day operations of its cleanroom facilities. The technician will help maintain and organize the cleanroom labs, assist with nanofabrication equipment maintenance, and collaborate with senior technicians and equipment engineers to ensure smooth lab operations.

This role focuses on monitoring facility systems, managing inventory, documenting procedures, and upholding safety standards while growing into more

Qualifications

• Willingness to learn equipment operation and lab procedures in a cleanroom environment.
• Basic mechanical aptitude and comfort using hand tools and basic measurement instruments.
• Proficiency with Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Monitor lab facility systems (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, compressed gas, DI water) for issues and report promptly.
• Track environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, particle counts, gas levels) and escalate deviations.
• Organize inventory counts of stockroom supplies and equipment.
• Place orders for consumables and coordinate delivery with vendors.
• Maintain cleanroom hygiene and coordinate routine cleaning with vendors.
• Keep organized data records, troubleshooting docs, and SOPs.
• Support lab safety practices with the Lab Safety Officer.
• Identify and implement process improvements in equipment maintenance and lab operations.
• Communicate progress to supervisor via email/ meetings; raise issues early.

Skills

Willingness to learn

Basic mechanical aptitude

Office software proficiency

Job description

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Job Summary

A Caltech Lab is seeking a Laboratory Technician to support the day-to-day technical operations of its cleanroom facilities on the Caltech campus.

The Technician will help maintain and organize the cleanroom labs — wet/dry labs, mechanical equipment rooms, and supply and chemical storage areas — keeping supplies well stocked and daily operations running smoothly for the lab's research team, while working closely with senior technicians and equipment engineers.

The Technician will assist with routine, hands-on tasks and gradually take on greater responsibility — including nanofabrication equipment maintenance and facilities coordination — as they build experience. Overall, the Technician is expected to contribute to the lab's culture and capabilities and grow into a more developed technician role over time.

Facilities monitoring and coordination:

• Monitor lab facility systems (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, compressed gas, and DI water lines) for signs of malfunction — unusual noise, temperature drift, leaks, alarms — and report issues promptly to the Lab Manager and/or Caltech Facilities.
• Track critical environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, particle counts, gas levels) that affect equipment performance and researcher safety, and elevate deviations quickly.

Inventory and procurement:

• Organize and perform inventory counts of stockroom supplies, including equipment, maintenance spares, consumables, PPE, chemicals, gas cylinders, and other hazardous and nonhazardous materials.
• Place orders for consumables and coordinate delivery with vendors. Flag vendor issues (communication, quality, lead time) to the lab supervisor and help resolve them.

Lab standards and documentation:

• Maintain the cleanroom's hygiene standards, keeping workspaces organized and clean. Coordinate routine cleaning with vendors.
• Keep organized data records, troubleshooting documentation, and standard operating procedures to track equipment performance and guide future maintenance.
• Support broader lab safety practices alongside the Lab Safety Officer.
• Help identify and implement process improvements across equipment maintenance and lab operations.

Communication and lab culture:

• Communicate progress and problems to the supervisor via email/phone, in meetings, and in reports, matching the format to the urgency and scope.
• Raise difficult or uncomfortable issues (e.g., equipment damage, missed protocols, delays) as soon as they're identified — early transparency protects the lab and its researchers more than a delayed or filtered report.

Basic Qualifications

Experience and technical skill:

• Willingness to learn equipment operation, basic maintenance, and lab procedures in a cleanroom environment; prior hands-on experience (school, hobby, work, or military) is a plus but not required.
• Basic mechanical aptitude and comfort using hand tools and basic measurement instruments.
• Proficiency with Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

Work style and collaboration:

• Attention to detail and a willingness to learn problem-solving and debugging skills.
• Willingness to maintain highly organized data records.
• Ability to learn quickly and take direction from senior technicians and the lab supervisor.
• A desire to meet high standards and grow into greater responsibility over time.
• Ability to work independently on assigned tasks, with increasing responsibility.
• Strong communication skills with the supervisor, vendors, and lab users.
• Teamwork skills and an ability to collaborate with coworkers having diverse skills and backgrounds.

Schedule and physical requirements:

• On-site during peak hours (8am–5pm, Monday through Friday), with the ability to work early mornings, evenings, and weekends when necessary.
• Able to work in a cleanroom setting, following all established protocols for gowning, PPE, and safety.
• Able to lift up to 20 lbs.

Required Documents

• Resume

Hiring Range

$23.00 to $27.25 per hour

The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training.

As one of the largest employers in Pasadena, CA, Caltech is committed to providing comprehensive benefits to eligible employees and their eligible dependents. Our benefits package includes competitive compensation, health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement savings plans, generous paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick time, parental leave, bereavement, etc.), tuition reimbursement, and more. Non-benefit eligible employees will have access to some benefits such as onsite counseling and sick time. Learn more about our benefits and staff perks .

EEO Statement

Caltech is an equal opportunity employer and, as a federal contractor, takes affirmative action to employ qualified individuals with disabilities and protected veterans. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Disability Accommodations

Caltech complies with the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We consider reasonable accommodation measures that may be necessary for eligible applicants and employees to perform the essential functions of a position.

If you would like to request an accommodation to complete this application, interview, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please contact Caltech Recruiting at [e-mail] .

Additionally, if you do not meet the basic qualifications of a role but believe you can perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation, please reach out to Caltech Recruiting at [e-mail] .