LABORATORY TECHNICIAN 2 - 10132026-81737

State of Tennessee; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Tennessee, Department of Agriculture, is seeking an on-site Laboratory Technician at the Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville. The role supports the laboratory by unloading, sorting, accessioning, and transferring samples within Receiving, with no routine lab testing.

Immediate supervision and routine tasks in media production and reagent preparation are expected. The position requires a high school diploma or equivalent and about one year of related laboratory experience.

Qualifications

• Education equivalent to graduation from a standard high school and experience equivalent to one year of full-time sub-professional laboratory work.
• A valid vehicle operator's license may be required for employment in some positions.

Responsibilities

• Inspects basic equipment to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Determines sample acceptability for testing and uses relevant information to determine age of specimens to comply with standards.
• Categorizes orders based on needs and priority for delivery, verifies data on requisitions and reports, calculates modifications for formula changes, and orders tests in appropriate database for suitable unit to begin the analysis process.
• Processes and completes all records, reports, and correspondence within the required time frame to keep them organized and available for review.
• Assesses the general characteristics of the media products made to determine acceptability for use in the testing process.
• Monitors inventory for a specified unit to ensure adequate supplies are always on hand.
• Trains and teaches peers bench assignments to help them obtain competency.
• Communicates with people outside the organization, representing the organization to external sources to answer questions and disseminate appropriate information.

Skills

Active Learning

Mathematics

Reading Comprehension

Coordination

Equipment Maintenance

Manages Ambiguity

Communicates Effectively

Customer Focus

Instills Trust

Interpersonal Savvy

Education

High School Diploma

Lab Work Experience (1 year)

Tools

PH Meter

Pipette

Autoclaves

Balances

Centrifuges

Biological Safety Cabinet

Computers

Calculators

Job description

State of Tennessee Job InformationOpening Date/Time 10/13/2026 12:00AM Central Time

Job Information

State of Tennessee Job Information

Opening Date/Time 10/13/2026 12:00AM Central Time Closing Date/Time 10/26/2026 11:59PM Central Time Salary (Monthly) $2,925.00 Salary (Annually) $35,100.00 Job Type Full-Time City, State Location Nashville, TN Department Agriculture

LOCATION OF (1) POSITION(S) TO BE FILLED: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, DAVIDSON COUNTY

This position is with Technical Services and will be based on-site at the Tennessee Department of Agriculture's Ellington Agricultural Center campus in Nashville, Tennessee.The technician that fills this position will not routinely conduct laboratory testing.This position is located within the laboratory's Receiving area, and it's primary duties largely consist of unpacking, sorting, accessioning, and transferring samples throughout the laboratory.

Qualifications

Education and Experience: Education equivalent to graduation from a standard high school and experience equivalent to one year of full-time sub-professional laboratory work. Necessary Special Qualifications: A valid vehicle operator's license may be required for employment in some positions.

Overview

Under immediate supervision, performs a variety of standardized laboratory tasks of routine difficulty and related work as required. An employee in this class performs a variety of routine assignments such as media production, reagent and solution preparation, glassware readiness, specimen receipt and accessioning all in support of the laboratory. This class differs from that of Laboratory Technician 1 in that an incumbent of the latter is not responsible for performing simple laboratory tests.

Responsibilities

• Inspects basic equipment to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. Performs preventative maintenance on basic equipment used in assigned areas.
• Determines sample acceptability for testing and uses relevant information to determine age of specimens to comply with standards. Categorizes orders based on needs and priority for delivery, verifies data on requisitions and reports, calculates modifications for formula changes, and orders tests in appropriate database for suitable unit to begin the analysis process.
• Processes and completes all records, reports, and correspondence within the required time frame to keep them organized and available for review.
• Assess the general characteristics of the media products made to determine acceptability for use in the testing process. Assess the importance or priority of internal and/or external inquiries for customers to determine appropriate response and actions.
• Receives requisitions for media, glassware, and supplies from laboratory personnel and specimen submitters to distribute to appropriate providers and units. Receives mail from post office and various couriers to facilitate testing processes.
• Monitors inventory for a specified unit to ensure adequate supplies are always on hand. Monitors equipment within a specified area to maintain proper functionality.
• Trains and teaches peers bench assignments to help them obtain competency. Performs physical activity such as walking, stooping, balancing, lifting, and climbing to complete daily tasks.
• Communicates with people outside the organization, representing the organization to external sources to answer questions and disseminate appropriate information.

Competencies (KSA's)

Competencies

• Manages Ambiguity
• Communicates Effectively
• Customer Focus
• Instills Trust
• Interpersonal Savvy

Knowledge

• Clerical
• Standard Laboratory Practices & Procedures

Skills

• Active Learning and Listening
• Mathematics
• Reading Comprehension
• Coordination
• Equipment Maintenance

Abilities

• Deductive Reasoning
• Information Ordering
• Problem Sensitivity
• Written Comprehension
• Control Precision

Tools & Equipment

• PH Meter/Pipette/Autoclaves/Autoclaves/Balances
• Computers
• Calculators
• Centrifuges
• Biological Safety Cabinet

TN Driver Standards

State of Tennessee positions that may involve driving responsibilities require candidates to meet the following minimum driver qualifications:

• A valid driver's license
• For the past five years, the candidate's driver record must not have record of the following violations: driving under the influence (DUI), reckless driving, license suspension for moving violations, more than 4 moving violations.

• Agencies may allow an exception based on other factors.