"Chemistry Lab Tech"

Chemistry Lab Tech

Walla Walla Community College

Salary: $21.90 - $28.66 Hourly

Job Type:

Job Number: 2025-255N CHEM

Location: Walla Walla, WA

Department: VPI/INSTRUCTION OFFICE

Closing: Continuous

Join our team to help inspire all students to discover their potential and achieve their goals by providing relevant, equitable, and innovative learning opportunities and services.

Description

OFM classification title: Instruction & Classroom Support Tech 2

Walla Walla Community College is accepting applications to fill the part-time role of Lab Tech for our Chemistry department on the Walla Walla Campus.

At Walla Walla Community College, we inspire all students to discover their potential and achieve their goals by providing relevant, equitable, and innovative learning opportunities and services. As an organization, we value learning opportunities, a sense of community, diversity, health and humor, excellence, integrity, teamwork, innovation, personal and professional growth, and sustainability.

General Responsibilities:

The Chemistry Laboratory Support Technician will fill an educational support position at the Walla Walla campus. This technician will provide direct support to science instruction through management of the Chemistry laboratories and prep areas.

• Collaborate with supervisor and science faculty to determine equipment and reagent needs for pending lab sessions.
• Anticipate and communicate needs to supervisor with respect to lab materials, supplies, and equipment to ensure continuity of instructional labs.
• Assist students in learning the safe use of specific lab equipment and appropriately handling materials to be used during the lab exercise.
• Maintain a safe, secure, well-organized and adequately stocked storage space for instruments, equipment, glassware, chemicals.
• Familiar with, and comfortable with using solutions with extreme pH's and organic solvents
• Communicate the need for regular preventative maintenance and repair on scientific instruments and devices,
• Familiarity of Vernier instruments and probes.
• Notify supervisor, or chemistry instructor when equipment needs repairs or adjustments.
• Follow safe laboratory standards and practices including the handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous chemicals and bring safety concerns forward to the supervisor.
• Understand when and how to use PPE effectively

Essential Functions:

Reagent Preparation

• Prepare chemistry reagent solutions using precision balances and laboratory glassware
• Maintain chemical inventory
• Maintain and control proper reagent waste stream
• Properly store reagents
• Maintain a safe working environment by following EH&S, OSHA, federal, and state regulations and standards

Laboratory Environment Maintenance

• Maintain clean work areas and lab benches
• Maintain proper lab hygiene in prep room and lab room during and in between lab sessions
• Wash glassware and maintain glassware supply
• Maintain clean refrigerators and storage cabinets

General Lab Maintenance

• Assemble and dismantle lab equipment and materials
• Organize storage, prep room, and lab spaces
• Maintain equipment, Vernier instruments, and supply drawers
• Notify supervisor or science faculty for repair needs

General Laboratory Support

• Participate in regular meetings to outline weekly assignments and ensure standards are being met to the satisfaction of the team
• Assist students and support instructors during lab
• Effectively communicate needs and concerns of supervisor or faculty as they arise

Competencies

• Ability to recognize the value of cultural, ethnic, gender and other individual differences in people.
• Ability to build constructive working relationships characterized by a high level of acceptance, cooperation and mutual respect.

Required Qualifications:

• Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered at the discretion of the college.
• AA in science or equivalent work experience
• Demonstrate strong understanding of precision lab techniques, and handling hazardous reagents.
• Be able to communicate well orally and relate meaningfully with instructors of diverse experiences, and abilities.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:

• Previous related work history in chemistry or analytical laboratory setting
• Previous experience in laboratory science education
• Bilingual English/Spanish

Conditions/Terms of Employment

This part-time temporary position (up to 17-hours per week) is located at the Walla Walla Campus.

Work is performed almost exclusively in a lab classroom and prep room. Lab techs will work with hazardous materials and reagents. Tools and equipment will include computers, lab balances, auto pipettors, fume hoods, and DI water system. In-person interactions will occur with students, staff, and faculty.

Academic schedule changes by the year and quarter, therefore there may be some flexibility to hours worked.

Vacation, sick leave and personal leave benefits are available on a pro-rated basis.