Lab Technician, Physiology
Description
Position Summary
Lumen is seeking a highly motivated Lab Technician to join the Physiology team. The role will support all Lumen projects including the production of an anti-methanogenic animal feed additive. This additive has the potential to dramatically reduce methane emissions produced by human activity, which according to the environmental defense fund account for 25% of today’s global warming.
This Lab Technician candidate is responsible for operating all the processes of generating spirulina product. Processes include culturing spirulina in flasks, setting up large scale bioreactors, and operating pumps and other equipment for downstream processing. The candidate is also responsible for maintaining a clean workspace, sanitizing equipment after usage, and troubleshooting potential deviations.
The candidate is also expected to perform tasks in a team, learn new laboratory techniques, and provide reliable, independent, and versatile support to research.
The position requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and meticulous laboratory record keeping. Effective communication skills are crucial in coordinating with Lumen’s research and production scientists, in providing status updates, and in raising quality or troubleshooting issues as they may arise.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The major tasks for this position are as follows:
- Operate upstream units including mixers and bioreactors at different scales (1L-2000L)
- Operate downstream processing units including pumps, valves, and other equipment
- Generate media and set bioreactor controls
- Maintain a clean workspace
- Follow established protocols and/or develop new protocols as needed
- Maintain accurate and well-organized electronic laboratory notebooks
- Perform and develop assays to analyze growth and activity
- Proper and timely reporting to supervisors and team members following Lumen’s reporting policies
- Willingness to learn new techniques, protocols, instruments, and software
- Work well in a group setting and collaborate with various teams in the organization
- Respect laboratory safety policies and practices
- Lab Technicians are expected to support Lab Operations with 10% of their time
Desired and Required Qualifications
Education and Experience:
- Work experience in production environment or equivalent with clean operations experience
- Background/knowledge in biology or scientific field
- Experience operating processing equipment preferred
- Experience in culturing and maintaining microbial strains preferred.
The successful candidate will have the following attributes
- Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
- Mechanical competence, ability to use hoses and pumps
- Self-starter, able to contribute effectively in a fast-changing environment
- The ability to work in a team-oriented environment
- High integrity and ethics
- Commitment to quality and timely delivery of results
Physical Requirements
- Occasionally lift or carry up to 50 lbs. with assistance
- Safely use stepstools and step ladders in accordance with Lumen’s workplace safety policies
- Perform delicate manual procedures in the laboratory
The pay rate for this role is $25 per hour + stock bonus.