Student Microbiology Lab Assistant

Center for Public Partnerships & Research; Topeka (KS); On-site; USD 15,000 - 21,000; Part time

Job summary

The University of Kansas is seeking a student hourly to support the Microbiology Teaching Lab in Haworth Hall. Responsibilities include media preparation, waste disposal, restocking, and general lab housekeeping to keep teaching labs running smoothly.

The role involves handling labware, calibrating equipment, inventory management, and ensuring safety with autoclave use. Typical shifts are 2+ hours, up to 20 hours weekly, with a start date in November 2026.

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).
• Availability for shifts of at least 2 consecutive hours, up to 20 hours per week.

Responsibilities

• Media preparation for all Microbiology labs; restock supplies.
• Dispose of media via autoclave and ensure safe disposal.
• Restock items for media prep: petri plates, tubes, caps, flasks, etc.
• Learn to use media equipment: autoclaves, omnispense, steam kettle.
• Clean reusable media prep items (flasks, bottles, tubing).
• Washing dishes and bins; labware cleaning and sterilization.
• Calibrate equipment (e.g., pipettors) and ensure accuracy.
• Inventory media, reagents, chemicals; temperature checks of incubators/fridges.
• Relabel old or illegible labels on reagent bottles and Gram Stain kits.
• Dispose of sterile media and related waste; disinfect surfaces between semesters.

Skills

Lift 50 lbs

Prolonged standing

2–20 hour shifts

Job description

Position Overview

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

• Student employees are not eligible for remote work arrangements unless an exception is approved by the unit leadership and HR.
• 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.

Additional Candidate Instructions

In addition to the online application, please provide the following.

• Resume
• Cover Letter addressing your qualifications.
• Contact information for at least 2 professional references.

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

Contact Information to Applicants

Shelli Nauman

[e-mail]

Kennedy Chrisco

[e-mail]

Advertised Salary Range

$13.00

Anticipated Start Date

Friday November 6, 2026