Student Microbiology Lab Assistant

University of Kansas; Lawrence (KS); On-site; USD 17,000 - 21,000; Part time

Job summary

University of Kansas Lawrence Campus is seeking a Student Hourly to assist in the Microbiology Teaching Lab in Haworth Hall. The role splits between media preparation, equipment operation, waste disposal, and general lab housekeeping to keep teaching labs running smoothly.

Applicants must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours, be able to lift up to 50 lbs, stand for extended periods, and commit to shifts of 2 hours or more (up to 20 hours weekly). The first pool review begins October 29, 2026.

Qualifications

• Enrolled in at least 6 credit hours during term.
• Shifts available for at least 2 consecutive hours, up to 20 hours per week.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and stand for extended periods.

Responsibilities

• Media preparation and disposal (50%).
• General housekeeping tasks for lab readiness.
• Inventory, labeling, and disposal of waste per safety rules.

Skills

Lift up to 50 lbs

Stand for extended periods

Shift availability 2+ hours

Education

Enrolled in at least 6 credit hours

Tools

Autoclaves

Omnispense

Steam kettle

Pipettors

Incubators

Job description

This student position plays a vital role in aiding the Microbiology Laboratory Coordinators in the Media room of Haworth Hall with mixing/pouring/dispensing growth media, making reagents and chemicals, washing labware, lab coats and bins, disposing of biohazardous waste and restocking supplies for the Microbiology teaching lab sections. Student workers are an intricate part of running the teaching labs efficiently and smoothly daily.

Job Description

50% Media preparation and disposal

• Prepare media for use in all Microbiology labs for use with experiments.
• Dispose of used media by learning to run an autoclave for proper and safe disposal.
• Restock any items needed for the preparation of media: petri plates, tubes, caps, flasks etc.
• Learn to use several pieces of equipment to make media and to dispose of media: autoclaves, omnispense, steam kettle, etc.
• Clean any used reusable media preparation items-flasks, bottles, tubing for media machines etc.

50% General housekeeping

• Washing dishes and bins, doing laundry, putting away clean dishes and bins once they are dry.
• Cleaning equipment, this includes: pipettors, microscopes, incubators, our steam kettle, water baths, media fridges, dusting, etc.
• Calibrate equipment-pipettors for example.
• Refill pipette tip boxes, eppy boxes etc. and autoclave them.
• Inventory of media, reagents, chemicals etc.
• Temperature checks of incubators and fridges weekly and as needed.
• Put away any deliveries of supplies or media for Media room to use.
• Relabel any labels that are old, not able to be read or tearing on reagent bottles, Gram Stain kits etc.
• Dispose of sterile media, cardboard, or items that need to go to the dumpster for disposal.
• Disinfecting surfaces, fridges, incubators and labs in between semesters.

Required Qualifications

• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs. for handling lab deliveries.
• Comfortable standing for extended periods during lab tasks (e.g., fume hood work, media dispensing, labware cleaning)
• Availability for shifts of at least 2 consecutive hours, up to 20 hours per week.

Position Requirements

During the semester term of the appointment, the student hourly must be enrolled in no fewer than 6 credit hours. For summer periods the student hourly must: (1) have been enrolled in no less than 6 hours in the past spring semester or (2) be pre-enrolled in the upcoming fall semester in no less than 6 hours or (3) be enrolled in summer session or (4) be admitted to study in the upcoming fall semester. Student Hourlies may be undergraduate or graduate students. (Exceptions granted for GRA/GTA/GA appointments DO NOT apply to Student Hourly appointments).

Employment Conditions

(1) Student employees are not eligible for remote work arrangements unless an exception is approved by the unit leadership and HR.
(2) This is an hourly/non-exempt position. A student employee cannot hold an hourly/non-exempt position and a salaried/exempt graduate or undergraduate position (GRA/GTA/GA/RUA/RGA) concurrently.

The first pool review will begin October 29th, 2026. A review of applications will continue until a qualified pool of applicants has been identified.

• Department: Undergraduate Biology Program
• Primary Campus: University of Kansas Lawrence Campus