Laboratory Assistant I

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Primary Purpose

Supports academic excellence by ensuring the proper maintenance of laboratories for the use of students, faculty, and researchers.

Job Category

Non-Exempt

Essential Job Functions

1. Monitors and supports the activities of students, employees and teaching assistants to ensure that standard policies and practices are followed; enforces all lab safety protocols.
2. Cleans, disinfects, maintains, and prepares supplies and work areas to support a clean and safe lab environment
3. Sets up, adjusts, calibrates, cleans, maintains, and troubleshoots laboratory and field equipment.
4. Orders and inventories materials to maintain supplies.
5. Provides training and assistance in the use of equipment to ensure efficient usage and is the "room shark" for all the Parker labs.
6. Provides and maintains a safe work environment by participating in safety programs, committees, or teams and by conducting laboratory or plant safety audits.
7. Completes special projects as assigned.
8. Performs other duties as assigned or required.

Job Requirements

Required Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:
Knowledge:
1. Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
2. Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
3. English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
4. Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Skills:
1. Reading Comprehension - Basic understanding of written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
2. Active Listening - Basic skills in giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
3. Critical Thinking - Basic skills in using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
4. Science - Basic skills using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
5. Complex Problem Solving - Basic skills in identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
6. Active Learning - Basic skills in understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
7. Judgment and Decision Making - Basic skills in considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the appropriate one.
8. Speaking - Basic skills in talking to others to convey information effectively.
9. Systems Analysis - Basic skills in determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Abilities:
1. Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (including finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
2. Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
3. Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
4. Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
5. Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
6. Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Physical Requirements:
1. Speech Recognition - Must be able to identify and understand the speech of another person.
2. Speech Clarity – Must be able to speak clearly so others can understand you.
3. Near Vision - Must be able to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
4. May be required to work nights or weekends.
5. May be exposed to short, intermittent, and/or prolonged periods of sitting and/or standing in performance of job duties.
6. May be required to accomplish job duties using various types of equipment/supplies, to include but not limited to pens, pencils, and computer keyboards.

Required Certifications/Licensures

Required Education: Bachelor's Degree
Major (if required): Life or Physical Science
Required Experience: Up to two (2) years of experience in an academic or research environment.

Preferred Qualifications

Is this a safety sensitive position? No
Background Screening Required? No

Pre-Employment Conditions:
Sensitivity Disclaimer: Nova Southeastern University is in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and does not discriminate with regard to applicants or employees with disabilities and will make reasonable accommodation when necessary.
NSU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status or any other legally protected status.