Technical Aide

Position Summary(Basic Job Function)

This is a temporary or an on-call position. Provides technical support. Responsibilities may include computer programming or operations; research support; medical patient care; technical equipment maintenance, repair, fabrication or operation; or other technical support functions.

Unit Position Summary

   The Soil Biology Lab at Michigan State University is looking for a temporary, full time lab technician starting December 1 with an appointment length of 6 months. The position will pay a minimum of $18/hr, with final pay rate commiserate with experience. The position includes primarily lab, with some field-based, research focused on plant-microbe-soil interactions. Research in the lab explores how soil microorganisms control soil organic matter formation and break-down and nutrient cycling in agroecosystems. More information about the lab can be found here: http://tiemann.psm.msu.edu/. Work in the lab will provide valuable, basic laboratory skills and more specifically, experience conducting a wide variety of soil analyses including, but not limited to extracellular enzyme assays, soil DNA extraction, quantification and sequencing, soil nutrient and chemical analyses and soil physical and chemical fractionations. Field work may include travel to field sites for soil sampling, GIS data collection, plant trait analyses and greenhouse gas measurements.

Desired Qualifications

   The job requires: a four-year college degree in Soil Science or a closely related field of research and one to three years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in standard laboratory procedures and safety requirements and performing analytical and research techniques. Additional Requirements: 1. Previous experience with soils research or closely related field of study that included soil analyses. 2. Knowledge and experience conducting basic soil analyses and knowledge of and experience with analytical equipment such as elemental analyzer, infrared gas analyzer, gas chromatograph, isotope ratio mass spectrometer, spectrophotometer, and others. 3. A valid vehicle operator's license and good driving record. 4. Physical ability to perform field work all day, including soil and gas sampling and biomass harvest. 5. Basic personal computer competency including familiarity with Excel, Word and statistical software.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Work Hours

STANDARD 8-5