Laboratory Technician

We are seeking a hands-on Laboratory / Quality Technician to support laboratory testing, quality control, process monitoring, product evaluation, and continuous improvement within large-scale food ingredient, agricultural processing, ethanol, and industrial manufacturing environments in the Boardman, Oregon area.

This role works closely with production, operations, quality, and technical teams to collect and analyze samples, monitor production trends, document laboratory results, identify abnormalities, and provide accurate analytical information used to support product quality, process performance, and safe, consistent plant operations.

This is an industrial laboratory role rather than a purely academic or research-based position. The strongest candidates will be comfortable working in an active manufacturing environment and connecting laboratory data directly to production, quality, and operational decisions.

Candidates with experience in food ingredients, agricultural processing, ethanol, fermentation, distillation, brewing, food and beverage manufacturing, chemical processing, industrial gases, wastewater, environmental testing, QA/QC, or other process-manufacturing environments should translate particularly well.

Key Responsibilities

• Collect, prepare, test, and analyze production, raw-material, in-process, and finished-product samples.
• Conduct laboratory testing supporting product quality, process monitoring, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement.
• Evaluate laboratory results and identify trends, deviations, out-of-specification conditions, or unusual process behavior.
• Communicate significant findings to production, quality, and plant leadership.
• Support troubleshooting efforts by providing timely and accurate analytical data.
• Maintain accurate laboratory, quality, and production testing records using manual and electronic systems.
• Complete routine laboratory and production reports and assist with trend analysis.
• Prepare samples for shipment to external laboratories when additional or specialized testing is required.
• Monitor process and product data to help identify changes in plant performance.
• Follow established test methods, SOPs, quality systems, and documentation requirements.
• Maintain laboratory materials, reagents, supplies, equipment, and sample inventories.
• Perform routine equipment checks, calibration, verification, and basic troubleshooting as assigned.
• Support food safety, feed safety, product quality, GMP, sanitation, and regulatory programs as applicable.
• Maintain a strong focus on laboratory, chemical, food-safety, and industrial safety.
• Support investigations, corrective actions, and continuous-improvement initiatives related to product or process performance.
• Coordinate closely with production, operations, quality, engineering, maintenance, and other plant teams as needed.

Preferred Background

• Associate or bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Biotechnology, Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Laboratory Science, or a related technical field preferred.
• Candidates without a degree may be considered with relevant laboratory, QA/QC, industrial testing, food-processing, or manufacturing experience.
• Previous experience in an industrial, manufacturing, production, food-quality, environmental, or process laboratory strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting food ingredients, agricultural processing, ethanol, fermentation, chemical processing, food/beverage production, industrial gases, or other continuous-process operations is particularly valuable.
• Hands-on experience with sample collection, sample preparation, laboratory testing, chemical analysis, quality control, and documentation.
• Ability to interpret laboratory results and recognize trends, deviations, or abnormal conditions.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to consistently follow SOPs, testing methods, safety procedures, and quality standards.
• Strong analytical, mathematical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with electronic laboratory or quality systems, spreadsheets, and production-data tracking.
• Ability to communicate laboratory findings clearly to production and operations personnel.
• Comfortable working independently while collaborating closely with plant teams.
• Ability to work varying shifts, weekends, holidays, or overtime depending on plant requirements.

Experience in any of the following environments may translate well:

Food Ingredients | Agricultural Processing | Food & Beverage Manufacturing | Ethanol | Fermentation | Distillation | Brewing & Distilling | Bioprocessing | Chemical Manufacturing | Industrial Gases / CO₂ | Grain Processing | Spice Manufacturing | Dairy Processing | Potato Processing | Wastewater | Environmental Testing | QA/QC Laboratories | Continuous-Process Manufacturing

Experience with the following is especially valuable:

• Wet chemistry
• Process sampling
• Analytical testing
• Product-quality testing
• Fermentation monitoring
• Microbiological testing
• Moisture, pH, solids, viscosity, density, or similar routine testing
• Chemical analysis
• Laboratory documentation
• QA/QC
• GMP environments
• Food-safety programs
• Production-data trending
• Sample retention and traceability
• Calibration and equipment verification
• LIMS or other electronic laboratory systems

Work Environment

This position works within an active industrial manufacturing environment and may involve exposure to changing temperatures, dust, fumes, odors, moderate-to-loud noise, chemicals, and other normal plant conditions.

Candidates do not need to come from an identical manufacturing process. Experience from other industrial, food, agricultural, chemical, environmental, or quality-control laboratories may translate very well.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an equal opportunity employer and consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Employment may be subject to applicable background screening and drug-testing requirements.