Senior Laboratory Technician

Elinor Coatings, LLC; Fargo (ND); Hybrid; USD 68,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid time off

HSA

Job summary

Elinor Coatings, LLC seeks a Senior Laboratory Technician to serve as a technical expert for environmental durability and corrosion testing. You will work with environmental chambers, accelerated weathering, and ASTM methods, ensuring test accuracy and equipment readiness while guiding technicians. Role requires U.S.

citizenship, a STEM degree or equivalent experience, and ability to lift 50 pounds. Starting salary is $75,000+ with comprehensive employee healthcare and PTO benefits, in a North

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM field or 5–10 years of relevant environmental/corrosion testing experience.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Ability to lift 50 pounds and hold a valid driver’s license.

Responsibilities

• Operate and maintain environmental testing equipment (B117 salt spray, QUV/UV, xenon arc, humidity chambers).
• Interpret and apply ASTM, ISO, and customer test standards for durability testing.
• Provide hands-on training and guidance to Lab Technicians; escalate complex issues to senior staff.

Skills

Environmental testing

Leadership

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM field

Tools

B117 salt spray

QUV/UV

Xenon arc testing

Job description

Elinor Coatings creates solutions for corrosion, degradation, and fouling through research in surface protection. We value environmental sustainability and conservation and diversity in backgrounds, experiences, and personalities. This role will join a team of researchers in developing new formulations of protective and anti-corrosion coatings for metals. Support long-term federal research contracts in aerospace and ground vehicle support.

About the Role

The Senior Laboratory Technician serves as a technical expert for environmental durability and corrosion testing, with advanced hands-on expertise in environmental chambers, accelerated weathering, and applicable ASTM test methods. This position ensures technically sound test execution, equipment reliability, and compliance with applicable standards and customer requirements while providing technical guidance and development to laboratory technicians. The role serves as a technical escalation point for complex testing and equipment issues and provides backup support to the Atmospheric Exposure Site Lead as needed. This position plays a key role in maintaining testing quality, equipment readiness, technician competency, and continuous improvement within Aurora's ISO 9001/AS9100D-compliant laboratory.

Responsibilities

Required

Operate andmaintainenvironmental testing equipment, including B117 salt spray, QUV/UV, xenon arc (QSUN), humidity, thermal cycling, and environmental chambers, withdemonstratedability to troubleshoot equipment andmaintainoperational readiness.

Independently interpret and apply ASTM, ISO, customer, and other applicable test standards to plan and execute technically sound environmental durability and corrosion testing.

Serve as the technical resource for Lab Technicians, providing hands-on training, troubleshooting support, and guidance on equipment operation, test methods, ASTM requirements, and laboratory practices.

Review test setups, test execution, and results for technical accuracy and compliance with applicable test methods;identifydeviations, equipment issues, and potential impacts to test validity.

Serve as the technical escalation point for complex environmental testing and equipment issues, working with engineering, management, and external service providers toidentifyand resolve problems.

Proven experience leading a small technical team, including mentoring, skill development, competency assessment, and supporting technician progression toward independent and advanced operation.

Preferred

Demonstrated ability to develop, improve, and troubleshoot environmental test methods, equipment procedures, SOPs, work instructions, and test setups.

Background in coatings, corrosion, accelerated weathering, mechanical performance, or other materials durability testing within an industrial or commercial laboratory.

Knowledge of equipment qualification, calibration, preventive maintenance, and troubleshooting practices for environmental testing equipment.

Demonstrated ability to provide technical leadership, mentor laboratory technicians, and support technician qualification and progression toward independent operation.

Familiarity with outdoor atmospheric exposure programs, including site inspections, specimen installation and removal, environmental monitoring, equipment maintenance, data collection, and field troubleshooting.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. citizen

Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM related field (Materials Science, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Corrosion Science, etc.)ORMinimum 5-10 years of highly relevant environmental/corrosion testing experience withdemonstratedtechnicalexpertise

Driver’s License in good standing and willing to obtain a North Dakota Driver’s license within 60 days of hire.

Ability to lift 50 pounds.

Salary starting at $75,000+, depending on experience

100% paid employee healthcare, vision, dental, disability and life insurance

Starting PTO is 16 days annually with 14 paid holidays and 12 paid sick days

Voluntary HSA, Flex, Employee Assistance Program and more