Medical Laboratory Assistant

nc; North Carolina; On-site; USD 31,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services operates the Food & Drug Protection Division, conducting analyses to ensure foods, drugs, feeds, and related products are wholesome and properly labeled. This preparatory laboratory role supports the Inorganic Chemistry Section, focusing on sample prep, lab maintenance, and reagent preparation.

Ideal candidates have a high school diploma or GED with lab experience, strong safety knowledge, and ability to lift up to 50 pounds.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• One year of laboratory experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Knowledge of laboratory safety practices.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to read and follow complex oral and written instructions.

Responsibilities

• Preparing samples for analyses using mills and other comminution techniques.
• Documenting all activities per ISO 17025 requirements and FDPD quality management system procedures.
• Performing laboratory support and maintenance activities to ensure testing readiness and expedite analyses.
• Preparing reagents and performing basic gravimetric and volumetric analyses.

Skills

Laboratory safety

Sample preparation

Follow instructions

Lift up to 50 pounds

Matrices handling (grass, hay, nuts)

Education

High school diploma or GED

Equivalent combination of education and experience

Job description

About Us

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services provides services that promote and improve agriculture, agribusiness, and forests; protect consumers and businesses; and conserve farmland and natural resources for the prosperity of all North Carolinians. The Department employs approximately 2,000 employees.

Description of Work

Job postings close at 11:59:59 p.m. the night before the listed Posting End Date above.

This position is located in the Food & Drug Protection Division. The Food & Drug Protection Division (FDPD) has five functioning sections, including the Food Section, the Dairy Section, the Feed Section, the Drug Section, and the Administrative Services Section. In addition, analytical support is provided to the Food & Feed Sections by the Food & Drug Protection Division's three laboratory sections, i.e., the Inorganic Chemistry Section, Organic Chemistry Section, and Microbiology Section. The Division protects the health, welfare, and economic interests of consumers of foods, drugs, livestock feeds, fertilizers, and medical devices by ensuring, through inspections and analysis, that these products are wholesome and properly labeled.

The FDPD Inorganic Chemistry Section provides compositional analyses of food, animal feed, and fertilizer samples. Specifically, this section quantifies nutrients, minerals, and heavy metals in samples using a variety of instrumentation and analytical chemistry techniques. The Inorganic Chemistry Section is comprised of 5 laboratories: the Microanalytical Laboratory; the Core Analytical Laboratory; the Ion Chromatography Laboratory; the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry Laboratory; and the Wet Chemistry Laboratory.

This position is specifically located in the preparatory area of the Inorganic Chemistry Section, which homogenizes and grinds feed, forage, and fertilizer samples for subsequent chemical analyses. The preparatory area is additionally responsible for washing labware, cleaning laboratory spaces within the Inorganic Chemistry Section, and preparing testing reagents.

The employee's primary job functions are:

• Preparing samples for analyses using mills and other comminution techniques.
• Documenting all activities per ISO 17025 requirements and FDPD quality management system procedures.
• Performing laboratory support and maintenance activities to ensure testing readiness and expedite analyses.
• Preparing reagents and performing basic gravimetric and volumetric analyses.

*Employment is contingent upon the ability to pass a respirator medical and fit test.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities/Management Preferences

* Recruitment Range: $31,200 - $48,000

* Knowledge of laboratory safety practices.

* Experience performing preparation of reagents or samples.

* Ability to understand and follow complex oral and written instructions.

* Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.

* Ability to work with matrices such as grass, hay, and nut.

Click Here to Learn more about State Employee Benefits.

Any employment offer may be less than the maximum of the range due to salary equity with similarly situated employees or the selected candidate's related education and experience.

* Note: When required, you must answer the question(s) for this position, or your application will be considered incomplete.

Questions regarding this posting? Contact 919-707-3201.

Minimum Education and Experience

High school or General Educational Development (GED) diploma and one year of laboratory experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experien