"Geoscience Department Laboratory Technician"

Geoscience Department Laboratory Technician

Hobart William Smith Colleges

Location: Geneva, NY

Open Date: Feb 27, 2026

Description

The Department of Geoscience at Hobart and William Smith invites applications for a Laboratory Technician position. This technician is responsible for classroom support, maintaining teaching collections, assisting in the technical operation of the classroom/research laboratories, maintenance and support of technical equipment for teaching and research, environmental health and safety training and coordination, and management of related departmental functions.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Typical duties for this position may include the following.

• Provide classroom support for 70 - 180 students in up to 8+ courses concurrently.
  • Proctor exams and quizzes.
  • Prepare and copy classroom handouts when needed.
  • Prepare materials for hands-on examinations.
• Responsible for classroom and laboratory set-ups and takedowns, repair and replacement of lab equipment, and general lab upkeep.
  • Order supplies: comparison pricing from various vendors, complete paperwork, pick up, unpack, etc. and miscellaneous local shopping.
  • Prepare chemical solutions.
  • Wash glassware and equipment.
  • Maintain (and replace as needed) lab and field equipment, including equipment shared with Biology.
  • Respond to building-related emergencies with the focus of maintaining teaching operations during outages and repairs.
  • Coordinate with Buildings and Grounds to facilitate repairs and maintenance to avoid disruption in teaching.
• Support the Science on Seneca (SOS) high school teacher-training program in coordination with the SOS team. Duties might include:
  • Maintain contact with area high school administrators and teachers.
  • Assist in the Fall and Spring high school teacher training programs on the research vessel.
  • Responsible for all SOS student cruise correspondence.
  • Responsible for maintaining current mailing list of participants and potential participants.
  • Analyze high school student research results. Amass baseline data on Seneca Lake's major chemical, biological, and physical features.
  • Coordinate SOS lab manual revisions, update as needed.
  • Conduct SOS cruise discussion groups. Maintain and manage transfers of pre-cruise kits.
  • Maintain SOS budget
  • Assist staff at Finger Lakes Institute with educational, administrative, and technical duties as needed.
• Maintain chemical stocks and various research equipment used by Geoscience, Biology, and Chemistry classes and research on board the research vessel.
• Analyze and store plankton samples for Finger Lakes and Adirondacks Lakes and maintain corresponding database in collaboration with Biology and the Finger Lakes Institute.
• Prepare and send out rock chips for thin sections.
• Maintain current teaching collections, mineral display cases and computerized database of rocks, minerals, and fossils. Label, catalog, and store new acquisitions.
• Maintain maps, charts, and posters.
  • Maintain map drawers, including filing.
  • Order maps.
• Maintain rock-saw room.
  • Train and oversee student use as needed.
  • Maintain equipment and replace parts as needed.
  • Order supplies and arrange for installation and repair.
• Maintain Departmental teaching and research equipment including the Ion Chromatograph, Elemental Analyzer, Spectrophotometer, X-ray Diffraction Unit and any other shared teaching/research equipment.
  • Train and oversee student use as needed.
  • Repair and replace parts as needed.
  • Maintain supplies.
  • Maintain service contracts and schedule service as needed.
• Maintain teaching/research microscopes and all other lab and field equipment in good working order and install appropriate replacement parts.
• Fabricate or arrange for fabrication specialized equipment needed for Geoscience laboratories and some faculty research.
• Maintain and upgrade Geoscience Department computers with focus on specialized software installations for teaching laptop cart and computers (Windows and Mac) in Geoscience teaching and research spaces. Coordinate with IT on campuswide computer upgrades, imaging, and maintenance.
• Serve on the HWS Chemical Hygeine Plan and Campus Safety Committees.
• Maintain the Geoscience Department Hazardous Chemical Inventory database.
• Maintain Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for Geoscience Department lab areas.
• Provide technical guidance for updating and maintenance of the Geoscience Department Chemical Hygeine Plan and the Geoscience Department Lab Safety Manual.
• Manage chemical waste.
• Conduct lab inspections and maintain records for Geoscience Department general use areas and teaching labs.
• Maintain records of Geoscience Department research lab inspections done by faculty.
• Maintain records of annual Faculty/Staff safety training.
• Train research students in general lab safety practices and maintain records of this training.
• Oversee student employees and student teaching assistants (6 - 10 students per semester) including timesheets.
• Filing and technical clerical support associated with teaching.
  • Purchase requisitions.
  • Maintain departmental stock of toner, ink, and paper for specialty printers.
• Inventory, store, and arrange for equipment and computer maintenance, repair, and servicing.
• General data file back up as needed.
• Migration of Geoscience collections data to an accessible database platform.
• Provide occasional lectures to Critical Museum Studies classes on mineral, rock and fossil collections.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Other Information

This is a full-time, 10-month, 37.5 hours/week, benefits-eligible hourly position. Normal working hours are 8:30 am - 5 pm and there is a shortened workweek during the scheduled summer hours time period. This position description is not all-inclusive, as other tasks or responsibilities are often assigned. Pay range: $22- $25/hr

Qualifications

• Minimum Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a STEM field required.
• Previous exposure to college-level geology laboratory instruction and lab work is necessary.
• Computer experience or willingness and ability to learn is necessary.
• Previous teaching experience desirable.
• Should be a self-starter and be able to work without direct supervision.

Application Instructions

For more information and to apply, visit https://apply.interfolio.com/182399