Laboratory Technician - Media Preparation

Ball Horticultural Company; Chicago, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 28,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

401k/Profit Sharing

Paid time off

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Ball Horticultural Company is seeking a Media Preparation Technician in Chicago to produce high-quality plant media for Ball Helix's tissue culture lab. You will follow protocols, manage lab systems, and contribute to a fast-paced, collaborative team environment with minimal supervision.

The role emphasizes organization, independence, and teamwork in a high-throughput setting, with opportunities to support plant cell culture activities and contribute to continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or BSc in a relevant field preferred.
• Experience in a plant research or tissue culture lab or manufacturing/production role preferred.
• Possess effective interpersonal and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Prepare plant tissue culture media following provided protocols and use the Laboratory Information Management System.
• Perform general lab duties including cleaning glassware, autoclaving, and maintaining equipment for high-throughput media production.
• Recommend and enable measures to improve production, equipment, product quality and throughput.
• Maintain a clean and safe work environment in the Media Lab for continuous operation.
• Record details of the media preparation process to ensure consistent production.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Teamwork

Education

Associate degree or BSc in a relevant field

Job description

Description

The Media Preparation Technician will play a critical role making high quality plant growth media for Ball Helix's high throughput tissue culture lab. Important aspects of this role include excellent organization skills, flexibility, and the ability to thrive in an efficient, highly interactive, goal-oriented team environment, and leading with minimal daily supervision. As a team member of Ball Helix, you will work to support plant cell and tissue culture activities.

Job Responsibilities and Duties

• Prepare plant tissue culture media following provided protocols to ensure the consistent production of high-quality plant media. This includes fluency in using the Laboratory Information Management System.
• Perform general lab duties including, but not limited to, cleaning glassware, autoclaving, and maintaining laboratory equipment to maintain the continuous operation of a high-throughput media production laboratory.
• Recommends and enables measures and changes to improve production, equipment, product quality and working conditions to increase quality and throughput.
• Maintain a clean and safe work environment in the Media Lab to maintain the continuous operation of a high-throughput media production laboratory.
• Record details of media preparation process as required to ensure the consistent production of high-quality plant media

Requirements

• Associate degree or BSc in a relevant field preferred.
• Previous experience in a plant research or tissue culture lab, or manufacturing/production role is preferred.
• Possess effective interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team is important
• Well organized and detail oriented
• Ability to focus on meeting the needs of internal customers

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to stand for long periods of time
• Must be able to work in a laboratory setting
• Must be able to lift up to 35 pounds occasionally

Hourly Pay Range

$20-$22

Our promise to you

Ball is a global leader in horticulture: we develop, produce, and sell plants around the world. Our vision is to color the world through our customers. We create excitement in the world of flowers and are the first choice for service. We deliver all the best and nothing else! To you, we deliver a work environment and a culture where building long-lasting relationships internally and externally is important. We believe that good communication, sharing ideas and collaborating on projects will set us up for success. We keep both our feet on the ground and are approachable.

In addition to this we provide a comprehensive Total Rewards package that includes:

• Medical, dental, life and long-term disability insurance
• 401k/Profit Sharing Retirement Plan
• Paid time off benefits including vacation and holidays
• Tuition assistance
• An onsite subsidized café overlooking 30 acres of renowned gardens and restored natural areas