Laboratory Technician

Job Description

Job Description

Lab Technician

Job Description

We are looking for a responsible and highly motivated worker to join the Insect Facility Team. Here, you will help us grow what's next. No matter what your role, you will be part of a team that is building the future of agriculture - solving the world's food problems through innovative technology and putting people first. This exciting opportunity is available at our Johnston and Dallas Center, Iowa research facilities. The position primarily involves assisting with insect-based research using both plant and diet-based systems, rearing insect colonies, and growing/maintaining various crops in a growth chamber setting. It is essential to maintain a professional, clean, and safe work environment while meeting all compliance standards. We seek candidates who take initiative, love to learn, work hard, and have a stable work history.

Responsibilities

• Work with a team to execute insect and plant-based experiments.
• Collect and curate high-quality data under deadlines.
• Assist with all aspects of insect colony tasks, such as daily maintenance, diet preparation, egg collection, weekly production setup, insect staging, and sanitation.
• Work with plants and insects in a greenhouse, growth chamber, or field setting.
• Ensure that all materials necessary for rearing insect colonies and executing assays are prepared properly and on time.
• Conduct miscellaneous tasks such as cleaning, handling, packaging, and storing facility supplies, materials, and equipment.

Essential Skills

• Experience in chemistry, laboratory, and biology.
• High school diploma/GED required. A Bachelor's degree in entomology, agriculture, horticulture, plant physiology, or a related field is preferred.
• Ability to pay close attention to detail and follow standard operating and safety/ergonomics protocols.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• High degree of self-motivation, positive attitude, and ability to work well independently as well as a team member with minimal supervision.
• Basic computer skills preferred, including MS Office programs (Word, Excel, Outlook) and the ability to gain competency with internally-developed research software.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Three or more years of related experience or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• Must be able to stand and sit for long periods and lift up to 30 lbs.
• Ability to tolerate hours of repetitive work in a warm, humid growth chamber setting.

Work Environment

The work schedule is Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. The environment includes working in a greenhouse, growth chamber, or field setting with varying conditions. It is essential to maintain a clean and safe work environment while adhering to all compliance standards.

This is a Contract position based out of Johnston, IA.

The pay range for this position is $20.00 - $21.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:
• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Johnston,IA.

This position is anticipated to close on Jul 6, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on ziprecruiter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.